Working in an ambulatory surgery center can be quite a challenge — and staying efficient is paramount to success. Here are some tips to help keep your ASC running like a well-oiled machine.
Develop systems and processes that are designed to support excellence
To ensure the highest level of customer satisfaction in your ASC, developing comprehensive systems and processes is key. Taking a multi-stakeholder approach by creating systems that support excellence in scheduling and patient care coordination will ultimately reduce time and effort for both users and staff alike. Improving communication between stakeholders is essential for crafting effective care plans as well as managing billing responsibilities.
By having clear procedures that are agreed upon by all involved parties, efficiency will be maximized and patient satisfaction strengthened. Further enhancing customer experience must be a priority to move forward in healthcare operations.
Invest in new technology that will reduce the time needed for administrative tasks
Investing in new technology such as ASC EHR software can make a tremendous difference in efficiency and cost savings at an ambulatory surgery center. By automating repeatable tasks such as data entry and inventory tracking, complexities such as time constraints for administrative tasks can be drastically reduced.
This will ultimately lead not only to significant time savings but improved accuracy, fewer errors, and less stress on the facility staff. Ultimately, investing in updated technology is both a sensible decision from a financial standpoint as well as an effective strategy for improving the overall efficiency of your ASC.
Ensure staff members have ongoing training and education
Training and education are important for any work environment, but especially for an ambulatory surgery center where efficiency is a priority. Staying up-to-date with the latest procedures, protocols, and codes in the industry is essential to ensure staff members can effectively provide quality health care to patients.
Along with this, making sure that everyone on staff has a comprehensive understanding of insurance policies, coding systems, and payer rules helps guarantee the ASC continues to operate within legal compliance regulations. This type of ongoing training and education should be accounted for in all financial plans so employees can have full access to the resources they need in order to remain professional, efficient, and compliant.
Provide appropriate break times for all staff members
An effective way for an ambulatory surgery center to increase efficiency is by ensuring that all staff members take appropriate breaks during their shifts. If you allow your employees to become too fatigued without any rest periods, you risk them becoming less productive and potentially even making errors that could endanger the safety of your patients.
It is essential that break times are appropriately scheduled and enforced; this will help make sure that everyone remains energized and on task. Additionally, when staff can take a short pause in their day it allows them time to think creatively and communicate better with each other, which then leads to more innovative ideas being generated. When you invest in providing rest periods as part of your daily routine, you can create a healthier working environment and expect improved results from your ASC.
Create a work environment that promotes safety
Creating an environment of safety and efficiency within an ambulatory surgery center should be a top priority for any facility. Instead of following the bare minimum safety guidelines as set by OSHA, think of additional ways to improve both patient care and workflow.
Something as simple as revising the daily tasks-of-the-day schedule can create smoother operating room rolls; consider assigning more challenging cases to your more experienced personnel, which can drastically reduce any risk for errors or lackluster results. Every step must be taken to ensure that not only does the ambulatory surgery center meet all mandated safety requirements, but surpasses them to safely provide an outstanding service for every patient.
Look for ways to reduce waste both financially and physically
Improving efficiency in an ASCr can have great benefits, both financially and physically. The Lean or Six Sigma Operations strategies are excellent ways to reduce waste while streamlining the organization. Through the use of these tactics, it can be easier to reduce wait times, improve patient experience, and create a more cost-efficient work environment.
Additionally, this can help eliminate redundancies and allow for better management of resources as well as improved staff morale. Utilizing these strategies can make a huge difference when striving for positive results in any surgery center.
Build trust among patients by regularly soliciting feedback
Building patient trust is essential in any medical facility, especially an ASC. One of the best ways to do this and improve the experience for all involved is to regularly solicit feedback from patients. Doing so will allow you to get immediate insights into how your facility is meeting the needs of its patients while also allowing those patients to speak their minds in a safe and secure way.
Regularly collecting feedback can help identify points of improvement at your ASC, whether it’s increasing communication with staff or updating processes for smoother check-in procedures. Taking these steps to build trust among patients is a positive way for any ASC to continually improve its services and stand out in the industry.