2025 - Member Focus Archive

Title: Quality Manager
Facility Name: Brunswick Surgery Center
City: Ridgefield
State: Washington
Length of time your facility has been an ASCA member: Five or more years

What changes in the OAS CAHPS Survey would make the experience easier and more productive?

Low response rates are a trending concern with a lot of facilities this year. I think survey brevity would improve response rates. The OAS CAHPS Survey is lengthy and with the way the world has moved to elicit client feedback, we are surveyed about everything from doctor appointments to grocery store items. We value patient feedback that helps us grow and identify opportunities where we can improve the patient experience. Sending a long survey after a surgical procedure can feel overwhelming. Our patients often express that they receive surveys from their preop clinic visit, their surgeon's practice, the anesthesia group assisting with their surgery, the surgery center itself and the OAS CAHPS Survey. Brevity of the OAS CAHPS Survey might help increase feedback, and introductory language that explains that the questions are specific to the experience at the surgery center could help the feedback be more specific to the actual outpatient surgery environment. My center often receives feedback related to the preoperative visit in the provider's clinic, so it does not seem to be always clearly detailed that the survey is targeted to the outpatient surgery center specifically. I am glad that survey vendors offer digital surveys. I believe this is more helpful in timely turnaround rather than a paper mailing option, but this methodology might not be the best fit for every patient population.

What strategies are you using to manage the anesthesia shortage?

My facility contracts with an anesthesia group for anesthesiologist and CRNA coverage at our center. We understand the anesthesia group has experienced some challenges with the shortage and the demands of the healthcare market. Our approach has been timely and clear communication of needs and flexing when we can to accommodate requests of the group. This has helped the group make timely staffing decisions.

Title: Chief Executive Officer, Founder
Facility Name: Innovative Healthcare Advisors
City: Ridgefield
State: Washington
Length of time your facility has been an ASCA member: Less than a year

Are there benefits to outsourcing provider credentialing and privileging? What are they?

Outsourcing provider credentialing and privileging offers significant benefits for ASCs. Specialized vendors bring expertise in regulatory compliance, staying current with CMS, state and accreditor requirements, which reduces errors and the risk of noncompliance that could jeopardize reimbursement or accreditation.

Efficiency is another major advantage. Dedicated credentialing teams and advanced technology platforms streamline the process, resulting in faster onboarding and fewer delays in revenue generation. Outsourcing also alleviates administrative burden, allowing in-house staff to focus on patient care, billing and operations, while offering predictable costs compared to maintaining a full credentialing department.

Vendors typically provide access to software that automates verification, tracks expirations and improves audit readiness. This not only enhances accuracy but also supports payer enrollment, ensuring providers are credentialed with insurers quickly to avoid claim denials or reimbursement delays. Additionally, outsourcing provides scalability, making it easier to handle growth, add providers or expand into new specialties without overloading internal teams.

Potential drawbacks include reduced direct control, reliance on vendor communication, and the need to safeguard sensitive data through strong privacy and compliance agreements. In some cases, highly efficient in-house teams may already provide cost-effective credentialing.

Overall, outsourcing credentialing and privileging can improve compliance, speed, scalability and financial stability, making it a valuable solution for facilities seeking efficiency and growth while minimizing administrative risk.

How do you identify allergies in your patients’ physical medical records?

In both physical and electronic medical records (EMR), allergy identification is standardized and prioritized because it is considered critical patient safety information. Allergies are clearly labeled in a designated section of the chart and prominently noted on the first page or face sheet, allowing providers and care teams to recognize risks quickly. Physical charts are flagged with a red “allergy” sticker, and alerts are entered into the EMR. To strengthen visibility, documentation is repeated across multiple points, including progress notes, medication orders, preoperative or intake forms, and the patient’s face sheet. An additional safeguard is the use of an allergy wristband, providing immediate visual identification.

Best practice emphasizes multiple verification steps throughout the patient’s journey. Staff confirm allergies during preadmission assessments, chart reviews, application of visual identifiers such as wristbands, and the surgical time-out. These redundancies ensure consistency and prevent oversights.

Documentation should be specific, including both the allergen and the type of reaction, as this helps providers evaluate risk accurately. Allergy identification should never be left blank; if no known allergies are reported, staff should clearly document “NKA” (no known allergies) to eliminate assumptions that allergies were overlooked.

Standardized practices are reinforced by regulatory requirements. Accrediting bodies such as Joint Commission, AAAHC and CMS mandate that allergies be reviewed during the surgical time-out before surgery. This process, which requires verbal confirmation with the entire surgical team, serves as a final safeguard against medication or exposure errors.

Ongoing staff training further supports best practices. Staff are encouraged to ask open-ended questions such as, “Have you ever had a bad reaction to medication, food or latex?” rather than yes/no questions, which can unintentionally limit patient responses. By combining clear documentation, multiple verification steps, standardized visual alerts and thorough patient communication, ASCs can maintain high standards of safety and compliance while ensuring patient well-being.

