Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Ary Krau takes patient safety and satisfaction seriously. This is why he only operates in his fully accredited surgical center. What exactly does it mean to have a fully accredited surgical suite? Dr. Krau explains.
About Accreditation
To receive accreditation from one of the three national accreditation organizations recognized by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons — the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAAASF), the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (JCAHO) — an ambulatory surgical facility must meet rigorous criteria regarding safety, equipment and the professionals who provide services there.
Accreditation Guidelines
In general, a plastic surgery center that has received accreditation from the AAAASF, AAAHC or JCAHO has demonstrated that:
- The plastic surgeons who operate there are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgeons.
- The plastic surgeons who operate there have admitting privileges at local accredited hospitals, for the procedures they perform.
- Anesthesia is administered only by board-certified or board-eligible anesthesiologists or certified nurse anesthetists.
- Those working in the facility carefully adhere to all federal laws and the regulations established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regarding handling and disposing of hazardous waste materials, blood-borne pathogen standards and other issues.
- The surgical facility has met all other criteria established by the accreditation organization.
Benefits of Accredited Surgical Centers
According to national data, plastic surgery procedures performed by board-certified plastic surgeons in an accredited ambulatory surgical center have:
- A rate of serious complications that is less than half of 1 percent
- A mortality rate that is less than one in 57,000
- Lower costs
Overall, fully accredited surgical facilities tend to be safer, cleaner, better equipped, better staffed and more economical than facilities that are not accredited by a recognized organization.
To learn more about surgical center accreditation or to schedule a consultation with board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Krau, please contact his office by calling (305) 861-6881.