Outpatient Surgery Magazine, providing current information on Surgical Services, Surgical Facility Administration, Outpatient Surgery News and Trends, OR Excellence and more.
Issue link: http://outpatientsurgery.uberflip.com/i/477058
options). Then, gather a small team of staff members to help you brain- storm solutions and set a goal. Implement those solutions, document- ing your process using your accrediting agency's suggested format, Ms. Flores says. When the time period of the study is over or your goal is met, present your findings to your governing board — so surveyors can see in meeting minutes that leadership was involved — and write a report. "We tried to complete one every 3 months," Ms. Flores says. "It was simplified, so it didn't make it difficult." Benchmarking is another practice accreditors will expect. Compared to the internal goals of a QI program, benchmarking is a way of comparing your facility to national or regional standards, says Ms. Thorbin. The idea is similar to QI studies, she says, but you instead turn to outside agencies, like specialty organizations or CMS, to define your goals. Several of these groups offer benchmarking pro- grams for a fee that are designed to aid your process. QI requirements set by the Joint Commission vary from other ASC- focused agencies, but it's still expected that you demonstrate you've completed quality improvement programs. Ms. Adams says that the hospital's EHR system tracks any internal studies and benchmarking, and can easily generate reports with the studies' findings. "With the electronic health record, that information is right at our fingertips," says Ms. Adams. 5. Be a good host You're not the only one stressed out, as surveyors face long days and endless travel. Consider these short tips to make the survey process more pleasant: • Supply travel tips. Consider reaching out to your survey team ahead of time to offer help in planning the logistics of their trip. Providing information on the closest airport, transportation options, and hotel and restaurant suggestions starts you both off on the right foot, says Ms. Thorbin. 6 2 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 O N L I N E | M A R C H 2 0 1 5