Avoid Risk Of Infection
After any surgery, protecting the incision area is crucial to avoid infections and any further complications. Nowadays, healthcare practitioners employ ambulatory surgical centers (ASC) for many surgical procedures. In addition to reducing the risk of infection, ASCs offer many other benefits.
What is an ASC?
An ambulatory surgical center is a modern healthcare facility that provides same-day surgical procedures outside the traditional hospital. This facility is used for surgical procedures that do not require an overnight stay. ASC’s house the same highly skilled healthcare staff and medical equipment as hospitals. Ambulatory surgical centers offer many other benefits, as discussed below.
Lower cost
Compared to inpatient hospital procedures, an outpatient procedure at an ASC is more cost-effective. This is because no overnight stay is required, and no extra nursing care is necessary for shorter stays. With ASCs, patients do not need to worry about overspending on healthcare.
Less infection
Studies have shown there is a lower risk of infection in ASCs compared to hospitals. One reason is due to decreased time spent in the hospital. Many patients will pick up a healthcare-acquired infection (HAI) while recovering in the hospital, but the quick turnaround time at the ASC mitigates this risk.
Reduced wait times
Any type of surgery for a patient can be nerve-wracking. Hospitals are known to keep patients waiting for long periods of time or delay procedures. However, the ambulatory surgical center is effective in lessening wait times and has better control of appointment schedules compared to hospitals. ASCs also allow for discharge of the patient on the same day.
Optimized patient care
Overall, the use of an ASC is beneficial to patients in various ways. Improved customer care, enhanced safety, and high-quality service are all benefits cited by people using this type of center. Studies show patients are satisfied with the healthcare service provided by ASC.
Tips to prevent infection
After leaving the ASC, good hygiene is important for the care of the surgical site to avoid unnecessary infections. Essential preventive tips include washing hands before and after touching the wound and taking prescribed medications. When checking the wound, ensure no bleeding or pus is oozing out. Follow the doctor’s instructions on how to take care of the site and ask questions whenever in doubt.
Signs that require help
A patient’s recovery time after an operation takes time, but during the recuperation period, unusual symptoms may appear. High fever, pain, discomfort at the site, and any discharge require immediate medical attention before the condition worsens. The earlier the warning signs are recognized, the faster a patient can get help and continue healing.
Making the right choice
Although hospital procedures are effective and have procedures in place to lessen the chance of infection, ASC has been shown to satisfy the patient’s overall experience. An ambulatory surgical center can be used for many procedures, such as gastroenterology, orthopedic, and eye surgeries. Speak to the healthcare provider to determine if an ASC is the right choice.
