The Specialty Surgical Center Difference
Specialty Surgical Center is located in Sparta, New Jersey and is a different kind of outpatient facility. Specialty Surgical Center has performed thousands of successful procedures, and as an outpatient facility, patients are able to return home the same day to recover in the comfort of their own home.
At Specialty Surgical Center, there are multiple specialties available, including orthopedics, sports medicine, spinal care, podiatry, urology, pain management, ENT, hand surgery, brachytherapy, GYN, and laser surgery. This wide scope of care provides the patients in the Sparta, New Jersey area a facility that can care for nearly any outpatient needs.
Specialty Surgical Center is dedicated to the safety of our patients, and has joined several programs to educate the staff and implement policies and procedures for patient safety. Additionally, Specialty Surgical Center was awarded with the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval, achieved through the adherence to the standards set for surgery centers by the Joint Commission.
Lastly, Specialty Surgical Center believes in education and choice for patients. We have full transparency of price, and while hospital costs have gone up over the last three years, ours have remained the same. Patients are able to see exactly what the cost of their procedure will be and are able to make empowered decisions.
Specialty Surgical Center is dedicated to the education, empowerment, and safety of our patients, and will continue to work to make these the gold standard of the center.
Specialty Surgical Center is located in Sparta, New Jersey and our staff consists of board certified surgeons and anesthesiologists performing procedures in Orthopedics, Sports Medicine, Spinal Care, Podiatry, Urology, Pain Management, ENT, Hand Surgery, Lithotripsy, Brachytherapy, GYN and Laser Surgery.
For more information about Specialty Surgical Center, call 973-940-3166 or visit our Contact Page.
©Specialty Surgical Center, 2014
©Medical Marketing Solutions, 2014
Promoting A Culture of Patient Safety
The culture of patient safety is strong at Specialty Surgical Center in Sparta, New Jersey, and we continue to work diligently at improving our already strong program. There are several onsite and national programs that Specialty Surgical Center is involved in that set them above other surgical centers in the aspect of patient safety.
The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) basic certification course continues to be completed by staff members, and currently, all managers and over 75% of the staff have completed the course and have started safety improvement projects. The IHI program works with organizations to “make care continually safer by reducing harm and preventable mortality.” Staff who take the IHI course learn systems to increase safety across the whole system, anticipate where risks could arise and address these risks before they become a threat to patient safety.
Specialty Surgical Center is also involved with the Johns Hopkins Armstrong Institute’s National CUSP Program and has implemented several internal programs to further promote and ensure patient safety. Daily morning huddles in preoperative and surgical areas are performed to discuss issues and risk factors. Each surgical case is now debriefed, seeking ways to improve the level of performance and satisfaction.
One of the aspects the Specialty Surgical Center team is most proud of is that preparedness and teamwork have increased immensely since the implementation of these programs. At Specialty Surgical Center, we are rapidly nearing the mindset of continual improvement as a way of life, and this will only serve to increase patient safety, satisfaction, and outcomes.
Specialty Surgical Center is located in Sparta, New Jersey and our staff consists of board certified surgeons and anesthesiologists performing procedures in Orthopedics, Sports Medicine, Spinal Care, Podiatry, Urology, Pain Management, ENT, Hand Surgery, Lithotripsy, Brachytherapy, GYN and Laser Surgery.
For more information about Specialty Surgical Center, call 973-940-3166 or visit our Contact Page.
©Specialty Surgical Center, 2014
©Medical Marketing Solutions, 2014
Common Causes of Foot and Ankle Pain
Having healthy feet and ankles is vitally important, since they are responsible for carrying us as we walk and stand. At Specialty Surgical Center in Sparta, New Jersey, our foot and ankle specialists are dedicated to providing the best in surgical care to keep you on your feet.
There are several common chronic conditions that can affect the feet and/or ankles. Achilles’ tendinitis is a condition that is characterized by pain in the leg or above the heel. It is common in runners who suddenly increase the distance or duration of their runs, and can be common in older adults who infrequently play high-energy sports like basketball. In mild to moderate cases, medication or physical therapy may be recommended, but if the tendon has torn, surgery may be required to repair it.
