Andrew S Weiss, CASC, Administrator of Summit Surgical Center and a member of the Leapfrog Group ASC Advisory Committee

Summit Surgical Center is one of the first Ambulatory Surgical Centers (ASCs) to participate in The Leapfrog ASC Survey. Why did you choose to participate?

We recognize the quality and value of the care that ASCs provide to patients. We’ve lacked the measurement tool to benchmark this and to provide transparency to stakeholders and patients. Leapfrog fit the bill for us. I’ve had the opportunity to meet with health care purchasers, and they conclude that ASC’s provide great value to their members. But they want to demonstrate that through an impartial source…I spoke to a payer in Delaware who said he wishes more ASCs in his area would participate in the Leapfrog ASC Survey so they could help him tell the story of their value to members.

How has participating in the survey helped you with patient safety and quality improvement within your organization?

We had many of our team members involved in the data collection process, and the organization reviewed the results to find opportunities for us to improve. We used each section of the survey to assess our strengths and weaknesses, and we track our progress. We have a cross-functional team that reviews the results, and we take corrective action if needed.

What were the resources that it took for you to fill out this survey? Was it burdensome for your organization?

We don’t have the staffing that a hospital would have to complete surveys, but having an electronic medical records system is helpful. A great deal of the information can be obtained by the center’s billing system. I’m sure every ASC has automation for their billing system. You don’t need large blocks of time. What we did was schedule the time needed into small units of time. It’s very doable. In my opinion, it helps to have the governing body involved — or for the governing body to provide support for the initiative.

What’s your advice for ASC leaders who have not yet participated in the survey?

The value of Leapfrog is both helpful to the organization internally — and externally to customers, stakeholders, and patients. This is not just another reporting mechanism. We are overwhelmed — some would say overburdened — with mandatory reporting requirements. But this survey is justified. Examining the results can help an organization focus on concerns or to improve overall. The public transparency helps health care purchasers and patients make comparisons of quality and patient safety, both with other ASCs and with hospitals. We like to tell the story of our good results.  With the Leapfrog survey, you can literally look on your computer screen and compare places of service.

We like to ask a question beyond your professional life. So who is your favorite New Jersey artist?

Well, my favorite artist might surprise people because a lot of people don’t know he was born in New Jersey. But it’s Paul Simon.

Need to check name

PLACEHOLDER.