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How ambulatory surgery centers are saving money while providing increased access to procedures. For those seeking medical care, the prospects can be daunting. From expensive procedures to crowded schedules, finding the time and money to receive the care you need can be challenging. The stress of such a situation is only compounded by the fact that it is your health on the line. That’s a big deal.

This is especially true of surgeries, which are invasive and, to most people, frightening. Thankfully, modern medicine and infrastructure are addressing these challenges head-on to provide patients with a higher level of care in a more convenient and cost-effective manner.

Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) are at the forefront of this trend. These specialized centers focus on bringing high-quality care at a lower price, giving people a compelling alternative to traditional full-service hospitals.

How exactly are ASCs changing the landscape of the surgical treatment world? Read on to find out.

Cost Savings

For those with Medicare, the copayment for surgery at a hospital outpatient department would be significantly higher than that at an ASC. For example, a cataract extraction procedure would see a copayment savings of over $200.

The same holds true for those with private insurance, meaning that patients across the spectrum can experience the cost savings associated with ASCs.

It’s not just patients that benefit from the quick, affordable treatment, either. Over the course of the approximately 22.5 million surgical procedures performed by ASCs each year, Medicare saves over $4 billion. That’s a significant amount of taxpayer dollars.

Private insurance companies will incur lower costs, too, incentivizing them to encourage ASC use. As they save money, those savings will likely be reflected in the costs you, as a patient, see.

Efficiency and Quality

Because ASCs are specialized centers, they can provide a level of care that meets or exceeds the standards set by hospitals while doing so in a more convenient and efficient manner. So, while you will likely see significant cost savings, you will also enjoy benefits more related to the overall surgical experience.

This improved convenience and efficiency allows ASCs to schedule and performs procedures on a quicker timeline, meaning less waiting for you. While this may not be exceptionally important for some elective procedures, it is vital to those who are in need of medically necessary surgery. ASCs can address your needs more quickly and put you on the road to recovery sooner.

ASCs are already an integral part of the healthcare system, and their importance will only continue to grow as the demand for quick, convenient access to critical diagnostic and surgical care increases. With a significant portion of out-patient procedures already being performed by ASCs, there is no doubt that these specialized centers will continue to account for a higher percentage of such procedures.

Both patients and providers benefit from the convenience and cost savings associated with ASCs, making these surgical centers a true win-win in the medical community!

One of the changes that Covid-19 brought to our way of life is the compulsory usage of face masks as a way to prevent the spread of the virus. No one is left out of these precautionary measures, including kids, whether they are at school or in public areas.

Should kids wear medical face masks?

The answer to this question is an emphatic “yes”. Understandably, kids do not always want to wear masks but they have to be helped to adapt to this new “normal”.

However, kids with conditions that make breathing difficult such as cystic fibrosis and cancer should only wear masks in consultation with a medical practitioner.

Also, kids below five years should not wear face masks due to suffocation risk according to the WHO and the UNICEF.

When should kids wear face masks?

Generally, it is expected that children wear masks when they are in school, childcare, or involved in any group activity. Kids are also expected to wear face masks when it is impossible for them to stay 6 feet away from others. For example, at the grocery store, at school, in a playground park, and in a bus, among others. Assuming that a mask shall be changed every 4 hours, it is advised to purchase 3 ply surgical mask in bulk and therefore, make sure that your lovely ones always have a spare mask to stay protected against the virus.

Also, it is important for a child who is physically close to an ill person to use a mask. It is expedient that children engaging in sports and other physical activities do not wear masks so that their breathing is not affected.

To achieve this, it is critical to ensure that all other essential public health measures are put in place, for example:

1. Maintaining at least 1-meter distance.
2. Limiting the number of kids playing at a time.
3. Providing hand hygiene equipment
4. Encouraging the kids to use them.

The importance of masks to kids

Like every other category of people, the use of masks by kids keeps them from getting infected with the virus. More importantly, it keeps them from spreading it.

Children are less likely to manifest symptoms of the virus: this means that they might not know whether they have it or not. Children need guidance and control and in the absence of this, they can go to any lengths to have fun. In the course of having fun, they can get infected or infect a bunch of people who react more severely to the virus.

Thus, they must make use of face masks. Also, the use of masks helps protect kids with underlying health conditions, especially when they visit health practitioners.

How to help your kids mask up?

For obvious reasons, it might be a challenge to get your child to put on a mask. Children like to be free and comfortable, and truth be told, even for adults, masks are not exactly comfortable. Also, they tend to be hyper and a lot of respiration takes place in the course of all their adventures. With masks on their faces, it won’t be comfortable for them to do all of that.

Nevertheless, safety tops the priority list and they need to be encouraged and made to understand why masks are important.

The following are some tips on how to help your kids mask up.

1. Explain to your child why masking up is important: Kids want to know why they are doing something before they do it, therefore, you must explain it to them in the simplest of terms. You do not need to complicate things for them, you can tell them that the masks are to keep them and other people from germs. You could also make things more interesting and imaginative by telling them that the masks are shields to protect people from the attacks of “bad guys” (Covid-19).
2. Provide attractive mask options: Kids love attractive and colorful things and you have the responsibility of providing cute masks for them if you want them to mask up. You can get a collection of masks and let your kids make their choice. It is easier to make them mask up because they get to choose their masks.
3. Ensure their masks are comfortable.
4. Practice masking up with them.
5. Be a good example.

Masks are important for kids as much as they are for others in preventing the spread of the virus. It may be challenging, but you have the responsibility to ensure your kids mask up for their safety and a safer world. Do not forget that not all kids should use face masks.