 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
||||||||||
|
 |
In this month's issue: Developing a State-of-the-Art Endoscopy Center Whether you decide to lease and modify an existing facility or build from the ground up, developing your endoscopy center will involve several months of planning, design, and construction. Creating an efficient, code compliant, and esthetically pleasing facility entails many hours of work by a knowledgeable team. The first and perhaps most important step is to hire a project manager qualified to take on the multi-faceted job of coordinating and checking the ongoing project down to its last detail. The role requires someone who is savvy, resourceful, and determined because the success of the project will ride on his or her shoulders. The project manager will need to foresee and handle every eventuality—which requires experience as well as knowledge. Full-time project managers are accustomed to the complexities of the job, know how to overcome obstacles, troubleshoot problems, stay on schedule, and deal with the wide range of people involved in building an ambulatory endoscopy center. Once the project's feasibility is established and licensing applications are underway, the project manager will need to identify a realtor who can find suitable buildings or lots in areas convenient for the physicians and their patients. The decision whether to build from scratch or lease and adapt an existing structure will depend upon the availability of a suitable building—and whether or not it is economically feasible to bring it up to state occupancy standards. The project manager will probably need to review as many as 14 or 15 sites before finding one that addresses the requirements of the physician partners. After the location has been selected, bids must be solicited from architects and construction firms. It is wise to consider only architects who are well qualified and experienced in designing medical buildings. An architect who usually works on standard commercial buildings may not be familiar with the many codes and regulations, such as correct hallway widths and two-hour firewalls, that apply to an ambulatory health center. The architect must develop a schematic floor plan that makes sense in relation to the building itself, but also considers the way you and your partners, staff, and patients will use it on a daily basis. Many buildings will ultimately work best when gutted to a shell, giving the architect free range to create a design that best meets your purposes. Whether or not interior walls are retained, every detail of their functionality will have to be carefully schemed for the most convenient working environment and a smooth flow for staff and patients. When a bid has been accepted, you will need to start forming a construction team. You will want a contractor/construction firm that has first-class recommendations and a roster of skilled and diligent subcontractors, such as plumbers, electricians, decorators, and other craftsmen. The project manager will be responsible for doing due diligence on history and references, and visiting some of the firms' previous projects. Ideally, your architect has previously worked with the contractor and subcontractors. When working with a management partner, you will find the company often uses only contractors that have proven to be trustworthy and have experience building health care facilities to everyone's satisfaction. Communication is key to saving both time and cost. The project manager should be constantly in touch with you, the contractor, the architect, the city and state authorities, as well as vendors. This flow of information and questioning is a vital energy that keeps the project running smoothly. EndoCenter Partners has project managers and other experienced team members ready to handle all aspects of developing and managing your center. We provide the worry-free solution to center ownership.
Staffing for Maximum Productivity When you plan the staffing of your center, you first must decide how many hours' care your facility will provide. This obviously will depend upon the size of the facility and the number of physicians who use it. Consideration also must be given to the average time required to perform procedures and the time required for pre- and post-operative care. While staffing will vary depending on these factors, these staff members will be essential: The lead nurse is central to running the facility. This individual, who should be experienced in many aspects of staff management, is in charge of patient care as well as the the day-to-day functioning, development and training of other facility staff. A proportion of the lead nurse's time also is spent on administrative issues, such as quality control, environment checks, and chart audits. The unit coordinator is the first and last person the patient sees and although s/he need not have a healthcare background, experience in the field is useful. The coordinator greets and registers patients; ensures forms are signed; finds charts; obtains insurance verification, authorization and co-payments, and schedules appointments. The job involves large amounts of paperwork, requiring accuracy and good organization. Registered nurses or licensed vocational practical nurses (LVNs) assess patients, take medical histories and physicals, and place a pre-procedure call to go through medical history, and perform a final screening immediately prior to the procedure. They assist physicians and administer medications, as well as oxygen or IV fluids as needed. They monitor the patient throughout the procedure and chart and document vital signs. If tests or biopsies are necessary, the nurses will assist in the collection of tissue, and prepare slides. They also transport the patient from the preoperative area, to the procedure room and on to the recovery room. A nurse also must discharge the patient to the care of a responsible adult.Technicians may assist doctors with a procedure, clean up afterwards, restock supplies, and disinfect equipment. They also may assist in preparing biopsies. A staff coordinator is essential for keeping a center running smoothly A procedure should never have to be canceled because of understaffing. Staffing levels need to remain stable, yet flexible enough to accommodate the inevitable changes in schedules due to sickness, leave, vacations, emergencies, etc. A variety of staffing options will be required so that when one person drops out temporarily or permanently, someone else can quickly fill his or her place. For this reason, a pool of per diem staff and registry nurses should be maintained to fill in on occasion. Fluctuations in the number of procedures need not result in wasted staff time. Staff can sometimes use their paid time off (vacation and sick leave) on days when they are not needed. Detailed planning can help avoid the cost of staff overtime. EndoCenter Partners handles all aspects of hiring, training, and managing well- qualified center employees, freeing you to focus on caring for patients. |
||||||||
|
|
||||||||||