Ankle fusion surgery may be required if the patient has an advanced case of ankle arthritis. This fusion can relieve pain and increase or restore mobility. An ankle fusion involves the use of metal hardware to fuse the bones of the ankle together to strengthen the joint.
Bunions are common among women and are thought to be caused by years of wearing tight, narrow, high heeled shoes. The base of the joint of the big toe becomes larger and begins to protrude outward. The bigger the bunion, the more painful it is to walk, and it can eventually affect the skin on the bottom of your foot and other toes. Bunion surgery involves either removing or realigning the soft tissue and bones surrounding the affected toe. Metal hardware may be used to stabilize the area.
Plantar fasciitis is another common foot condition that causes heel pain. The plantar fascia is a band of tissue that connects the bone of the heel to the base of the toes, which in turn supports the arch of the foot. When the plantar fascia becomes inflamed or strained, it causes pain, swelling, and inflammation, and can be caused by high arches, flat feet, and standing on your feet for long periods of time. Mild to moderate cases of plantar fasciitis can be managed with medications, rest, physical therapy, and corrective shoes, but advanced cases may require surgery at Specialty Surgical Center.
If you are suffering from foot or ankle pain, call Specialty Surgical Center to receive a consultation on how we can help you!
Specialty Surgical Center is located in Sparta, New Jersey and our staff consists of board certified surgeons and anesthesiologists performing procedures in Orthopedics, Sports Medicine, Spinal Care, Podiatry, Urology, Pain Management, ENT, Hand Surgery, Lithotripsy, Brachytherapy, GYN and Laser Surgery.
For more information about Specialty Surgical Center, call 973-940-3166 or visit our Contact Page.
©Specialty Surgical Center, 2014
©Medical Marketing Solutions, 2014
Questions To Ask Before Your Surgery or Procedure
One of the benefits of having your surgery or procedure at Specialty Surgical Center in Sparta, New Jersey is that you have the ability to request the price of your treatment and ask any questions beforehand. At Specialty Surgical Center, we encourage you to always ask questions regarding the price and scope of your treatment and “shop around” so to speak to make sure that there are no hidden costs or unexpected treatment.
At Specialty Surgical Center, we want you to feel comfortable asking as many questions as you need prior to your procedure. We also encourage you to ask the same questions at other surgery centers before choosing to have your procedure done with us.
The cost of the procedure is one of the most important questions you may want to ask. Any surgery center should give you the cost of your procedure up front, and let you know how much of it your insurance company will cover. If there will be a significant personal cost, you may want to ask if the surgery center has a financing option, or if they can recommend a way for you to obtain financial assistance for your procedure.
You may want to ask your doctor for written information about your procedure so that you can refer to it later if you have any questions, and can share this information with loved ones who will be involved in your care. Asking if family members are able to be in the recovery area with you also may be an important question if you would like to have them with you following your procedure.
You may be concerned about the safety of the surgery center itself. At Specialty Surgical Center, the center is accredited through the Joint Commission and follows all standards for patient safety and quality. We pride ourselves on this accreditation and our adherence to the highest levels of patient safety and care.
If you would like more information on questions you may want to ask prior to having a procedure at a surgery center, please contact Specialty Surgical Center at 973-940-3166
Specialty Surgical Center is located in Sparta, New Jersey and our staff consists of board certified surgeons and anesthesiologists performing procedures in Orthopedics, Sports Medicine, Spinal Care, Podiatry, Urology, Pain Management, ENT, Hand Surgery, Lithotripsy, Brachytherapy, GYN and Laser Surgery.
For more information about Specialty Surgical Center, call 973-940-3166 or visit our Contact Page.
©Specialty Surgical Center, 2014
©Medical Marketing Solutions, 2014
What Is An Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC)?
