ing , including oral hygiene , wound care , and dietary instructions . This room , like every room , is equipped with gigabit internet access and audiovisual capabilities for patient education purposes .
For patients , this is an invaluable tool . As Dr . Bates explains , “ Of course it ’ s nothing new that , with digital radiography , we can take a patient ’ s x-rays in one room and instantly and simultaneously display them to the patient and their family in another room . This serves as a strong tool for education , allowing patients to observe and understand the problem in a visual way . It ’ s been our experience that the more information and pre-op education the patient receives , the better and easier is their postoperative course .”
The Team
The clinical staff is specially trained in assisting with intravenous anesthesia , including deep sedation and general anesthesia . “ We are very privileged to have fully-trained surgical assistants on staff who routinely help us with starting IVs , drawing blood and administering
The facility was designed with a space dedicated solely to digital diagnostic imaging , including radiographs and photographs .
drugs under direct supervision , as well as assisting in surgery using strict sterile technique and all that that entails . Without these individuals , we simply could not provide the level of care that their participation allows us to .”
The administrative staff , including a Scheduling Coordinator , Treatment Coordinator , and Billing Coordinator , keeps the front office hopping . As a unified entity under the leadership of Practice Manager Rick Muniz , the front and back offices work intimately together in a seamless workflow from a patient ’ s first encounter with the receptionist to their final encounter with the nurse who transports them to their escort ’ s automobile . Rick notes , “ I ’ ve been through hospitalbased Joint Commission accreditation before and was thrilled for the opportunity to help guide this practice to achieve such a remarkable first .”
Photos by Ray Bryant , Bryant Studios
Each morning , the entire team assembles together in the conference room for a staff meeting led by Rick to review the schedule for the day or the week . Each member comes prepared to participate by presenting relevant information on the patient activities for the day . A formal agenda is followed which prevents important items from falling between the cracks . This ensures that everything needed to care for a given patient , from an MRI to a sleep study to orthodontic imaging , is readily available . Once a week , an extended staff meeting allows for training and in-service presentations .
Medical Staff
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The facility is equipped with a state-of-the-art Planmeca Viso CT with a very large field of view allowing for full maxillofacial and cranial three-dimensional imaging .
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The medical staff of Texas Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery includes board-certified medical anesthesiologists responsible for the management of surgical cases requiring general anesthesia . Patients are continuously monitored during and after