There are some distinct advantages to using an outpatient ambulatory surgical center for your procedure over an inpatient hospital stay. The most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that 51.4 million surgeries were performed in inpatient hospitals in 2010. The data also shows that about one in 25 patients contracts at least one infection during their hospital stay. That’s more than 2 million surgical patients with hospital-acquired infections in a single year.
Why are infection rates higher in hospitals than an Outpatient Ambulatory Surgical Center?
Think about it. If you need a surgery for a herniated disc and you choose an inpatient setting, you aren’t just in there with other patients who have herniated discs. The hospital is also treating patients with pneumonia, measles, or any number of infectious diseases. Outbreaks for antibiotic-reistant “superbugs,” like MRSA, are more common.
What’s a health-savvy patient to do?
Fortunately, not all surgeries require an inpatient hospital setting. For procedures like minimally invasive spine surgery, an outpatient ambulatory surgical center (ASC) can be the ideal setting for expert care. It comes without the increased risks associated with traditional hospitals.
Not only does an outpatient ambulatory surgical center reduce the chances of acquiring an infection, it holds a number of other benefits:
- No hospital stay required – go into the outpatient ambulatory surgery center, have the procedure, and go home the same day. This also means patients can recover at home where they are more comfortable and take less time off work.
- Lower cost – because extended care is not required, the overall cost is much lower for surgery performed at an outpatient ambulatory surgical center compared to an inpatient hospital.
- More efficient – at an outpatient ambulatory surgical center, surgeries are scheduled,m and there are no unexpected emergencies that could delay or, otherwise, impact the schedule.
- Relaxed atmosphere – again, with no emergency facilities, everyone’s stress is reduced, including doctor’s. This makes everyone’s experience more pleasant.
- Smaller facilities – large hospital complexes can be daunting. You fight traffic to get downtown. You drive around the parking garage looking for an available space. You navigate a seemingly endless maze of corridors and hallways. It can be stressful. A small outpatient ambulatory surgical center makes parking and getting through the door fast and easy.
With all the advantages of an outpatient ambulatory surgical center, it only makes sense to choose this setting for your minimally invasive spine surgery. So, do your homework and find AAAHC accredited ambulatory surgical center. You can be sure you’ll get the quality care you need without any unnecessary worry or risk.
