4 Features of ASCs Buyers Are Looking For

Bill Heath, chief development officer at Practice Partners in Healthcare in Birmingham, Ala., explains four features of ASCs buyers are looking for.

1. Committed physician group. If the group is rocked by internal unrest or if some members plan to leave soon, the continuity of the ASC will be affected. The buyer wants to make sure physicians with significant volume will continue to use the ASC.

2. Good location. If the center is near the physicians' practices or the hospital, it is more likely to be used. Mr. Heath decided not to partner with a center in Florida because of its location. "It was a beautiful center but it was in the middle of nowhere," he says. "The closest group of physicians who would use it were an hour's drive away."

3. High-paying specialties. Buyers look for high-paying specialties like orthopedics or ENT. Mr. Heath says pain management also can pay well, especially when combined with orthopedics. On the other hand, "a heavy dependence on plastics, that's going to scare me," he says.

4. Good case-mix. Mr. Heath steers clear of centers with a "hodge-podge of specialties," a wide variety with little or no concentration. The low volume might not cover the cost of equipment and it would be more difficult to schedule block time.

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