John Brock, administrator of NorthStar Surgical Center in Lubbock, Texas, a Symbion facility, lists seven ways to make and save money in orthopedics in ambulatory surgery centers.
1. Manage non-implant supplies. One way to keep supply costs low is to purchase custom packs for surgery rather than buying each item separately.
2. Engage physicians on implants. The impetus for standardization should come from the implant committee, made up of surgeons at the center. "The physicians built the center 10 years ago partly because they wanted to use the products they chose to use," Mr. Brock says. "In their facility they need to be involved in the decision-making process."
3. Engage vendor reps. Develop a friendly relationship with the reps, but make sure they understand how things are done at the center. Rather than talking with individual surgeons about a new product at the surgeons' offices, reps should come to the center and discuss the product with ASC staff. "We see reps all the time and we like to keep the relationship friendly. 'How's you son's Little League team doing?' But we don't want the rep talking to the doctor behind our back," Mr. Brock says. "It's letting them know how we do things."
4. Join a major purchasing group. Through Symbion, Mr. Brock's ASC is part of HealthTrust Purchasing Group. This is one of the many benefits of partnering with a management company.
5. Train staff to excel in orthopedics. In a multispecialty center like NorthStar, training OR staff to specialize in orthopedics improves efficiency in the OR and in providing supplies. When staff is well trained, "the room turnover is better and physicians are satisfied," Mr. Brock says. At NorthStar, staff members are still cross-trained in other specialties but there are crews whose primary focus in orthopedics. "This is not so much for clinical competency as for process competency," he says. "They understand the nuances of certain products."
6. Make surgery process as efficient as possible. In addition to keeping tight turnover times, staff makes sure the physician keeps moving. If a surgeon is conversing in the hallway when his case is ready, someone says, "Doctor, your next patient is ready."
7. Use third-party device benefit managers. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas uses Access MediQuip to purchase and bill for implants. "It's a tremendous relief because we don't have to worry about these expenses," Mr. Brock says. However, the ASC must still negotiate discounts with vendors.
Learn more about NorthStar Surgical Center.
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