Quality
ASCs are committed to providing high quality care in a safe environment and have a proven track record of excellent patient outcomes and satisfaction. New research has begun to document areas where ASCs were the optimal performer of certain outpatient procedures. These findings confirm ASCs place as excellent options for outpatient surgery. Additionally, patient satisfaction at ASCs was 92 percent.
Currently, the ASC industry is advancing that commitment through several independent initiatives exploring the quality of care provided in the ASC setting. The industry has voluntarily undertaken these initiatives and is disclosing all findings to the public to showcase the superior outcomes provided by ASCs.
The ASC Quality Collaboration
The ASC Quality Collaboration is an independent initiative of the ASC industry to identify and develop specific measures of quality for the ASC setting. The National Quality Forum (NQF), a nonprofit organization that endorses national consensus standards for measuring and publicly reporting performance related to quality of healthcare for Americans, has already endorsed six of these measures. Currently, more than 20 percent of all ASCs are reporting the results of the measures endorsed by the National Quality Forum.
To develop these measures, an expert group has identified existing and proposed patient safety measures related to ambulatory surgery from the ASC industry as well as from NQF, Surgical Care Improvement Project (SCIP), Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC), Ambulatory Care Quality Alliance (AQA) and Surgical Quality Alliance (SQA).
The ASC Quality Collaboration’s continued focus on patient safety reflects the values and high standards for care in ASCs throughout the country.
To learn more about the data, measures and methodology of the ASC Quality Collaboration, visit www.ascquality.org.
Download the ASC industry’s response letter to HHS regarding their proposed action plan for healthcare-associated infections.
6 Grisel J, Arjmand E. Comparing quality at an ambulatory surgery center and a hospital-based facility: Preliminary findings. Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. 2009;141: 701-709.
Did You Know?
There are more than 5,200 Medicare-certified ASCs across all 50 states, with more than 1,000 facilities owned in partnerships with community hospitals learn more >
