The Leapfrog Group, a national watchdog organization of employers focused on health care safety and quality, has released a report summarizing trends on the safety and quality of care for same-day surgical procedures in the U.S. The first report of its kind from the organization, Leapfrog gathered data on critical areas of outpatient care, including basic facility and physician staff information; volume and safety procedures; patient safety practices; and patient experience.
The preliminary findings are based on data voluntarily submitted by 321 Ambulatory Surgical Centers (ASCs) and 1,141 Hospital Outpatient Departments (HOPDs) nationwide. The report highlights the importance of ensuring that all providers performing surgery or anesthesia at these outpatient facilities are board certified.
Further, while the majority of facilities surveyed always have a clinician present who is certified in Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS), fewer facilities have clinicians certified in Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS). Leapfrog recommends that parents need to be aware of this gap and, prior to scheduling a procedure for their child, should make sure that facility they choose for their child’s care has PALS-certified clinicians.
Visit the Leapfrog Group website to view the full press release, read the executive summary, and review the full report (pdf).
Oct. 22, 2019