You might think a New York hospital would be the best location for your plastic surgery procedure. After all, if there’s an emergency, a hospital is equipped to handle it. Before making a choice, however, consider the advantages to having your procedure performed at a private, accredited surgery center.
Today, more than 50% of outpatient plastic surgeries are now performed outside of hospitals. Both doctors and patients often prefer a private surgery center, as fully accredited facilities are equally safe. And you may even save money, because the hospital’s overhead costs won’t be a part of your bill.
Patients enjoy the specialized attention they receive at private surgery centers. The risk of infection at an accredited private surgery center is often lower too—thanks to safe, clean, and efficient facilities with less traffic.
AAAASF Accreditation
How do you make sure that your plastic surgeon works in a safe facility? The first question you should ask is if the New York surgery center has received certification from the the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAAASF). If a surgeon operates in a facility that lacks certification, you should cross him off your list.
The AAAASF is one of three organizations that accredits office-based plastic surgery facilities. It requires centers to meet strict national standards for patient safety. Regular inspections monitor the surgery center’s:
- equipment
- record keeping
- office layout
- operating rooms
- medications
- staff credentials
To pass inspection, the facility must be equipped to handle all types of emergencies and complications that might arise from the procedures the physicians perform. Under AAAASF regulations, your physician must also be board certified and have staff privileges to operate in a recognized hospital. This access is granted by peers who review the physician’s expertise.
Other Facility Accreditation
The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) and The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) are the other two nonprofit organizations who maintain high standards for plastic surgery facilities outside the hospital.
The AAAHC revises its standards each year to ensure that they are aligned with new technologies and trends. It also uses active health-care professionals to perform its on-site surveys.
The JCAHO accredits more than 1,900 free-standing ambulatory care centers. It requires providers to renew their certification every three years and conducts its inspections unannounced. Like the AAAHC, the Joint Commission updates its standards every year.
Anesthesiologists and Their Credentials
The steady increase in outpatient procedures at free-standing surgery centers can be directly attributed to improvements in anesthesia techniques and medications. Anesthesia is now stronger, but shorter-acting, which reduces your recovery and wake-up time.
Just as physicians and facilities must have proper accreditation, so must the anesthesiologists. Anesthesia is a critical aspect of any surgical procedure, so ask your surgeon about the credentials of the specialist in charge of anesthesia. We have two board certified medical doctor (MD) anesthesiologists on staff at our New York plastic surgery center. These highly experienced doctors have been serving our patients for over 15 years.
Do your homework on the plastic surgery center and staff you are considering, including the surgeon. It’s an important step toward ensuring that your procedure is safe and comfortable. When you know that your facility has AAAASF accreditation, you can have the confidence and piece of mind you need going into your surgery.
