Patients Praise Personalized Care at The Center for Ambulatory Surgery

PATIENTS CHOOSE THE CENTER FOR THE QUALITY OF CARE AND THE CONVENIENCE. MANY COME BACK FOR MULTIPLE PROCEDURES.

By Kim Ann Zimmermann

Nichole Timothy, a mother of three from Long Valley, was obviously concerned when her son Jake needed minor surgery to correct a urologic problem.

“When we were told that my son needed a minor procedure, we thoroughly investigated all of the options, including a traditional hospital setting and a same-day
surgery center,” she says. In November, Jake had the surgery at The Center for Ambulatory Surgery (TCFAS) in Mountainside. Dr. John Connor was his surgeon.

“We know hospitals can get crazy with emergencies. We were able to schedule the surgery on a more convenient day and at a more convenient location,” Timothy recalls.

Like any parent, Timothy was concerned about how any medical emergency would be handled. She was assured that the center was staffed and equipped to deal with any medical issue, and that Jake could be transported to nearby Overlook Hospital if necessary.

As it turns out, there were complications during Jake’s recovery from the procedure and they needed to put those plans into action.

“The procedure went fine, but as they brought him into recovery, his oxygen levels were extremely low,” Timothy recalls. She says that Dr. Louis Pappas, the anesthesiologist, was with Jake the entire time and a call was made to Jake’s pediatrician.

Jake was ultimately taken to Overlook, where it was discovered that he had an arterio veno malformation, a congenital defect of his lung that was caused by a rare blood disorder that had previously gone undetected.

Jake had five hours of lung surgery, and his mom reports that he’s doing fine. She praises the caring medical staff at the center for their quick response.

“Jake drew everyone pictures and sent a thank you,” she says.

The Timothy family doesn’t have any qualms about their experience at the center. In fact, Michael Timothy, Jake’s father, had back surgery performed a few months ago at the center.

Combination of convenience and caring. It was the convenience that initially brought Tom Cusimano of Westfield to the center. The firstrate care and personalized attention keeps bringing him back. Cusimano has had three procedures at the center.

Dr. William Drake III performed his sinus surgery. His knee surgery was performed by Dr. Albert Thrower. Dr. Roger Klein performed his colonoscopy.

“To me the biggest advantage was the convenience,” says Cusimano. In each case, I was very satisfied with the level of care that I received and the personal attention. The nurses, doctors and staff are wonderful. It is very patient friendly.”

In Cusimano’s view, he was happy to be in a situation where he was discharged as quickly as possible.

Podiatrist Dr. Robert Neufeld, DPM, says his patients are pleased with the caring and efficiency of the center.

“I’ve worked here as a medical professional, and I have also been a patient,” says Dr. Neufeld, who has a practice in Union. “Both as a patient and a doctor, I appreciate that the center runs smoothly and on time. We’re not dealing with the emergencies that routinely happen in a hospital setting.”

State-of-the-art equipment
The center, which opened five years ago, has a team of board-certified surgeons and anesthesiologists, nurses and support staff.

The five operating rooms at the center are fully equipped to handle any procedure. TCFAS is a multi-specialty center, providing services in orthopedics, ear, nose and throat, general surgery, podiatry, urology, gynecology, plastic surgery, endoscopy, laparoscopy, orthotripsy, lithotripsy, pediatric surgery and pain management. Dawn M. Spencer, the center’s administrator, says the center’s multi-disciplinary approach is unique. “While many centers focus on specific areas, such as orthopedics, we have a number of specialists who perform a wide range of procedures,” she says.

The center’s specialists have access to the latest equipment in their fields. “It is the same access to all of the equipment you would have in a hospital,” says Bobbie Cox, RN, the center’s operating room manager.

While the chances are slim of a serious complication, the center has the staff and the resources to manage any medical situation, Cox says. “The person who comes here is coming here for elective surgery, so there is much less of a chance of a serious problem, but we can handle anything.”

Because the center only handles outpatient procedures, there is much less risk of infection or being delayed because of an emergency, Cox says.

While patients find that things run smoothly once they are at the center, they also find that the preparation for the procedure is easy. “We have a pre-op nurse help coordinate anything ahead of time — blood work, cardiac work up, chest X-rays or anything else that is needed. Much of the preoperative work can be done through outpatient facilities as well, so the patient does not have to go to the hospital lab or X-ray department.”

The staff also has more time to spend with each patient than the staff at a hospital, says Clare Lane, RN, who has been with the center for five years and works in the recovery room. “We have a high degree of satisfaction,” she says. “It is a great group of people and we have a very favorable nurse to patient ratio. This gives us more time to interact with the patient.”

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