A large part of an ASC's efficiency has to do with a well functioning staff who can work smoothly with each other, says Tona Savoie, administrator of Bayou Regional Surgical Center in Thibodaux, La., a multispecialty ASC with four ORs and one procedure room. Ms. Savoie provides six people skills that are important for staff to master.
1. Positive attitude. When Ms. Savoie hires staff, she says, "I can teach you what I need you to do, for the most part, but if you've got a bad attitude, it will ruin everything." An ASC cannot function well unless people help each other out and put their personal problems aside when they come to work. "No one should not be taking things out on physicians, patients or peers," she says.
2. Teamwork. Without a team effort, certain things may still be done well but the ASC won't attain consistently high levels of efficiency. "Everyone has to be connected and willing to help each other out," Ms. Savoie says.
3. Sharing common goals. Bonuses and other incentives mean the entire staff is focused on the same goals, which makes for a highly efficient surgery center. "The goals give everyone a reason to be efficient," Ms. Savoie says.
4. Respect for each other. "The ASC is like a family," Ms. Savoie says. "A family can be nice to strangers but not always so nice to each other." All staff members have to work on this. This even applies to surgeons, a touchy area because many of them own the ASC. "The OR is its own world," she says. "Some surgeons can be blunt and staff need to know it's not personal."
5. Communication. Making sure everyone is informed is essential when staff members are on different schedules. Even with 28 full-time employees at Bayou Regional, Ms. Savoie holds meetings and sends staff-wide memos. She even posts reminders to staff in front of the time clock, so that they would have to move it to punch in. When there is important news, "I try to tell people as soon as possible," she says. "It's important that people hear it from you before they hear it from someone else."
6. Management seeks input from staff. Ms. Savoie makes a point of asking employees for input in decisions that will affect their area. "I have a lot of faith in my staff to come up with good ideas," she says. Eighty percent of the time she uses their suggestions. This approach helps with retention. "No one likes change but it helps when you have a role in deciding how to deal with it."
Read more ASC practical guidance:
- 6 Ways to Cut Surgery Center Staffing Costs
- 3 Ways to Improve Physician Start Times
- 5 Ways ASCs Can Keep in the Black