surgery and optimizing outcomes as more of an emphasis is being
placed on entire episodes of care. They're also the gatekeepers of the
OR and make the final call on whether your facility will perform com-
plex procedures on acute patients.
"It's a fine line to walk," admits Dr. Durick. "There has to be open
communication and trust between anesthesia providers and adminis-
trators."
He recently worked a bilateral distal radius fracture repair on a 91-
year-old woman, a case he never would have considered doing in the
outpatient setting just 5 years ago. But his combination of a peripheral
nerve block and a non-opioid multimodal medication cocktail had the
woman smiling and ready to head home soon after surgery. It's that
type of pain management expertise you should expect from your
providers.
• Look beyond the bedside. Mr. Horowitz works at a busy oph-
thalmic surgery center and is an active member of the facility's leader-
ship team. He helps develop policies and procedures, provides advice
on equipment purchasing, ensures care is efficient and helps lower
case costs.
Providers who are involved in the day-to-day operations of your
facility are more willing to contribute to its success, points out Dr.
Durick. "If you allow anesthesia to have a little buy-in, they have skin
in the game and will be more responsive when you approach them
with requests or process improvement ideas," he says.
Ask providers about their expectations and what they need to be suc-
cessful. You, in turn, can touch on the role you need them to play in
safe, effective and efficient patient care. "Those discussions establish
lines of communication and trust," says Dr. Sinha.
• Promote patient satisfaction. Your anesthesia providers should
ensure patients have the best possible experience through effective
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