Ambulatory surgery outcomes: a survey of office-based delivery

Due to a few well-publicized stories about patient injury and death, office-based ambulatory surgery has recently been thrust upon the forefront of current discussions about clinical outcomes. This has stimulated interest among ambulatory surgery stakeholders, including physicians, patients, and elected officials. An analysis of medical office-based surgical facilities in Florida indicates that office-based surgeons tend to work independently, with limited peer oversight, although as a whole, they professionally subscribe to a high level of ethical standards and offer patients an expected high quality level of clinical expertise. The results did not definitively indicate a relationship between unaccredited medical offices and unacceptable surgical procedures. The paper concludes by offering fifteen medical office standards that can aid in developing office surgery oversight policies.