Surgical Services
Surgical Services at VVMC include both inpatient and outpatient procedures. The units are comprised of Preadmission Testing, Same Day Surgery, Operating Rooms, Endoscopy, Anesthesia, Post Anesthesia Care and Central Sterile Processing.
Board certified surgeons and anesthesiologists, certified nurse anesthetists, registered nurses, endoscopy, central services, specialty technicians, and support personnel are specially trained and experienced in all areas of care for surgical patients. Many staff members hold national certifications from their professional organizations.
Approximately 250 surgeries are performed at VVMC each month. Within the hospital are six operating room suites, some of which are specially designed to accommodate the most recent technologies available including:
- Advanced laparoscopic procedure capability
- Laminar flow method of purified air exchange
- High definition endoscopic and video-assisted technologies
- Advanced urology surgical procedures
- Advanced endovascular procedures
The Verde Valley Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC), located on the VVMC Cottonwood Campus, has two operating room suites where outpatient day surgery procedures can be performed.
Types of surgeries performed at VVMC include:
- Endoscopy: used to diagnosis and treat digestive diseases, the liver, the esophagus, the colon and the lungs
- General surgical procedures
- Gynecological: endometrial ablation (alternative to hysterectomy), incontinence correction, laser surgery for endometriosis
- Interventional pain management
- Laparoscopy: a diagnostic aid or a minimally invasive surgery that is used in abdominal and gynecological surgery
- Ophthalmology: surgical procedures related to the eyes
- Orthopedics: procedures involving injury or disease to the bones or joints including total joint replacement
Thoracic: chest procedures, especially lung and esophageal diseases
- Urology: specializing in kidney, urinary system and prostate procedures
- Vascular: diagnosis and treatment of blood vessel disease, repair and injury
Surgical Services goes through an extensive check list process (see Time Out) to assure excellent patient safety. This is completed by the Same Day Surgery staff and by the entire surgical team and surgeons in the Operating room before and after surgery.
Time Out
Healthcare facilities practice "time out" as part of a universal protocol for preventing Wrong Site, Wrong Procedure, Wrong Person Surgery. Time out raises awareness about the importance of requiring the entire surgical team - including physicians, nurses and surgical technologists - to pause (take time out) to communicate as a group and confirm key information about the patient and procedures to help prevent errors from occurring.
Surgical procedures performed under anesthesia are associated with the highest intensity level of care of any healthcare activity, and necessitate the combined team effort of many highly competent individuals to be successful.
The surgical team reviews objectives, patient information, equipment readiness, supplies, and roles and responsibilities of each member of the team. By taking a time out, members of the team pause to ensure they are doing all that is necessary so patients have the highest probability of experiencing the best possible outcomes. This ensures patient safety and high quality care.
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