Specialty Surgical Center in Sparta, New Jersey, is an ambulatory surgical center, or ASC. These surgery centers are facilities that only provide outpatient, or one-day, surgical care. Patients do not stay for overnight care, and ASCs have transformed the way Americans receive outpatient procedures – ASCs are a convenient alternative to traditional hospitals while still providing an extremely high standard of patient care.
Ambulatory surgery centers do not provide urgent care or emergency care services. While ASCs may share space with a doctor’s office, patients are not seen in an ASC for an office visit or diagnosis. Patients who visit ASCs have already seen a physician or health care provider and have determined with their provider that surgery will be their treatment program.
There are many surgeries and procedures that can be performed in an ASC, including interventional pain management procedures, orthopedic procedures and surgeries, urologic procedures and surgeries, gynecologic procedures and surgeries, and many more.
In general, ASCs report a 92 percent patient satisfaction rate, and at Specialty Surgical Center, our goal is to see 100 percent of our patients satisfied with their experience. Studies have shown that ASCs provide better or equal levels of patient care when compared to hospitals, and at Specialty Surgical Center, patient safety and care are our priorities. Our staff has been trained and certified in several patient safety programs to ensure the best levels of care at all times.
Ambulatory surgery centers are also usually a great cost alternative to traditional hospitals, and at Specialty Surgical Center, our team is committed to transparency of price. We encourage patients to ask about the cost of their surgery, and to look into prices at several locations. We provide the cost of procedures up front, so patients know what their financial responsibility will be and there are no surprises after surgery.
Ambulatory surgery centers have become more prominent fixtures in the healthcare field and their number is only expected to grow. For more information on Specialty Surgical Center, contact us at 973-940-3166
Specialty Surgical Center is located in Sparta, New Jersey and our staff consists of board certified surgeons and anesthesiologists performing procedures in Orthopedics, Sports Medicine, Spinal Care, Podiatry, Urology, Pain Management, ENT, Hand Surgery, Lithotripsy, Brachytherapy, GYN and Laser Surgery.
For more information about Specialty Surgical Center, call 973-940-3166 or visit our Contact Page.
©Specialty Surgical Center, 2014
©Medical Marketing Solutions, 2014
Are Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASC) Safe?
Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) are also known as outpatient surgery centers. Specialty Surgical Center in Sparta, New Jersey and other facilities like it are used for patients who undergo medical procedures or surgeries and do not require an overnight stay. In the last decade or so, ASCs have become more common as they are a lower-cost option than a traditional hospital setting, and often provide the same or better quality of care that one would find in a traditional hospital.
However, patients may wonder if a procedure in an ASC is as safe as a traditional hospital. According to the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities, a comprehensive report reviewing 12 million procedures shows that receiving care in an outpatient setting is very safe.
Specialty Surgical Center is particularly experienced in patient safety and is involved in several onsite and national programs that educate on and promote patient safety. Specialty Surgical Center’s staff is continuing to complete the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s basic certification course. This program reduces risk for patient harm and equips staff members to identify potential risks and address them before it becomes a threat to patient safety. Specialty Surgical Center has also implemented several programs recommended by the Johns Hopkins Armstrong Institute’s National CUSP Program like daily meetings in preoperative and surgical areas and debriefing of all surgical cases. These programs help identify risk factors for threats to patient safety, and allow the staff to preemptively address these issues.
Specialty Surgical Center prides itself on the implementation and execution of patient safety programs, and will continue to work toward being the best ambulatory surgery center for patient safety and satisfaction.
For more information on the patient safety programs at Specialty Surgical Center, call us at 973-940-3166
Specialty Surgical Center is located in Sparta, New Jersey and our staff consists of board certified surgeons and anesthesiologists performing procedures in Orthopedics, Sports Medicine, Spinal Care, Podiatry, Urology, Pain Management, ENT, Hand Surgery, Lithotripsy, Brachytherapy, GYN and Laser Surgery.
For more information about Specialty Surgical Center, call 973-940-3166 or visit our Contact Page.
