Outpatient Surgery Magazine - Subscribers

No More Empty Beds - Outpatient Surgery Magazine - February 2020

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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F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 0 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y. N E T • 3 3 Implementing an anesthesia assess- ment pre-op phone call will help you address most issues that can cause case cancellations. It's still important to stay on top of poten- tial day-of-surgery problems, according to Natalya E. Nelson, DNP, RN, CNOR, unit director of UCLA Santa Monica Ambulatory Surgery Center and the Medical Procedure Unit at UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica. 1. No NPO. Patients who eat just before they arrive for surgery usually didn't get a clear explanation of your NPO requirements. Be specific and precise with your language. A patient might hear, "Have a light breakfast," by which you meant a piece of dry toast and clear fluids. Maybe that patient usually eats several pancakes in the morning and might consider a short stack a "light break- fast." Remove all ambiguity. 2. Logistical miscommunication. The patient arrives at the wrong campus, or at the wrong time. The patient arrives late for surgery, but the surgeon is already gone for the day, so the sur- gery is cancelled. You had the wrong phone number for the patient and couldn't get in touch. The list goes on and on. Make PROACTIVE APPROACH 6 Common Causes for Case Cancellations • PAYMENT PLAN Inform patients of exactly how much they will owe out of pocket so there are no surprises on the day of surgery.

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