SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb.,-A new ambulatory surgery center, dedicated exclusively to outpatient surgery, is now open at 4022 Avenue B, across the street from Regional West Medical Center.

Scottsbluff Surgery Center, which opened August 2, focuses on outpatient procedures related to gastroenterology, orthopedics and ear, nose and throat surgery.

The center was developed through a partnership between Regional West Health Services and physicians A.J. Magana, MD; Bryan Scheer, MD; Jeanne Beck, MD; and James Massey, MD. The cooperative effort allowed the facility to be built on property owned by and adjacent to the hospital.

The new surgery center was designed for patient-centered care, with easy accessibility for outpatient procedures. All four physician-owners perform a significant number of outpatient procedures. Their interest in increasing efficiency and patient satisfaction while containing costs led to the development of the surgery center.

“Doctors find it difficult to blend inpatients and outpatients in the same facility. Scheduling is difficult and can be unpredictable in a hospital due to trauma and emergent cases,” said Dr. Massey.

Regional West Medical Center will continue to provide outpatient surgery. With the shift of many procedures to the new freestanding surgery center, scheduling of outpatient procedures within the hospital should also be improved for the benefit of patients.

According to Todd Sorensen, MD, president and CEO of Regional West Health Services, the decision of whether to undergo an outpatient procedure at the new surgery center or at the hospital is up to individual patients and their physicians.

“Ultimately, it’s the patient’s decision, as it always has been and should be,” said Sorensen.

It is anticipated that Scottsbluff Surgery Center will receive certification to provide services to Medicare recipients within the next 60 days.

Regional West Health Services, with over 1,400 employees, provides comprehensive and innovative health care services for the people and communities of western Nebraska and the neighboring states of Colorado, South Dakota and Wyoming. With over 110 active physicians, 95 percent of whom are board certified or board eligible, plus an additional 25 consulting specialists, Regional West offers care that spans more than 40 medical specialties. Regional West Medical Center, a subsidiary of Regional West Health Services, is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations and is one of only three Level II Trauma Centers in the state of Nebraska.