Fox Valley Orthopedics Pursues Excellence While Making Safety Top Priority in its Ambulatory Surgery Center
GENEVA, Ill. (PRWEB) March 06, 2018 -- For 23 years, Fox Valley Orthopedics’ (FVO) Ambulatory Surgery Center (ACS) in Geneva has been working diligently in putting their patients’ safety and well being first and foremost.
Fox Valley Orthopedics is committed to following stringent regulations of safety and attaining a high level of training for its staff. FVO is actively pursuing the prestigious Orthopaedic Advanced Specialty Certification.
“Our ASC expects to be the first surgery center in the Midwest to accomplish this certification and possibly one of the first in the nation,” stated Fox Valley Orthopedics’ ASC Director Bruno Lopez. “We always are looking for ways to exceed expectations and industry standards, going that extra mile to ensure our patients are well cared for before, during, and after their operation.”
Before patients have their surgery, the Center implements specific safety measures. For example, patients who have a same-day total joint replacement surgery at the Fox Valley Orthopedics Surgery Center are required to complete an educational course with their doctor and his team.
Dr. David Morawski, a Fox Valley Orthopedics surgeon, is one of the leading same-day joint replacement orthopedic surgeons in the U.S.
“I take educating my patients very seriously because it makes a big difference in their recovery and success rate,” Morawski explained. “Caretakers for my patients also participate in education and prior to surgery an at-home visit by a physical therapist helps prep the home for the patient’s return after surgery. Before any operation at our ASC all of our doctors also require our patients to have a thorough examination by their primary care doctor as well as an exam and clearance by any other necessary health professionals."
Once a patient is cleared to have surgery at FVO’s ASC, the staff goes to great lengths to protect their exposure to infection. Infections are one of the nation’s leading causes of post-operative complications. When surgeries are performed at the hospital, patients are exposed to the same bacteria brought into the hospital by other patients with infections. Hospital-Acquired Infections (HAIs) are a difficult problem and can be avoided by procedures done at ASCs. “Fox Valley Orthopedics Ambulatory Surgery Center touts an infection rate that is 25 percent lower than the infection rate found in hospitals nationwide,” stated Lopez.
Longer time in surgery can also complicate recovery and increase exposure time for patients at a hospital. Recent studies comparing surgery at an ASC versus in a hospital revealed that it can take up to 50 percent longer to complete a surgery at a hospital because the anesthesiologists, nurses, and technicians are not specially trained for that surgery.
“When I do my cases at the hospital my patients are in surgery longer and are under anesthesia for a lengthier period of time than in an ASC.” stated Dr. Timothy Petsche, a sports medicine orthopedic surgeon at Fox Valley Orthopedics. “Surgery takes longer because at the hospital I am supported by a general support staff who are not specifically trained for only orthopedic surgery, rather are trained to support different types of surgeons on a large variety of cases. At an ASC, the same surgeries are performed over and over again with the same staff. This empowers both the staff and the surgeons to master the techniques and equipment used, allowing them to perfect the surgeries and gain the highest level of expertise.”
Dr. Thomas Atkins, a hand and wrist surgeon at Fox Valley, added that “our team is always working to give patients the best possible outcome. As part of this commitment we are constantly educating ourselves and training on advancements in surgical techniques. Through this training we have introduced operations that other hospitals and centers have not yet achieved, operations which require smaller incisions, less blood loss, less need for pain medications, and a faster recovery process."
In addition to its innovative procedures, the Fox Valley Orthopedics Ambulatory Surgery Center takes pride in being accredited by organizations such as the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care, Inc (AAAHC). The AAAHC accreditation is tough to attain and recognizes that a health care organization meets or exceeds nationally recognized standards for quality of care and patient safety. The ASC is also accredited by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
USA Today recently published an article questioning the safety of ASCs. FVO’s CEO Barry Mathews was shocked by the article’s tone because of his experience and knowledge of the stringent safety measures taken at ASCs. “We have approved guidelines for emergency situations including hospital transfers, and safe discharge criteria,” stated Mathews. “In the past few years we have performed over 9,000 surgeries at our ASC and only three people needed a transport to the hospital for hospitalization. All three recovered safely as expected. Fox Valley Orthopedics was one of the first single specialty orthopedic group surgical centers in the state of Illinois, and our staff is specially trained for orthopedic surgeries. I am excited for us to now also be a front runner for the Orthopaedic Advanced Specialty Certification.”
About Fox Valley Orthopedics
Fox Valley Orthopedics has been providing exceptional orthopedic care for 45 years. Our fellowship-trained subspecialists offer state of the art treatment such as outpatient total joint replacement and cartilage restoration, while actively researching the next generation of orthopedic technologies. Our Ambulatory Surgery and Imaging Centers ensure both uncompromising quality and cost containment. Our convenient walk-in orthopedic care is open six days a week.
Brittany Moran, Fox Valley Orthopedics, https://fvortho.com/, +1 (630) 524-0169, [email protected]
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