National Ambulatory Surgery Center Day is Oct. 11 | Eastern North Carolina Now

For Immediate Release

    GREENVILLE, NC     Vidant SurgiCenter is celebrating National Ambulatory Surgery Center Day on Wednesday, Oct. 11. Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) are health care facilities that offer patients the convenience of having surgeries and procedures performed safely outside the hospital setting.

    ASCs treat only patients who have already seen a health care provider and selected surgery as the appropriate treatment for their condition. All ASCs must have at least one dedicated operating room and the equipment needed to perform surgery safely and ensure quality patient care.

    Vidant SurgiCenter is a Joint Commission-accredited, state-of-the-art multi-specialty ambulatory surgery center at the corner of Stantonsburg Road and Bethesda Drive in Greenville. The facility serves patients who will recover and be ready to leave the center in fewer than 24 hours. Some of the services provided at Vidant SurgiCenter include cataract extractions, ear tubes for children, laparoscopic hysterectomies, laser surgery to break up kidney stones and gall bladder surgeries.

    More than 12,000 surgical cases were performed in 10 operating rooms at Vidant SurgiCenter between October 2010 and September 2011. More than 170 physicians, as well as registered nurses and support personnel affiliated with Vidant Health, staff this 40,000-square-foot, freestanding ambulatory care facility.

    "During the past 30 years, Vidant SurgiCenter has been dedicated to providing incredible patient care and experiences under the guidance of our excellent physicians and staff," said Stephen Tripp, president, Vidant SurgiCenter. "Our mission of 'enhancing the quality of life for the people and communities we serve, touch, and support' is accomplished by treating patients as family members. By providing high-quality care in a family atmosphere, Vidant SurgiCenter provides an optimal patient experience."

    Since their inception more than four decades ago, ASCs have demonstrated the ability to improve quality and customer service while simultaneously reducing costs. On average, the Medicare program and its beneficiaries share in more than $2.6 billion in savings each year because the program pays significantly less for procedures performed in ASCs when compared to the rates paid to hospitals for the same procedures. Also, patient co-pays are also significantly lower when care is delivered in an ASC.

    ASCs are highly regulated to ensure the best quality and safety for their patients. They require a state licensure, Medicare certification and an independent voluntary evaluation. As a result, patients report 92 percent satisfaction rate with both the care and service they receive from ASCs.

    Vidant SurgiCenter is a subsidiary of Vidant Medical Center. It is a fully licensed facility accredited by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Health Care Facilities.

    For more information about Vidant SurgiCenter, please visit www.VidantHealth.com/SurgiCenter.


    Contact: Beth Anne Atkins, Vidant Health Strategic Development, (252) 847-7735 or beth.atkins@VidantHealth.com

    Vidant Health, a mission-driven, not-for-profit corporation, owns, leases or has a majority membership interest in nine eastern North Carolina hospitals and has a management agreement with one other. The health system includes Albemarle Health, Vidant Beaufort Hospital, Vidant Bertie Hospital, Vidant Chowan Hospital, Vidant Duplin Hospital, Vidant Edgecombe Hospital, The Outer Banks Hospital, Vidant Medical Center, Vidant Pungo Hospital, Vidant Roanoke-Chowan Hospital, Vidant Home Health and Hospice, Vidant Wellness Centers, Vidant Medical Group and is affiliated with the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. On the web at www.vidanthealth.com.