Benchmarking outcomes for day surgery

Abstract

In comparison to large acute care centers, Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs) provide patient-centered, fast, efficient, effective, high-value, high-quality, reliable, and safe care. For these reasons, ASCs are often preferred working venues for perioperative staff and desirable partners for surgeons, proceduralists, and anesthesiologists. Given today's many headwinds, including inflation, downward rate pressures, increasing regulation, and near constant supply chain issues, not to mention increasing patient and procedural complexity, exemplary clinical and operational management is of paramount importance and requires frequent measurement and benchmarking. Benchmarking is critical to performance assessment and is vital for assessing existing processes and new pathways and protocols, and remains the best way to identify areas for improvement. This chapter provides the reader with an overview of key ASC-related performance indicators, what they mean, and how best to measure and compare them to local, regional, and national benchmarks.

Keywords: ambulatory surgery; benchmarking; effectiveness; efficiency; high-value; patient-centered; perioperative performance.