Across healthcare, increasing quality and decreasing costs are two common goals. To keep your ASC running efficiently, it’s crucial to cut the fat. Where are you spending money that you don’t need to be spending? Here are 3 areas to think about as we enter into the new year.
Surgery scheduling
At an ASC, the key to increasing revenue is increasing OR volume. How can you increase OR volume without increasing FTE and overtime hours? By making it easier for physicians to book directly at your surgery center.
In the past, surgery bookings were made primarily through phone or fax. Not only is there no paper trail with this method, but these methods are time-consuming, and information is easily lost. Two-way booking software can simplify booking. The solution also enhances communication between your ASC and physician offices, leading to an increase in referral rates.
Nursing time
Nurses only have so many hours in a day. And too often, those precious hours are spent on tasks that could be performed more efficiently. For example, patient charting and collecting a pre-op medical history can be time-consuming and cumbersome.
The solution? Go digital. Digital chart storage allows nurses to stay more organized and on top of paperwork. This makes it easier for nurses to chart in real-time, using automated barcodes and customizable document categories. Bonus: you will also save money on physical chart storage and courier costs.
When it comes to pre-admissions paperwork, give patients an option to complete their medical history and health assessment online. Online pre-admissions saves nursing time both in the collection of medical history and in identifying risks. Pre-admissions software can assess a patient’s risk and flag areas where further follow-up is needed.
Patient care communication
We all have heard the adage that time is money. And in healthcare—it is. Patient communication is a crucial component of ensuring that surgery goes smoothly. However, the hours quickly add up when staff need to make reminder calls, send emails, and communicate treatment plans to patients.
Patient communication software can integrate directly with a patient’s medical record to send automated, targeted reminders. These reminders can be customized to include information on appointment times, pre-op guidelines, and medication reminders. Your staff can even send automated texts or emails to encourage patients to take a satisfaction survey after their surgery.
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