Local Surgery Centers Awarded Back-To-Back Accreditation

Two local ambulatory surgery centers have earned reaccreditation by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC). Both launched by DISC Sports & Spine Center (DISC) with a focus on minimally invasive spine, orthopedic and pain management procedures, the Diagnostic and Interventional Surgical Center (Marina del Rey) and DISC Surgery Center at Newport Beach both recently underwent and passed AAAHC’s rigorous inspections with no deficiencies found in any area. This newest accreditation, as determined by an independent, external process of evaluation, will extend for another three-year-period.

Status as accredited organizations means that DISC’s ambulatory surgery centers have met nationally recognized standards for the provision of quality health care set by AAAHC. While more than 6,000 ambulatory health care organizations across the United States are accredited by AAAHC, the screening is entirely voluntary. Of those who choose to undergo the rigorous on-site survey process, not all are granted accreditation.

“Passing these rigorous, back-to-back inspections is a testament to the incredibly high standards we have held for our surgery centers from the beginning,” said DISC founder and leading neurosurgeon Robert S. Bray, Jr., M.D. “We’ve established a benchmark for patient care that has led to our continued success in performing higher acuity surgeries with excellent results, faster recoveries and a zero infection rate.”

DISC’s ambulatory surgery centers serve as safe, efficient operating environments for its 42 physicians, including some of the nation’s top spine and orthopedic surgeons. These centers pride themselves on a self-mandated 2-to-1 patient/nurse ratio and continue to employ hospital-level reporting and safety, with the goal of constantly fine-tuning quality control tactics.

AAAHC’s accreditation process involves an extensive self-assessment and on-site survey by AAAHC expert surveyors – physicians, nurses, and administrators who are actively involved in ambulatory health care. The survey is consultative and educational, presenting best practices to help an organization improve its care and services.

In 2014, DISC formed a joint venture with Surgical Care affiliates (SCA), and earlier this year announced it had expanded its insurance contracts to include Anthem Blue Cross, California’s largest commercial payer, for in-network services at both of its ambulatory surgery centers. These actions further demonstrate the company’s ongoing dedication to elevating outpatient surgical care.