Dr. Fiala's OR aces AAAASF inspection

Having a top-quality office surgery center like we do means that, every third year, there is a detailed and thorough inspection process that must be passed to retain our certification.  An independent inspector, typically another plastic surgeon, is assigned to check our facility with a long checklist of safety and quality standards.  It's a big deal, and one we take very seriously.

We had this inspection yesterday.  A great deal of time and effort on our part went into preparing for it...and believe me, we were ready.

So, I'm very pleased to report that we achieved a score of 100% in each of the 10 separate categories evaluated.  A big "Thank you" to my staff for a job well done!!

This brings me to my second point of this blog entry.  As a patient, it's important to choose a facility that has gone through and passed this rigorous process, and maintains an up-to-date certificate.  Then you will know that they have the safety equipment, training, facility standards and protocols in place to protect you during your surgery, and in case of the unexpected.

There are only 3 organizations that are accepted nationally - and all have long acronym names.

- AAAASF
- AAAHC
- JCAHO

We're certified by AAAASF.  Check for the certificate - it should be proudly on display at the hospital, surgery center or office OR.  If it's not there...then you shouldn't be, either!

Say "Yes" to an accredited Operating Room

Recent articles in the Wall Street Journal (link) have pointed out the need for a more uniform standard in office operating rooms - namely accreditation by one of the three national OR inspection agencies.

I couldn't agree more. Improving safety standards for patient care is a good thing.

Accreditation of an operating room, whether it's in the hospital or at an office, ensures that the facility meets important standards, like:

- appropriate facility design and safety equipment
- suitable cleaning & instrument sterilization standards
- proper patient monitoring devices
- appropriate back-up power supply
- suitable staff credentialing and training requirements for the surgeon, anesthesiologist and nurses
- suitable protocols and staff training for emergencies

Several years ago, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) made it a mandatory membership requirement: all ASPS members (like me) can only operate in accredited facilities, whenever any significant anesthesia is used.

Our facility, for example, is accredited by the American Association for the Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAAASF) - which is one of the "big three" national agencies, along with AAAHC and JCAHO. This means we meet 100% of the standards that AAAASF has formulated, and have gone through an on-site inspection by an independent examiner. We also meet or exceed all Florida state standards for office surgery.

However, non-ASPS members and "wanna-be" cosmetic surgeons have less stringent requirements. Some of these offices may not have any semblance of adhering to accreditation safety standards at all.

Bottom line: always ask two questions regarding the facility, eespecially if it's a doctor's office- "Is this an accredited surgical facility?" and "Which certification agency?".

The only acceptable answers are "Yes, it is", and one of either JCAHO, AAAHC, or AAAASF.