Question: How have you updated your strategy for success in ASC/outpatient care recently?

Richard Cunningham, MD. Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Physician and Surgeon at Vail-Summit Orthopaedics and Neurosurgery (Frisco, Colo.):

1. It is so critical to my success to work with an experienced physician assistant, athletic trainer and scrub tech in surgery. Although insurance often does not cover it, most surgeries require several skilled assistants in order to achieve an optimal result.

2. Having a good anesthesia care team who can reliably place indwelling pain catheters and then sending patients home with pain pumps that stay in place for the first three to five days after surgery.

3. Having a knowledgeable and experienced representative from the orthopedic implant company you prefer to work with.

4. Having knowledgeable and friendly pre-op and post-op nurses.

5. Having some good country music playing in the background during surgery.