Outpatient Surgery Magazine

Special Edition: Surgical Construction - February 2021 - Subscribe to Outpatient Surgery Magazine

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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I n the past tumultuous year as the pandemic raged across the country, outpatient facili- ties have been the subject of a renewed focus within the healthcare community — for many reasons. It was certainly not "busi- ness as usual" as medical professionals and related organizations and industries grappled with the heart-wrenching challenges of the past 12 months. These medical professionals have pivoted, even daily, to manage the crisis and they continue to do so in the face of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic couldn't stop the growth and evolu- tion of outpatient facilities. Leaders are moving ahead with construction projects across the country. While resources and logistics have been impact- ed, design and construction projects have continued with added precautions and reevaluations of the immediate situation on a project-by-project and state-by-state basis. In this climate, the reimagina- tion and reinvention of surgical spaces is an ongo- ing focus of ASC and hospital leaders who have their eye on the future of these facilities. One of the reasons for the renewed focus on ASCs in particular is the continued growth of new procedures such as cardiac surgeries. Business is also booming in orthopedics, and physician-owners are looking to capture the increasing number of spine procedures and joint replacements moving from inpatient hospitals to outpatient ORs. There is a constant need for new and renovated spaces as well as an appetite for investment in standalone facilities that cater to a diverse patient population seeking a variety of procedures. That trend will continue moving forward. Time to get moving Another trend is the desire for renovating older facilities. As Scott Reeves, MD, MBA, FACC, FASE, wrote in Outpatient Surgery, "Let's swing the wrecking ball through today's tired ORs, clear the rubble, and rebuild with efficiency and improved patient care in mind." As part of a joint research team that included faculty from Clemson University and the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), he and the team examined every aspect of current operating room standards with the goal of reinventing the space from the ground up. Like many projects across the country, their intent was to reevaluate the current environment to build a better OR. Some of the key takeaways that will influence future design included some very spe- cific suggestions to improve the placement of moni- tors, screens and other equipment to improve each team member's line of sight to the sterile field. As ultra-high definition touchscreen technology improves, placement of these tools called for them to be hung throughout the OR to allow for better team communication. And these improvements start at the very beginning of the OR's initial design. Certainly, every OR build is unique. Its personal design depends largely on the available square footage and the types of surgeries to be performed there. Each area of real estate must be reconfigured to be of optimal use to the team. This requires pre- planning in the construction phase to allow for future flexibility. One tactic Dr. Reeves advises is to create versatile rooms that are standardized at the outset, with steel grids housed in the ceilings to hold booms that can be repositions and fixed as needed. Modular steel walls also allow for access to electri- 3 0 • 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 • F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 1 Outpatient Surgery Editors Building the Future of Outpatient Surgery The ambulatory surgery community forges ahead to create and renovate new centers of surgical innovation in a challenging climate.

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