Optimize Your ASC Operations: Streamline Surgical Pipeline Efficiency

Optimize Your ASC Operations: Streamlining Surgical Pipeline Efficiency

CaseCTRL's Chief Medical Officer, Ashvin Dewan, M.D., was a speaker at the 2024 American Alliance of Orthopaedic Executives (AAOE) conference in Chicago, IL. Dr. Dewan shared his experiences and lessons learned in optimizing his surgery case management while providing an ASC Pre-operative Checklist. This session was designed to help practices optimize ASC operations and streamline the surgical pipeline.

Key Takeaways covered how to: 

1. Implement a data-driven surgical scheduling process
2. Identify the most common reasons patients are lost to your ASC
3. Develop a plan to recover patients lost in the surgery pipeline
4. List ways to set up your ASC for operational success before the surgery
5. Apply strategies to enhance practice and ASC engagement

Successful ASC Surgery Scheduling

Dr. Dewan also shared his "Steps for Successful ASC Surgery Scheduling" which includes the following components:

1. Posting Standardization: Create a standardized ASC surgery posting process that ensures all cases are posted consistently and accurately.
2. Risk Stratification: Partner with Anesthesia to stratify candidates and agree upon a triage algorithm
3. Shared Workspace: Create a shared workspace where all stakeholders can access and update surgical case information.
4. Communication Pathways: Establish clear communication pathways between all stakeholders involved in the ASC surgery scheduling process.
5. Case Confirmation: Confirm all surgical cases before the scheduled surgery date.

By following these tips, orthopedic and other surgical practices can improve their ASC surgery scheduling processes and deliver a better experience for patients and staff. 

ASC Pre-operative Checklist

An ASC Pre-operative Checklist can be helpful, and putting it in a shared workspace makes it easy for anyone to help and follow along. Key items on this checklist include: 

1. Payor information
   1. ID cards
   2. Accurate beneficiary info
   3. Valid insurance
2. Resource availability
   1. Facility availability
   2. Equipment availability
3. Special equipment
   1. Vendor-provided implants available
   2. Pans available
4. Patient risk stratification
   1. BMI
   2. Medical hx
   3. Meds evaluated
   4. Anesthesia check
5. Clinical notes
   1. Surgeon’s notes for medical review
   2. Consent forms
6. Pre-authorization
   1. Determination of payor
   2. Reference number
7. Pre-operative clearance
   1. Consultants recommendations received 
8. Diagnostic Testing
   1. Appropriate tests, e.g. COVID/Lab testing complete
   2. Results received
9. Financial Considerations
   1. Cost estimates provided
   2. Pre-payments obtained
10. Durable Medical Equipment (DME)
    1. Dispensed prior to surgery or available at the Facility
11. Patient Education
    1. Patient aware of the process
    2. Patient updated about pre and post-operative expectations

If you are a surgical practice looking to improve your ASC surgery scheduling process, contact us today at info@casectrl.com to learn more about how we can help you move your practice forward!