©Specialty Surgical Center, 2014
©Medical Marketing Solutions, 2014
Does Smoking Cause Problems After Surgery?
While it’s a generally accepted fact that smoking is bad for you and can cause a variety of health issues, many people are not aware that smoking during recovery from surgery can actually have an affect on how the patient heals and recovers.
According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, patients who are smokers and undergo any level of spinal surgery for any condition have been found to have worse outcome and more frequent complications following surgery than their non-smoking peers. In fact, a study of patients treated for spinal stenosis reported that smokers saw less improvement in their post-op walking ability and more regular use of pain medications that those who were non-smokers. Spinal surgery wasn’t the only discipline that saw negative outcomes post-op in smokers; total joint replacement, surgeries of the hand or foot, ligament and/or cartilage repair, and fracture healing have all been seen to be negatively impacted in the healing and post-operative cycle by smoking.
Further, studies have shown that not only does smoking negatively affect the overall outcome of surgeries, but smoking has been shown to have a correlation to the development of spinal conditions that eventually require surgery. At the 2001 annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, study results were reported that showed that the main cause of low back pain is damage to the vascular structures of the discs and joints – and it is a known fact that smoking causes vascular damage.
While long-term and widespread research trials have not been performed, there is abundant evidence in the studies that have been executed as well as anecdotally in clinical settings that smokers fare worse following surgery than those who do no smoke. At Specialty Surgical Center in Sparta, New Jersey, the surgical team is dedicated to helping patient live better, healthier lives, and that includes quitting smoking as soon as possible and educating on the possible complications that may accompany rehabilitation after surgery due to smoking.
Specialty Surgical Center is located in Sparta, New Jersey and our staff consists of board certified surgeons and anesthesiologists performing procedures in Orthopedics, Sports Medicine, Spinal Care, Podiatry, Urology, Pain Management, ENT, Hand Surgery, Lithotripsy, Brachytherapy, GYN and Laser Surgery.
For more information about Specialty Surgical Center, call 973-940-3166 or visit our Contact Page.
©Specialty Surgical Center, 2015
©Medical Marketing Solutions, 2015
Outpatient Surgery Centers Become More Popular Amongst Patient Questions
As an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) or outpatient surgery center, Specialty Surgical Center in Sparta, New Jersey is committed to patient safety and continually participates in safety programs and safety training. However, according to Medscape, many patients are questioning whether an outpatient surgery center is the best option for their surgical procedure.
Outpatient surgery centers are becoming an extremely popular choice for many physicians to perform surgery in. Patients may be hesitant to have their procedures in these facilities for many reasons, one of which may be the very publicized death of Joan Rivers in an outpatient surgery center. According to the Medscape article, patients may also feel like they’re not “good enough” to go to “real” hospitals, and will have substandard care at an outpatient surgery center.
In general, outpatient surgery centers are great options for those who receive procedures that do not require an overnight stay. Away from the chaos and confusion of most hospitals, outpatient surgery centers often provide just as good or better medical care than traditional hospitals. Other benefits include that surgery centers are often cheaper for patients and insurance companies and usually have shorter waiting times.
At Specialty Surgery Center, there are many programs in place to provide the highest standards of patient safety and care. The staff continues to become certified through the Institute of Healthcare Safety, and have implemented several programs recommended by the Johns Hopkins Armstrong Institute’s National CUSP Program to increase patient safety and reduce risk.
As the popularity of ASCs continue to rise, Specialty Surgery Center will continue to be on the forefront of patient safety programs and is committed to exceptional patient care.
Specialty Surgical Center is located in Sparta, New Jersey and our staff consists of board certified surgeons and anesthesiologists performing procedures in Orthopedics, Sports Medicine, Spinal Care, Podiatry, Urology, Pain Management, ENT, Hand Surgery, Lithotripsy, Brachytherapy, GYN and Laser Surgery.
For more information about Specialty Surgical Center, call 973-940-3166 or visit our Contact Page.
