Surgical procedures are performed in one of three settings: hospital-based, free-standing ambulatory surgery centers, or office-based surgery facilities. The office-based setting, in particular, has many advantages for the plastic surgeon and for his or her patients. The benefits include greater control over the schedule, greater privacy for the patient, convenience, and increased efficiency and consistency in the medical staff and support personnel. There are often cost savings for the patient as well.
To ensure that patient safety is paramount in the office based setting, The American Society of Plastic Surgeons created a task force to develop safe practice guidelines for ambulatory surgical procedures. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons has made the following recommendations for outpatient surgical procedures:
“Any cosmetic or plastic surgery procedure requiring more than local anesthesia or oral tranquilizers (in other words if you are receiving IV sedation, twilight anesthesia, or general anesthesia) be performed in a surgical facility that is accredited by a national or state-recognized agency. The three accrediting agencies include: The American Association of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAASF), Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC), or The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO).” Patient Safety in Office-Based Surgery Facilities, Iverson,Ronald, E. M.D., et al Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 110:1785,2002.
Dr. Gonce believes patient safety is of the utmost importance. His surgical center is accredited by The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC). The anesthesia is provided by a board certified anesthesiologist.
*It is important to determine if your surgeon is board certified and by which medical board. Remember, not all medical board certifications are the same. Some require significant medical training and certain level of experience before certification and others only require surgeons to have performed a certain number of surgical procedures. Be sure to ask if your surgeon is a member of The American Society of Plastic Surgeons. This Society requires all of its members to be board certified and that they perform their surgical procedures in a certified surgical facility.
All providers, including Dr. Gonce and anesthesiologists, go through a credentialing process and are granted privileges at our facility.