December 18, 2024

A human-centered approach to your build will attract patients to your facility for all their orthopedic needs.

SUNSHINE STATE STUNNER Performance Health Surgery Center, a 14,700-square-foot, four-OR multispecialty facility on the outskirts of Fort Myers, Fla., is one of more than 150 ASCs created by Hardaway|Sziabowski Architects. | Hardaway | Sziabowski Architects

Building a new surgery center requires a design team to ask one key question every step of the way: “What will this look like through the eyes of the patient?”

The patient-as-customer approach to ASC design is something Joseph Sziabowski, AIA, swears by. Mr. Sziabowski, owner of Hardaway|Sziabowski Architects in Newton, Mass., and founder of Ambulatory Healthcare Design Lab, understands the ASC build process well, as his firm has designed more than 150 ASCs. He believes a patient-focused design strategy can reshape the way ASCs are constructed. “By prioritizing not only function but also comfort, aesthetics and ease of use, we can create facilities that are welcoming, efficient and focused on healing,” he says.

In a recent post on the Ambulatory Healthcare Design Lab blog titled “Experience First: A Paradigm Shift in Ambulatory Healthcare Design”, Mr. Sziabowski advises leaders to focus on three core design principles during their ASC build processes.

• A people-pleasing marriage of form and function. Surgery centers shouldn’t resemble cold, impersonal hospitals from a bygone era. Combining a well-organized, clearly marked and eye-catching space that features accessibility for people of all abilities, varied seating options, proper acoustics and warm inviting lighting conveys comfort to the patient from the moment they walk through the door, he says.
• Spatial organization that creates seamless throughput. Mr. Sziabowski says an efficient layout improves the orientation of both patients and staff. “Thoughtful spatial organization minimizes unnecessary movement and helps people flow through the space naturally,” he says.
• Tastefully incorporated technology. A new ASC should include the latest and greatest technology, implemented in a way that blends devices in a natural manner. As Mr. Sziabowski puts it, “Incorporating medical equipment in a non-intrusive way and using patient tracking systems enhances communication and reduces stress.”

Ultimately, focusing first and foremost on the end-user’s needs, be they patients or providers, is an ASC design strategy that leadership teams can rely upon. “By starting with the human experience and designing backward, we can create ambulatory healthcare facilities that exude comfort, efficiency and healing,” says Mr. Sziabowski.

Sterling Ridge Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine partners with Memorial Hermann to provide surgical services powered by the latest tech.

JOINT VENTURE Sterling Ridge Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine’s new ASC provides convenient access for patients in a rapidly growing community, with support from Memorial Hermann Health System. | Sterling Ridge Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine/Woodlands Online

Yet another orthopedics practice has established a new surgery center in partnership with a local hospital system, as Sterling Ridge Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine (SRSOM) recently announced the opening of an ASC developed in conjunction with Memorial Hermann Health System.

The center, which hosts a wide range of orthopedic and sports medicine procedures, is set in the “rapidly growing” community of Woodforest, Texas. It features three ORs and one specialized procedure room.

SRSOM, which announced the ASC’s opening on local news site Woodlands Online, features a high level of medical technology, and includes integrated audio/visual systems that it believes will enhance both patient care and its surgeons’ precision.

SRSOM is a longtime provider of orthopedic, sports medicine and physical therapy services in the area. It says that with the opening of the ASC, it gains an expanded ability to provide same-day outpatient surgeries and minimally invasive procedures with shorter recovery times and reduced costs.

Above all, the practice believes the new center will allow its surgeons to provide a better patient experience. “The addition of the ambulatory surgical center enables us to bring innovative solutions and personalized treatment to more patients than ever before, all within a modern, comfortable facility,” stated SRSOM orthopedic surgeon and joint replacement specialist Brian Flowers, MD, MPT, FAAOS, FAAHKS.

SRSOM says the partnership with Memorial Hermann allows its new ASC and its physicians to access support from the hospital system’s extensive resources and expertise.

