This is an essay converted to a powerpoint presentation on Ambulatory Service Centers.
Slide 1: Industry Overview
The Ambulatory Service Center industry is a part of the healthcare industry focused on providing same-day surgical care, including diagnostic and preventative procedures (ASCA, 2016). The industry is facing a number of challenges, including the need for increased patient turnover, but with high patient satisfaction as well.
Slide 2: A Question of Priorities
In choosing the right balance between bringing in more patients and patient satisfaction there are two dynamics to consider. One is that higher patient satisfaction is often associated with more referrals others in health care are more likely to refer to you if you have a good reputation. The other factor is that low satisfaction is associated with higher malpractice suit incidences (Stelfox et al, 2005). Given what malpractice insurance costs, let alone a successful suit, reducing malpractice risk is more important than increasing patient turnover.
Slide 3: Human Resources
Among the key findings of Stelfox et al (2005) is that a relatively small number of physicians are responsible for a disproportionate amount of malpractice suits and patient complaints. The first basic strategy is strictly on the patient satisfaction...
Physicians have to understand that patient satisfaction standards are strict.
Slide 4: Determine Best Practices
As tempting as it is to simply set a target and say "go", the reality is that telling people to work faster without telling them how is a recipe for errors. From a management perspective, we need to define the best practices for efficient, error-free processing of patients, and then train all staff on these practices. Best practices should be determined through evidence gathering data, using studies, and investigating what peers elsewhere are doing; it is not enough to simply assume that your practices are the best (Walshe & RunMdall, 2001).
Slide 5: Not Just Physicians
Physicians are but one part of the system. Everybody at the ASC is part of the system, and will be an influencer both in terms of quality of care and efficiency of patient treatment. All aspects of the business need to be streamlined, from the intake process to the physician visit and everything in between. All processes need to be examined in order to determine best practices, and everybody…
