Complex Problems, Quick Fixes

The first of the conference's popular rapid-fire sessions addressed facility management challenges in a trio of hard-hitting, 20-minute segments.

Prevent wrong-site surgery. It was a near-miss at Reading (Pa.) Hospital SurgiCenter at Spring Ridge that prompted the center to produce a 14-minute how-to video (www.outpatientsurgery.net/videos) designed to show everyone from the receptionist to the surgical nurses how to verify the correct procedure at the correct site on the correct patient. According to Alice Heiser, BSN, RN, CAPA, Reading's director of nursing, the keys to avoiding wrong-site surgery include using evidence-based practices to establish pre-op verification protocols, assessing staff knowledge of those protocols and instilling the value of the pre-op time out.

Manage OR access. Alyson Cole, MPM, administrative director of operations and perioperative services at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, shared how the Philadelphia-based facility developed an OR access policy that works, and outlined a 6-step plan to control the borders in your OR environment:

1 Define the territory and inhabitants. Require surgical staff to wear visible ID badges and colored scrubs unique to the OR area.

2 Limit and brand outsiders with a yellow vest, for example, and tag those vests with RFID tracking technology.

3 Limit access to necessary staff, eliminate anonymous entry, utilize ID card access readers for entry and position cameras at all access points and main corridors.

4 Establish a policy that applies to any person not employed by the facility requesting access to the OR.

5 Establish alternative access options that apply to anyone requesting access for the purpose of sales representative training, product development or research.

6 Police and maintain order by following and enforcing established policies, keeping a visitor log, designating a central officer for all access requests and permissions, deputizing all perioperative staff to assist in border control and "prosecuting" offenders.

Survive RAC audits. Cristina Bentin, CCS-P, CPC-H, CMA, founder and president of Coding Compliance Management in Baton Rouge, La., offered tips on preparing for a visit from CMS auditors. Before receiving any notices or demand letters from your RAC, ensure accurate documentation and coding/reporting on the front end. Know the rules of engagement, maintain open communication and follow RAC-established timelines. Finally, keep all correspondence from your RAC audit, from initiation to resolution.

— Mark McGraw