Outpatient Surgery Magazine, providing current information on Surgical Services, Surgical Facility Administration, Outpatient Surgery News and Trends, OR Excellence and more.
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C OVID-19 has wreaked havoc on the entire country, altered our daily lives and brought once- thriving industries to their knees. And yet, our ASC has increased case volume by more than 30% during the pan- demic. How have we done it? It's actually a very simple process that comes down to three things: following established facility-specific protocols, supporting staff and letting patients know it's still safe to undergo surgery. 1. Create protocols and stick to them When the pandemic first hit, we immediately reduced our pain management cases, routine ortho procedures and non-emergent spine sur- geries. When you're faced with an unknown, take a step back to figure out what you're dealing with and determine the best path forward. Start by following the science, which should be the basis of documented response protocols you create: • Proper use of PPE. During the pandemic's initial wave, everyone at our facility began wearing masks as a precautionary measure because it was a proven safeguard against virus spread. What we didn't try to do, however, was burn through our PPE too quickly. Maintaining an adequate supply of PPE was one of the major issues early on during the pandemic. Facilities panicked and used PPE irrationally. Masks were being changed every 10 minutes before supply chains were filled out. Obviously, proper PPE is criti- cal, but you have to use it on a rational basis. Make sure your main supply chain provides ade- quate PPE levels, but also have a few back-up options available so you're not buying from a single vendor. • Reduced contact and distancing protocols. Last spring, we made a conscious effort to limit staff con- tact and increase our distancing. We created a proto- col that stated employees could spend no more than five minutes next to one another whenever possible. That obviously doesn't work in the OR, but the five- minute rule was strictly enforced in our pre-op, PACU and common areas. • Upgraded air exchange system. Fortunately, when our center was constructed, the air system was built to exchange the air in the entire facility between four and six times every hour. The system runs air exchanges through a HEPA filter and treats them with high-intensity UV light. We were already positioned to protect against the spread of the virus with this air exchange system in place, but I also bought a fleet of industrial-strength air handlers for our clinics and office spaces. These handlers treat 300 cubic feet of airflow per minute with high-intensity UV light purification. Each unit can handle 3,000 square feet of space. Granted, at $6,000 per unit, they're certainly not cheap. But safe care is our ultimate goal, and COVID-19 can be transmitted through aerosolization. Spread can occur if your facili- ty's air isn't treated correctly or efficiently. • Adequate testing. Thanks to an arrangement we set up with a lab down the street from our facili- ty, we're able to test all patients for COVID-19 the day before their scheduled procedures. The lab works on an eight-hour turnaround or a four-hour turnaround if we have an emergency case. Family 8 • S U P P L E M E N T T O O U T P A T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 1 How to Master Your Pandemic Response A proven, three-step strategy for increasing your business and protecting your patients and staff from COVID-19. SAFE SPACE To ensure distancing, DISC Sports & Spine Center requires employees to spend no more than five minutes next to one another whenever possible. DISC Sports & Spine Center