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/567827
Smart money I'm part of the first generation of ENT surgeons trained on image guidance. My experience with it started during my residency between 2000 and 2005. The introduction of the technology was part of a pilot program that was becoming widely used in hospital surgi- cal care. Since then, my surgical career has essentially grown with the technology. But surgeons only 5 years older than I might not have the same level of expertise. In order to add image guidance to their arsenal of surgical tools and capabilities, they'd have to first feel comfortable with a system's proprietary instruments, imaging display and required techniques by enduring a short learning curve. That said, more surgeons are seeking out facilities that have invested in the technology. Younger surgeons who have trained on image guidance in residency want to continue using it in practice. Experienced surgeons are realizing it's best to adapt their techniques and employ the technology that improves patient care, increases sur- gical efficiencies and provides that extra level of safety during com- plex cases. Patients, too, are beginning to expect this level of technology as they weigh their options and decide where to go for care. They're savvier than ever, they know image guidance exists, they're seeking out facilities that have the technology and they want to know a sur- geon's level of experience with it. Surgical administrators are of course concerned with making smart capital investments and want to allocate budgeted dollars to instru- ments and devices that provide clear clinical benefit. Image-guided sinus surgery is one those technologies and a worthy investment for forward-thinking facilities. The technology lets surgeons take on cases that normally might have gone to a higher-level facility, so you can jus- 1 1 3 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5 | O U T P A T I E N T S U R G E R Y . N E T