Title: Administrator/Clinical Director
Facility Name: Union City Surgery Center
City: Union City
State: Tennessee
Length of time your facility has been an ASCA member: Five or more years

Are there benefits to outsourcing provider credentialing and privileging? What are they?

Several benefits are afforded for centers that outsource their credentialing and privileging. One huge benefit is the tracking and upkeep of the annual renewal and reappointment of medical staff and mid-level providers, as well as reminders for staff license renewals and expiration of ACLS, PALS and BLS. It allows the center leader and staff to focus on daily tasks that are more pertinent to ASC operations instead of wasting precious manpower on credentialing and privileging upkeep. The con comes at the expense. The center is paying for the convenience of the service, which is often pricey and out of reach for smaller, cost-efficient centers that cannot afford the luxury of this service. If saving money is at the top of the list, an Excel spreadsheet documenting all medical staff and mid-level providers and all relevant expiration dates can be just as effective, as long as it is checked monthly and kept well organized. It all depends on the center.

How do you identify allergies in your patients’ physical medical records?

Preoperatively, at the time of scheduling, our center provides each patient with patient history assessment and patient reconciliation forms. Each form contains vital patient medical information, including the patient's drug, material and environmental allergy status. That information, collected at the time of check-in, is cross-referenced with the H&P from the scheduling physician's office along with the preoperative nurse's preop call sheet from the day before surgery. The patient is processed into preop where the nurse goes over the forms and confirms the allergy status with the patient, and/or caregiver when applicable, to ensure the list is up-to-date. The anesthesia screening by anesthesia services repeats the process by confirming accuracy to rule out potential allergic reactions and the risk of malignant hyperthermia. The last stop before surgery is the circulating nurse who confirms allergy status with the patient during the interviewing and patient identifier portion of their assessment. Each of these steps helps to decrease the risk for medical errors while providing medication administration and information on latex sensitivity and allergy risks with supplies, increases patient safety, and is a key element in making every staff member aware of the patient's documented allergies. These extra steps are important in maintaining a clear line of communication between the patient, physician and the center staff, and to provide the safest environment and patient care possible.

Title: Clinical Coordinator
Facility Name: Texas Health Spine Surgery Center Rockwall
City: Rockwall
State: Texas
Length of time your facility has been an ASCA member: Five or more years

Are there benefits to outsourcing provider credentialing and privileging? What are they?

We currently manage credentialing and privileging through our business office, which gives us strong control and direct oversight. Some organizations choose to outsource to a credentialing verification organization for benefits, such as regulatory expertise, time savings and advanced tracking tools. However, outsourcing can also add cost and reduce flexibility, so the best approach depends on the facility's size and needs.

How do you identify allergies in your patients’ physical medical records?

Allergies are entered directly into the EMR in the designated allergy field. The system flags allergies prominently in the patient header and during order entry, ensuring they are visible to all providers. Allergies are verified at every patient encounter and updated as needed to maintain accuracy.

Title: Operations Director
Facility Name: Advanced Vision Surgery Center
City: Longmont
State: Colorado
Length of time your facility has been an ASCA member: Five or more years

Are there benefits to outsourcing provider credentialing and privileging? What are they?

While outsourcing credentialing and privileging might offer benefits for some organizations, our ASC has found greater success keeping these processes in-house. In the past, using a third-party service created delays in turnaround time, limiting our ability to obtain required documentation promptly. By developing a sustainable, policy-driven credentialing and privileging process within our center, we have established a system that is both efficient and compliant.

This internal approach has been particularly valuable in supporting our physician-owned model, allowing us to onboard new surgeons and anesthesia providers quickly, even within a few weeks’ notice, without compromising quality or compliance. Ultimately, having a well-structured internal process, guided by policy and best practice, ensures accuracy, accountability and timely readiness without the need for costly outsourcing or complex external systems.

How do you identify allergies in your patients’ physical medical records?

At our ASC, patient allergies are clearly identified and consistently communicated throughout the continuum of care. Within our EMR, allergies are prominently displayed at the top of every patient record, ensuring visibility for the pre-admission testing team, preoperative nurses, anesthesia providers, OR staff and PACU nurses. In addition, our daily physician-specific schedules include allergy information, which nursing staff review and annotate as needed, with any allergies highlighted for emphasis. As an added safety measure, we utilize a standardized “time-out“ half sheet that is posted at each patient’s bedside. This document serves as a visual reminder to verify the patient’s identity, procedure, laterality and allergies during the surgical safety checklist process. These practices support safe, consistent and compliant allergy documentation and communication across all phases of care.

Title: Chief Operations Officer
Facility Name: Surgical Management Professionals
City: Sioux Falls
State: South Dakota
Length of time your facility has been an ASCA member: Five or more years

Are there benefits to outsourcing provider credentialing and privileging? What are they?

