Website provides info on same-day surgery centers

A ARP congratulates Gov. Chris Christie and Department of Health and Senior Services Commissioner Mary O’Dowd regarding the announcement of a new Internet resource for New Jersey’s health care consumers.

The state is now posting inspection reports on its website for New Jersey’s 260 licensed and nationally accredited same-day surgery centers, thus presenting consumers with valuable information. The public, health care professionals and researchers and members of the media can now examine online inspection and safety reports with great ease and efficiency.

The return on this investment will lead to safer health care facilities and better choices for consumers as they are considering where to have their elective surgeries and procedures.

Ambulatory surgery centers pride themselves on their ability to perform procedures that require less than a 24-hour stay, including cosmetic surgery, colonoscopy screenings, as well as eye and knee surgery.

The policy provides a new level of governmental transparency, serving as a motivator for improvement to health care providers. The site allows the public to research and make proper decisions through comparing one surgery center to another proving the policy to be a useful tool for both consumers and facilities statewide.

AARP encourages consumers to access the reports by visiting http:// www.nj.gov/cgi- bin/dhss/healthfacilities/hospitalsearch. pl

Douglas Johnston
AARP Governmental Affairs
Director
Princeton