A few months ago, Becker’s ASC Review posted this article on top 10 errors that occur in most ambulatory surgery centers. By making some small modifications in surgery center design, many of these mishaps can be avoided. Using medical construction models, you can increase efficiency. Think about renovations in patient waiting areas, operating rooms, or nurse stations. By implementing smart healthcare design, you improve workflow, which in turn prevents accidents.

Surgery Center Design Makeovers

Listed are some common workplace accidents in surgery centers, and tips on how to correct them.

Inefficient operating room layout

Unless you’re constructing a new medical building, your will have to make renovations. Consider maximizing space to reduce traffic between surgery and recovery patient areas. Many accidents occur from crowding or too much foot traffic in areas that need quick response. Instead of separate pre-op and post-op rooms, try combining the two into one room. This will create more usable space and cut down on the stream of traffic caused by patients and visitors. Are your supplies stored next to the operating room?  Or does your surgeon waste time waiting for equipment delivery?

Bad time management

Many ASC administrators fail to determine how much time is needed to perform each process. As a result, cases are scheduled without enough time, and doctors (and patients) feel harried and impatient. An electronic healthcare billing system can help to log in workloads and better predict the time needed to complete each type of surgery.

Poor workflow

If you change one thing about your facility layout, it should be to improve workflow. Patients, doctors, and nursing staff need to be in the right place at the right time for each medical procedure. Design the placement of operating rooms, supplies, waiting areas, and waste disposal stations in a way that promotes time management and efficiency. Questions you need to ask:
  • How much staff volume can I maintain without creating a hectic environment?
  • Are materials for special surgeries easy to reach?
  • Are staff-only areas marked to prevent patients from wandering in?
  • Are nursing modules positioned in or near patient rooms?
  • Are waste disposal receptacles located near areas where they are most needed?
  • Patients need designated areas to walk around and receive visitors. Are these parameters clearly defined and accessible?

Upshot

To cut back on mistakes that cost time and money, you may need to revamp your surgery center design layout. Contact an experienced medical construction expert for a realistic construction plan that meets your budget. Also read: Nurses Station Designs to Consider Medical Construction: Patient Waiting Room Design Building Healthcare Facility Design Layouts that Patients Love Source: 10 most common issues to address at ASCs to make your center more efficient

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