Yes, outsourcing provider credentialing and privileging can offer significant benefits, especially for organizations aiming to improve efficiency, compliance and turnaround times. Professional credentialing services offer specialized expertise in navigating complex regulatory requirements, payer enrollment processes and accreditation standards, reducing the risk of errors or omissions that can delay provider start dates or jeopardize compliance. By leveraging dedicated resources and technology, these services can streamline data management, monitor expirations and ensure timely renewals, freeing internal staff to focus on patient care and operational priorities. Additionally, outsourcing often provides scalability to handle fluctuating volumes, access to best practices and cost predictability, ultimately supporting faster onboarding and more consistent quality.

How do you identify allergies in your patients’ physical medical records?

Allergies in patients’ physical medical records are typically identified through a clearly designated “Allergies” section on the front page or cover sheet of the chart, often highlighted in a distinct color or with an alert sticker for visibility. This section includes the allergen, the type of reaction and the severity when known. During patient intake or preoperative assessment, staff verify and update allergy information by asking the patient directly and reviewing any previous records, ensuring that changes are immediately documented. Consistent placement, visual cues and routine verification help ensure that allergy information is quickly recognized by all members of the care team, reducing the risk of adverse events.

Title: Chief Executive Officer
Facility Name: Copper Ridge Surgery Center
City: Traverse City
State: Michigan
Length of time your facility has been an ASCA member: Five or more years

Are there benefits to outsourcing provider credentialing and privileging? What are they?

In my experience, it is beneficial to partner with a CVO [credentials verification organization] to outsource credentialing. It improves efficiency by reducing some of the administrative workload and assists with ensuring timeliness and compliance.

CMS’ Appendix L has specific requirements related to privileging as outlined in the Conditions for Coverage. It is important to understand the difference between credentialing and privileging. The ASCA Learning Hub has several outstanding sessions on credentialing and privileging by some leading ASC experts that are very helpful.

How do you identify allergies in your patients’ physical medical records?

We utilize an EMR [electronic medical record]. If the patient has allergies, a red box indicating there is an allergy is located at the top of each page in the header section that includes the patient’s name and other demographics. The allergy section in the EMR includes all the pertinent information that is completed and reviewed by nursing staff.

Title: Clinical Director
Facility Name: Tower Clock Surgery Center
City: Green Bay
State: Wisconsin
Length of time your facility has been an ASCA member: Five or more years

Are there benefits to outsourcing provider credentialing and privileging? What are they?

We have a blended approach to provider credentialing and privileging. We do outsource license, education and insurance verifications, but privileging is handled in house by our administrator.

Another major advantage is scalability. As your ASC grows or experiences shifts in provider volume, an outsourced solution can easily adapt—something that’s harder to do with a fixed in-house team. In short, outsourcing brings greater accuracy, flexibility and peace of mind, making it a valuable option for many ASCs.

How do you identify allergies in your patients’ physical medical records?

Our EMR flags allergies, which can be seen on the patient tracker as well as throughout the chart. We do add additional case notes for allergies that would change our “normal order protocol” to the detail line that is seen on the printed schedules. We also have “soft charts” for each patient who gets an arm band put in to apply at check-in and a neon orange allergy alert sticker on the front page to warn the staff. We ask that the nursing staff also make notes when the allergy has been addressed with the surgeon to avoid any questions on the day of surgery. This has worked well for us.

Title: Administrator/Chief Executive Officer
Facility Name: Peakpoint Flatiron Surgery Center
City: New York
State: New York
Length of time your facility has been an ASCA member: One year

Are there benefits to outsourcing provider credentialing and privileging? What are they?

Outsourcing provider credentialing and privileging in an ASC can be a smart move for both operational efficiency and long-term strategy. By partnering with credentialing experts, ASCs can ensure they meet all regulatory and accreditation standards—like those from CMS or The Joint Commission—without having to constantly monitor changing requirements in-house. This helps reduce the risk of compliance issues or legal complications tied to credentialing errors.

From a workflow perspective, outsourcing simplifies the credentialing process, allowing internal staff to focus on patient care and daily operations. It also speeds up the onboarding of new providers, which is crucial for maintaining a steady flow of procedures and revenue. While there’s an initial cost, outsourcing often proves more economical than managing credentialing internally, especially when you consider the expenses tied to software, training and potential delays.

Another major advantage is scalability. As your ASC grows or experiences shifts in provider volume, an outsourced solution can easily adapt—something that’s harder to do with a fixed in-house team. In short, outsourcing brings greater accuracy, flexibility and peace of mind, making it a valuable option for many ASCs.

Title: Administrator
Facility Name: Deerpath Ambulatory Surgical Center
City: Morris
State: Illinois
Length of time your facility has been an ASCA member: Five or more years

Do you require your surgeons to complete a minimum number of cases within a specified time frame to maintain their privileges? How many cases and over what period of time?

My center does not have a minimum case number. Since the majority of our surgeons are investors, they are required to do at least one-third of their eligible cases at the surgery center.

Do you audit your janitorial and housekeeping staff? For what purpose?

We have a checklist that the janitorial staff follow. This provides a system of checks and balances for the cleaning of the center. If an item was marked as complete and not done, then we are able to go back to the company and resolve the deficiency.