pared."
9. Make staff available
Having the right staff and
leadership available during
key times keeps you and your
surveyor on schedule. The
surveyors say they'll likely
want to meet with your med-
ical director and department
heads at some point, often
during the end-of-survey con-
ference. Ms. Kleinhesselink notes that it's especially helpful to have a
staffer available to help her review medical records and other docu-
ments. "We give the administrator the agenda first, so that they have
an idea of what they'll be doing on their end," she says. "So, if we
want to look at a certain policy later that morning, but the surgery
schedule means that the person we need to speak to isn't free, it
helps to know that ahead of time so we can modify it."
10. Consultative, not confrontational
If you get dinged on the survey, consider reaching out to the organi-
zation for more information or help on what to do next. "If there are
any questions concerning the deficiency, the facility has the right to
query the board," says Dr. Brownstein. "We want it to be fair and we
want them to meet the standards."
While it can be a high-tension time, the surveyors stress that that's
not the goal. "We want it to be a learning experience," says Ms.
Kleinhesselink. "We want it to be consultative and help you achieve
a higher level of excellence, not be a scary thing."
OSM
A P R I L 2 0 1 6 • O U T PA T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T • 7 3
• GRACIOUS HOST Make sure your accreditors have a quiet
place to work and something to eat and drink while they're on
site at your facility.
