Elaine Thomas, administrator at St. Francis Mooresville (Ind.) Surgery Center shares three factors that are crucial to the long-term and ongoing success of an orthopedic-driven ASC.
1. Fast turnover. Fast patient turnover ultimately helps surgery centers schedule more patients and experience additional profits, and the key to achieving quick turnover is optimal operational efficiency.
"Most surgeons appreciate quick patient turnover, orthopedic surgeons especially because those physicians can have some pretty complex cases scheduled," Ms. Thomas says. "So quick patient turnover requires the entire staff working together, after a patient leaves, to have the patient rooms cleaned up and have the next patient ready for surgery. Of course, turnover needs to be done in a safe manner."
2. Teamwork. Although efficiency can be maintained in a wide variety of ways, at the heart of efficiency is collaborative teamwork and a staff with a high level of expertise. The culture of teamwork also should be incorporated and fostered in all other areas of an ASC, whether in an OR, patient waiting rooms or PACU.
"If you ever watch an orthopedic surgical team work together during a surgery, it's always a team process that's occurring in the OR," Ms. Thomas says. "It's all about having a confident and detail-oriented staff so that the physician feels confident during the surgery as well."
3. Customer satisfaction. Maintaining customer satisfaction is a two-pronged approach. ASCs should not only ensure every single patient leaves the ASC feeling happy and comfortable with the medical attention that was provided, but also ensure the physician is happy with the facility's operational processes. Patients and physicians should be treated as customers because, at the end of the day, both parties are the key to an ASC's business.
"Even though there is a huge focus on patient satisfaction at our ASC, we also want to make sure our surgeons are happy, and that's done by making sure each patients visit to the ASC is satisfactory," Ms. Thomas says. "The business the surgeons bring affects the long-terms success of our center."
In order to gauge physician satisfaction, Ms. Thomas distributes annual physician satisfaction surveys to see which of the center's weaknesses and strengths are contributing to physician happiness. The survey measures a myriad of parameters, including physicians' comfort level with the staff, confidence in the staff, turnover and staff preparedness. "The physicians also know that my door is open, so if one physician wants to express something, they can bring their concerns or issues straight to me," Ms. Thomas says.
Learn more about St. Francis Mooresville Surgery Center.
1. Fast turnover. Fast patient turnover ultimately helps surgery centers schedule more patients and experience additional profits, and the key to achieving quick turnover is optimal operational efficiency.
"Most surgeons appreciate quick patient turnover, orthopedic surgeons especially because those physicians can have some pretty complex cases scheduled," Ms. Thomas says. "So quick patient turnover requires the entire staff working together, after a patient leaves, to have the patient rooms cleaned up and have the next patient ready for surgery. Of course, turnover needs to be done in a safe manner."
2. Teamwork. Although efficiency can be maintained in a wide variety of ways, at the heart of efficiency is collaborative teamwork and a staff with a high level of expertise. The culture of teamwork also should be incorporated and fostered in all other areas of an ASC, whether in an OR, patient waiting rooms or PACU.
"If you ever watch an orthopedic surgical team work together during a surgery, it's always a team process that's occurring in the OR," Ms. Thomas says. "It's all about having a confident and detail-oriented staff so that the physician feels confident during the surgery as well."
3. Customer satisfaction. Maintaining customer satisfaction is a two-pronged approach. ASCs should not only ensure every single patient leaves the ASC feeling happy and comfortable with the medical attention that was provided, but also ensure the physician is happy with the facility's operational processes. Patients and physicians should be treated as customers because, at the end of the day, both parties are the key to an ASC's business.
"Even though there is a huge focus on patient satisfaction at our ASC, we also want to make sure our surgeons are happy, and that's done by making sure each patients visit to the ASC is satisfactory," Ms. Thomas says. "The business the surgeons bring affects the long-terms success of our center."
In order to gauge physician satisfaction, Ms. Thomas distributes annual physician satisfaction surveys to see which of the center's weaknesses and strengths are contributing to physician happiness. The survey measures a myriad of parameters, including physicians' comfort level with the staff, confidence in the staff, turnover and staff preparedness. "The physicians also know that my door is open, so if one physician wants to express something, they can bring their concerns or issues straight to me," Ms. Thomas says.
Learn more about St. Francis Mooresville Surgery Center.