Anesthesiology Patient Care at
UWMC—Roosevelt
Ambulatory Surgery Center

The UWMC—Roosevelt Ambulatory Surgery Center is a wonderful environment, full of dedicated professionals who are attentive to providing comprehensive patient care. The teamwork is exemplary. In our patient surveys there is a very high level of satisfaction with the surgical experience at Roosevelt Ambulatory Surgery Center.

Overview

In 2001 the UWMC—Roosevelt Ambulatory Surgery Center was established. This unit was created to meet the needs of patients undergoing procedures that typically do not require overnight hospitalization. The Roosevelt ASC is currently providing care for patients are undergoing a variety of orthopedic and otolaryngology procedures, as well as patients being cared for at the Center for Pain Relief.

For Patients

Your surgeon has scheduled you for a procedure at UWMC—Roosevelt Ambulatory Surgery Center based on their review of your medical history and the procedure you will undergo. We endeavor to provide the safest care for our patients. Because the UWMC—Roosevelt ASC is physically separated from the main UW Medical Center campus, we have established certain medical criteria to ensure patient safety. The type of surgery is also a factor in this decision making. . It is very important to have as much information about your medical history as possible available at the time of your meeting with the surgeon and to be frank and complete in discussing your medical history. Our goal is to be comprehensive and identify medical conditions that might require a higher level of services than can be provided at the ASC.

Once your surgeon has requested that you be scheduled at the Roosevelt ASC the Pre-Anesthesia Clinic will be asked to review your medical records as a second check that you meet the safety criteria.

The day before surgery the Pre-Anesthesia Clinic staff will call you with information about what medications to take, instructions for eating and drinking on the day of surgery and many other important details to ensure a safe surgical experience. The staff will provide you with you a general idea of the options for anesthesia care. The Pre-Anesthesia Clinic Staff are not able to guarantee what specific type of anesthesia you will receive. If you would like to have a more definitive answer to your questions about what types of anesthesia will be available to you, the PAC staff will endeavor to put you in touch with an Attending Anesthesiologist who works at the Roosevelt ASC.

The Anesthesia Care Team at the UWMC— Roosevelt Ambulatory Surgery Center is comprised of a Board Certified Attending Anesthesiologist who will medically direct your care. Other members of the team who work closely with the Attending Anesthesiologist are:

• Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists: These are nurses who have undergone Master's Level training and are licensed as Advanced Registered Nurse Practicioners, and
• Anesthesiology Residents: These are licensed physicians who are completing their fourth and final year of residency training after medical school.

On the day of surgery you will meet both the Attending Anesthesiologist and the other member of the Anesthesia Care Team who will be taking care of you. Your medical history, prior anesthetic experiences will be reviewed, an appropriate physical exam will be performed and anesthetic options will be discussed.

During your surgical procedure the Anesthesia Team will be continuously monitoring your level of consciousness, breathing and cardiac function as well as the effectiveness of lung function. We will work closely with your surgeon to provide the best anesthesia care possible, and to create a smooth and comfortable recovery room stay.

Because we provide care exclusively for ambulatory surgery, the UWMC—Roosevelt ASC team is prepared to make your experience as pleasant and safe as possible. We do this by using up to date multimodal approaches to pain management as well as focusing on minimizing the side effects from anesthesia and surgery. Your escort will be kept informed of your progress, and our specially trained Post Anesthesia Recovery Unit nurses will provide excellent care and teaching prior to discharge.

Patient survey results have been very positive in evaluation of our care at the UWMC—Roosevelt Ambulatory Surgery Center. We actively solicit feedback to continuously improve our processes.

For the Caregiver

The UWMC—Roosevelt ASC is the only site in the UWMC system where residents and CRNA's participate in ambulatory care at a stand alone facility. This unique feature provides many benefits to patients and caregivers. The process of patient scheduling and care management is strongly influenced by this feature. The core groups of individuals who work at the ASC share an ethic that incorporates personalized, highly professional and efficient care of our surgical patients. Caregivers are part of the door to door experience of their patients, and can provide continuity that is welcomed by our patients.

Our teams of care providers are cohesive and work well together. The proximity of Physical Therapy and Dermatological Surgery allows for coordinated care of those patients who require these services.

We are pleased that UW Medicine is able to offer this streamlined surgical care for patients whose medical status and surgical needs fit the profile for successful ambulatory surgery.

Christopher R. Lee, MD Clincial Assistant Professor, Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine; Lead Anesthesiologist, UWMC—Roosevelt Ambulatory Surgery Unit UW Medical Center, Box 356540 1959 NE Pacific Street EE201, Seattle, WA 98195 Phone: 206-543-2773 Fax: 206-543-2958 Email: cleemed@uw.edu