Physician Tips for Choosing the Best Ambulatory Surgery Center for Your Procedures

As physicians, it can seem overwhelming juggling a thriving practice while choosing the right and best facility to perform your surgeries. Perhaps you have been affiliated with a surgery center or hospital and you're ready for a change or you're expanding your practice locations. We've outlined some helpful steps and tips for choosing the best and right surgery center for you and your patients.

If you're in a healthcare heavy state, such as New Jersey, there can be several surgery centers per city and county. Word-of-mouth is huge within the medical community, refer to a colleague first before investigating online. 

If you don't yet know any colleagues in the city, as you may have just moved or want to expand your practice, then refer to Google. There you can find local medical societies that will have subject matter experts on local facilities, as well as begin your search for the best outpatient facility for you through Google Search and Google Maps. 

Google will not only be able to help you pinpoint local surgery centers but there you'll also be able to see Google reviews. If there are certain comments that are consistent and troublesome be sure to bring up those concerns should you choose to visit the facility. (Check out our blog post on the importance of medical reviews and tips for getting them for your practice)

What to look for and what to ask once you've set up your tour

• Make sure the facility is close to a hospital should anything catastrophic occur. Question if the surgery center has a transfer agreement with the said hospital to ensure your patient's safety. 

• Ask about all active accreditations that the surgery center possesses. An important accreditation to look out for is The Joint Commission (TJC) Ambulatory Care. This extensive accreditation process is done every 3 years (up to 39 months) and distinguishes ASCs. Accreditation with The Joint Commission means the surgery center has met the highest levels of patient safety, treatment, and services. 

• Do your due diligence and ask about infection rates within the last 5 years (if any). 
• Is the facility clean and modern with the appropriate functions that you would require? Some surgery centers specialize in certain cases, if your specialty is amongst those, be sure to question the specific equipment provided in the facility.

• Do you have a VIP patient? Question if the facility would provide a private room

• Is the team, supporting staff, Anesthesiologist, etc. friendly? Would you enjoy working with that team and would they treat your patients and their families as you would?

• Look online or on the surgery center's website to see other physicians that perform surgeries at the facility. Reputable physicians should be utilizing reputable centers. 

• How flexible is the center with scheduling and scheduling blocks (make sure the days you'd typically do surgery or would want are available)? 

• Look up the facility's Google, Yelp, and Facebook reviews (which could be from both patients and performing physicians).

• Of course, further specifics should be discussed as well as such as fee schedules and general costs

We hope the above has been helpful as you search for the best ambulatory surgery center to perform surgery. If you are a physician that is interested in performing surgery in the West Orange/Newark area, schedule your tour today at Mountain Surgery Center!

-The Mountain Surgery Center Team