Becker's ASC Review

ASC Turnarounds: Ideas to Improve Performance 10 ly," he says. "We want to tailor the form to fit the process and not have a generic form that asks questions that may not be relevant. Every ASC should review their forms annually to simplify and reduce redundancies." "ASCs sometimes for budgetary reasons don't have enough trays, so they are forced to sterilize those trays for turnovers. This can create problems with turnover times and infection control," says Mr. Bernhardt. "You might have to have enough trays to get well into the third case before beginning the sterilization process. We rarely have to delay a case because of sterilization issues." The center also tries to limit staff paperwork so they can meet regulatory requirements without adding extra paperwork. Each OR includes a laminated poster of the Surgical Safety Checklist. When the surgical staff completes the safety checklist it is checked off on the nursing intraoperative form. This process eliminates adding another form to the chart.       Mr. Bernhardt also uses standardized custom packs and automated fluid removal. "You can't have pails or bottles of contaminated fluid carried down the hallway; you have to have automated draining systems," he says. "This is especially important if you have orthopedics cases in your ASC." Mr. Bernhardt also uses Supply Management Online and McKesson's Data Transfer to manage costs, optimize inventory, help his materials management save time and to be as efficient as possible.        7. Use technology to decrease paperwork and tailor paperwork to different specialties. Part of the standardization at Main Street Specialty Surgery Center is patient forms; many providers are frustrated with the time and effort it takes for charting. Mr. Bernhardt tries to minimize the writing by tailoring their forms to specialty and utilize charting by exception. He also uses online ordering to reduce paperwork and streamline materials management. 8. Promote teamwork and leadership. Team leaders report to the Director of Nursing. They carry out the plan as directed by the DON. Team leaders at the surgery center are in charge of making sure everyone knows the plan for the day. They make the assignments and oversee the schedule. Team leaders gather their team every night to make sure surgical equipment and trays are ready for the next day. "Our preop forms are engineered to help reduce interview times. Our GI and pain procedures have forms that are tailored for them specifical- ▪ ▪ ▪ gregz@kbic.com andreav@kbic.com • • • "Everybody is a niche player on our team," says Mr. Bernhardt. "I try to look where they add the most value. So even if someone isn't as strong overall as someone else, there is an area where they will excel and add value to the team. I try to instill that in our culture." 9. Communicate constantly with staff members. Team leaders should have constant communication with their staff members during the day so everything runs smoothly. If a patient arrives late, everyone on the team communicates to know the case should be fast tracked and people can rotate over to get the patient in as quickly as possible. "We use the SBAR communication process as part of our culture here," says Mr. Bernhardt. "We want to communicate about potential issues before they happen, not while they are happening. We need to anticipate problems and avoid them instead of just responding after they occur. I try to empower my employees, so they can think independently and creatively. My door is open to any employee who wants to talk and have some 'Boss Time.'"   10. Address problems immediately. The efficiency of an organization is directly related to the morale of the employees. Employees will be motivated and loyal when they are treated with respect, challenged by their work, and have access to management. Main Street Specialty Surgery Center has an open door policy to immediately address staff issues that haven't been resolved through the normal chain of command. When someone isn't behaving appropriately, or has an issue that they want addressed, it's important to work with this employee instead of letting the problem fester. "When someone has a problem, I try to talk to that person immediately. One of the worst things to do is let someone ruminate with their issue. Anger and resentment almost always increase," says Mr. Bernhardt. "You have to be interactive and preemptive when someone comes into the office with a problem; they might not want to address the issue directly because they know something negative may happen, but a manager must be a coach and a counselor in order to resolve their issues." n To subscribe to the FREE Becker's ASC E-weekly, go to www.BeckersASC.com or e-mail Scott Becker at sbecker@beckershealthcare.com

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