©Specialty Surgical Center, 2015
©Medical Marketing Solutions, 2015
Understanding Post Surgical Infection
Most people who have a surgical procedure do not end up experiencing a surgical site infection. But, for those who do, it is extremely important to get the infection under control so it does not cause further medical issues.
One of the first steps to prevention of surgical site infection begins in the operating room. All medical staff who will be in the operating room should clean their hands and arms prior to surgery, and measures will be taken during the surgery to prevent infection, such as giving antibiotics before and after the surgery, and cleaning the skin at the site of the surgery. After the surgery, while you are in recovery, all medical personnel should again have clean hands before examining patients, using either soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Before surgery, it is important that patients do not shave with a razor in the areas near the intended surgical site, as it can irritate the skin and make the area more susceptible to infection. Additionally, patients who smoke should stop before the surgery, not only for general health reasons, but because patients who smoke are at a higher risk for developing postoperative infections.
After the surgery, it is important to have clean hands before touching the surgical dressing or surgical wound, and to follow your physician’s discharge instructions on how to care for the surgical wound. Instructions will be given on how soon patients are able to bathe, and proper procedure for cleaning the surgical wound and changing dressings.
If there are any symptoms of infection including redness, pain, swelling, drainage, fever, or heat at the surgical site, patients should call their doctor immediately.
At Specialty Surgical Center in Sparta, New Jersey, every precaution is taken to ensure patient safety, including ongoing training and program implementation across the facility. For more information on Specialty Surgical Center’s patient safety programs, call 973-940-3166
Specialty Surgical Center is located in Sparta, New Jersey and our staff consists of board certified surgeons and anesthesiologists performing procedures in Orthopedics, Sports Medicine, Spinal Care, Podiatry, Urology, Pain Management, ENT, Hand Surgery, Lithotripsy, Brachytherapy, GYN and Laser Surgery.
For more information about Specialty Surgical Center, call 973-940-3166 or visit our Contact Page.
©Specialty Surgical Center, 2015
©Medical Marketing Solutions, 2015
Common Postoperative Complications
While most surgeries have no complications afterward, there are a few common complications that can happen even with minimally invasive, outpatient surgeries.
Likely the most common postoperative complication is pain. Minimally invasive surgeries generally result in less pain than those that require larger incisions, but patients may still experience pain after the procedure. Be sure to follow all postoperative instructions on what medications you may take following your procedure to help with pain.
Orthopedic procedures carry a higher risk of the development of clots, but clots can occur in any patient following any procedure. Those who smoke, are obese, or who are immobile are at the highest risk for clots. Postoperative clots usually form in the legs, but can move to the lungs where they can potentially become fatal. Swelling in the leg and calf pain are early indicators of a blood clot in the leg, and shortness of breath and chest pain are warning signs that the clot may have traveled to the lungs.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), approximately 27 million surgeries are performed each year and of those, approximately 1% will experience a postoperative infection. Of these 1%, most infections are minor and only affect the skin, but serious infections can occur and cause 8,000 deaths per year. Symptoms of a postoperative infection include redness, heat, pain, fever, and drainage from the surgical site. If any of these symptoms occur, patients should call their doctor immediately to identify if their symptoms are truly an infection.
At Specialty Surgical Center in Sparta, New Jersey the medical team is focused on providing a safe environment for patients. Through the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and The Joint Commission, Specialty Surgical Center continues to implement programs that place patient safety as a top priority, with the end goal as reducing the incidences of postoperative complications. For more information about postoperative complications, patient safety programs, or Specialty Surgical Center, please call 973-940-3166 or visit our contact page
Specialty Surgical Center is located in Sparta, New Jersey and our staff consists of board certified surgeons and anesthesiologists performing procedures in Orthopedics, Sports Medicine, Spinal Care, Podiatry, Urology, Pain Management, ENT, Hand Surgery, Lithotripsy, Brachytherapy, GYN and Laser Surgery.
For more information about Specialty Surgical Center, call 973-940-3166 or visit our Contact Page.
©Specialty Surgical Center, 2015
©Medical Marketing Solutions, 2015