M A R C H 2 0 1 7 O U T P A T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T 1 1
more space to grow the program. When a GI prac-
tice offered to piggyback on our certificate of need
in exchange for bringing in an initial 8,000 cases a
year, we jumped at the chance to join forces on
building a new surgery center.
The 28,000-square-foot, single-story facility, which
opened 5 months ago, is divided into 2 separate clin-
ical paths for GI/pain management cases and ortho-
pedic procedures, including total joint replacements.
Four of the 16 pre-op/recovery rooms on the facili-
ty's orthopedic side are dedicated to total joint
cases, so patients recover in the same space where
they begin their surgical journey. Here are a few of
the design features and equipment purchases that
ensure the trip is as safe, efficient and comfortable
as possible.
• Revved up for regional. Multimodal pain man-
agement is one of the main reasons total joint surgery
is now feasible in the outpatient setting. Adductor
canal blocks, which inhibit pain sensors without
impacting motor sensation in knee replacement
patients, require ultrasound guidance, so we spent a
total of $24,000 on 2 compact ultrasound machines
that are shared among our 4 pre-op rooms. Because
our anesthesiologists are the ones who use the tech-
nology, we consulted with them and invested in the
devices they felt provided the best picture, had the
user-friendliest features and interfaced with our new
EMR.
Jumping
• WARM WELCOME The Buffalo Surgery Center and
Excelsior Orthopaedics designed the new facility to
make joint replacement patients feel right at home.