SRSOM also expanded its physician roster recently, with two new surgeons added to the practice in October: James Lin, MD, a fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon specializing in treating hand, wrist, elbow and shoulder conditions, and Jacob Jones, DPM, a board-certified and fellowship-trained reconstructive foot and ankle surgeon with a special interest in sports injuries, cartilage restoration, deformity correction and arthritic conditions.

Northtowns Ambulatory Surgery Center holds a grand opening at 716 Health to celebrate the launch of their new, state-of-the-art facility

Credit: Northtowns Ambulatory Surgery Center, Buffalo, New York

Centrally located in the newly built 716 Health medical complex, Northtowns Ambulatory Surgery Center (NASC) held a grand opening celebration and ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the launch of their new, state-of-the art facility on October 24, 2024.

The new 38,000-square-foot NASC facility contains 14 total surgical and procedure rooms, making it among the largest freestanding, multi-specialty ambulatory surgery centers in New York State. Offering outpatient services including orthopedics, colorectal surgery, general surgery, plastic surgery, vascular surgery, breast surgery, and colonoscopy and endoscopy procedures, the facility includes seven hospital-sized operating rooms, four endoscopy suites and three procedure rooms that enhance patient care with the latest equipment and technology.

NASC’s vision is to be a “smart center” using AI and advanced technology to drive improved clinical, operational and financial outcomes while providing the highest level of excellence in surgical expertise and compassionate patient care.

The NASC grand opening included facility tours, as well as demonstrations by Stryker, a strategic partner and primary vendor for NASC, of the Mako SmartRobotics™ technology used in orthopedic surgeries. Using Mako can lead to better outcomes, like less pain and shorter recovery times compared to traditional joint replacement surgery. ^1-3

From its initial concept to its grand opening, the NASC facility was the result of years of planning and dedication. To help bring their vision of a state-of-the-art facility and world-class care to life, the NASC leadership team partnered with Stryker. The operating rooms at NASC are equipped with Stryker’s comprehensive portfolio and technology and are fully integrated. The integration and connectivity of Stryker’s medical devices help make the surgical care provided at NASC more precise, efficient and personalized.

“Other ambulatory surgery centers in town were never envisioned or built to have robotics and other high-end technology in the operating room,” says NASC Chief Executive Officer Ronald S. Mornelli. “Many were built before that tech even existed or needed to be right sized for their other intended purposes. That’s where this center is breaking ground as more of a technologically advanced ambulatory hospital.”

In addition to Mornelli, other key visionaries behind the development of NASC were the team of physician owners including Brian E. McGrath, MD; William M. Wind, Jr., MD, FAAOS; Leslie J. Bisson, MD; Steven D. Schwaitzberg MD, FACS; Joseph D. Mills, Jr., MD; and Director of Clinical Operations at UBMD Surgery Ashley McGowan.

This significant milestone for NASC is only the beginning. Stryker is proud to partner with NASC in their efforts to bring quality healthcare to Western New York.

“This grand opening serves as an embodiment of progress and innovation in healthcare, and our collective dedication to public service and healing,” says Mornelli.

To learn more about Northtowns Ambulatory Surgery Center, visit northtownasc.com

For more information on how to build and grow your ASC with Stryker, click here.

References:
1. Kayani B, Konan S, Tahmassebi J, Rowan F, Haddad F. An assessment of early functional rehabilitation and hospital discharge in conventional versus robotic-arm assisted unicompartmental knee arthroplasty: A PROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY Bone Joint J 2019;101-B:24–33
2. Kayani B, Konan S, Tahmassebi J, Pietrzak J, Haddad F. Robotic-arm assisted total knee arthroplasty is associated with improved early functional recovery and reduced time to hospital discharge compared with conventional jig-based total knee arthroplasty: A PROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY Bone and Joint Journal: 2018; 100-B:930–7.
3. Shibanuma N, Ishida K, Matsumoto T, et al. Early postoperative clinical recovery of robotic arm-assisted vs. image-based navigated Total hip Arthroplasty. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2021;22(1):314.