Why Ambulatory Surgery Centers May Be Risky
If a lawyer is writing an article for doctors warning about the liability risks of investing in ambulatory surgical centers (also known as outpatient surgery centers), that’s something that I as a patient want to know about.
According to malpractice attorney Brian S. Kern, doctors are investing in ambulatory surgical centers to earn more money as insurance reimbursement rates decline. While a surgical center might be top notch, there is a tendency, according Kern, for some centers to fail to produce or follow procedural manuals with the same rigor that most hospitals do. This can lead to safety hazards for the patient. (And lawsuits for doctors!)
Without procedure manuals and a rigorous policy of following them, errors are more likely to occur, such as failure to sterilize equipment, discharging a patient too soon, and insufficient supervision of staff.
For instance, if nobody is on top of making sure that a portable defibrillator battery is recharged on a regular basis, well, you don’t get a second chance in those critical kinds of moments.
Here’s what you can do to make sure you are not taking a big risk by have a procedure done at an ambulatory surgery center:
- Ask your surgeon if his surgery center has a procedural manual and if staff are trained to use it. Ask about sterilization procedures and if hand sanitizers are available in hallways or rooms. Often the first time you get to see a surgery center is the day of surgery. See if you can visit the facility beforehand and ask questions.
- If you have a friend who has used the center, find out if they have any concerns about the conduct there.
- Check to see if any lawsuits have been filed against this center. Finding this information may be difficult depending on where you live. Check with your local better business bureau or call a local congressman to find out how you can access that information.
- Smaller centers may seem more inviting and personal than hospitals. Try to make sure they have procedures that match hospital standards of cleanliness and safety and that they follow them.
