Emergency Response in the Ambulatory Surgery Center.

As more surgeries are moving out of the hospital setting, effective emergency response in freestanding ambulatory surgery centers requires organized preparedness. Rapid, consistent emergency response can be challenged by their rarity of occurrence, fast-paced environment, and relative lack of resources. Anesthesiologists who practice in these settings must be aware of the differences between the management of an anesthetic emergency in the hospital with virtually unlimited resources and staff, versus an ambulatory surgery center with limited resources and slightly different goal: stabilization and transfer of care.