Communication is key to successfully run any business, particularly communication between the administration and board of directors. At an ambulatory surgery center, once the board is on the same page as the administrators and medical staff goals can be reached faster and more effectively.
At Becker's ASC 21st Annual Meeting: The Business and Operations of ASCs, Angie Blankinship, RN, BSN, CASC, administrator, Longmont (Colo.) Surgery Center, will discuss the importance of keeping your board informed.
Question: What will be the focus of the session and what are you hoping attendees will get out of it?
Angie Blankinship: Facilities need to realize that the board of directors has the ultimate responsibility for the surgery center. They depend on the administrator to have information available for their review. This process is simple if the administrator keeps focus and maintains a line of communication from the staff, quality committee, contract negotiations, patient safety, etc. Administrators, of course drill down on the "financials"; this is an important part of our job. Quality, safety, service and sustainability are also paramount. My hope is to help administrators learn how to make the process as seamless as possible — smooth, consistent yet exact and meaningful.
Q: What are some of the advantages of keeping an ASCs' board of directors in the loop?
AB: Administrator support! Priceless! My feeling is that the board is only as effective as the proper communication they receive. I mentioned proper support — as an administrator our day is filled with the unexpected. There are days when 50 percent of what you do relates to employee, surgeon and patient satisfaction. I would imagine that the board doesn't need to hear all the details of those days unless there is something that is substantial, if a situation arises that involves "risk" as an example. I contact our medical director to keep him involved and glean his expertise. Buy-in and giving an employee the tool to do their job are the most important success factors in my opinion. Your board can give you the "tools," — you obtain buy-in — and doesn't that feel good when you know you can succeed?
Q: What are some ways in which ASC administrators and leaders can keep communication with the board of directors consistent and efficient?
AB: Consistency is so very important. I firmly believe in managing expectations. I'm a definite "plan A, B and C" type person. Administrators should take a hard look at the "end goal" and plan backwards. I do this all the time. This process can simply be walking through to proposed plan in your mind. I often brainstorm with myself, my staff, surgeons, etc. Communication and teamwork are my most valued tools. Administrators may not start their career with strong skills in communication, teamwork and delegation techniques and it doesn't take long to realize that those skills are taken for granted and need to be practiced every day. I feel that the board needs "the facts, man" to coin a phrase from an old movie.
By being consistent and efficient an administrator can meet with the board with confidence that they will be heard — there should be no games involved. Your board has to trust you. It doesn't hurt to have the financial report toward the end of the meeting either. You should have their attention, and when the financials are reported, then everyone relaxes. In this day of medical reimbursement changes, however, maybe not as relaxed as in the past.
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At Becker's ASC 21st Annual Meeting: The Business and Operations of ASCs, Angie Blankinship, RN, BSN, CASC, administrator, Longmont (Colo.) Surgery Center, will discuss the importance of keeping your board informed.
Question: What will be the focus of the session and what are you hoping attendees will get out of it?
Angie Blankinship: Facilities need to realize that the board of directors has the ultimate responsibility for the surgery center. They depend on the administrator to have information available for their review. This process is simple if the administrator keeps focus and maintains a line of communication from the staff, quality committee, contract negotiations, patient safety, etc. Administrators, of course drill down on the "financials"; this is an important part of our job. Quality, safety, service and sustainability are also paramount. My hope is to help administrators learn how to make the process as seamless as possible — smooth, consistent yet exact and meaningful.
Q: What are some of the advantages of keeping an ASCs' board of directors in the loop?
AB: Administrator support! Priceless! My feeling is that the board is only as effective as the proper communication they receive. I mentioned proper support — as an administrator our day is filled with the unexpected. There are days when 50 percent of what you do relates to employee, surgeon and patient satisfaction. I would imagine that the board doesn't need to hear all the details of those days unless there is something that is substantial, if a situation arises that involves "risk" as an example. I contact our medical director to keep him involved and glean his expertise. Buy-in and giving an employee the tool to do their job are the most important success factors in my opinion. Your board can give you the "tools," — you obtain buy-in — and doesn't that feel good when you know you can succeed?
Q: What are some ways in which ASC administrators and leaders can keep communication with the board of directors consistent and efficient?
AB: Consistency is so very important. I firmly believe in managing expectations. I'm a definite "plan A, B and C" type person. Administrators should take a hard look at the "end goal" and plan backwards. I do this all the time. This process can simply be walking through to proposed plan in your mind. I often brainstorm with myself, my staff, surgeons, etc. Communication and teamwork are my most valued tools. Administrators may not start their career with strong skills in communication, teamwork and delegation techniques and it doesn't take long to realize that those skills are taken for granted and need to be practiced every day. I feel that the board needs "the facts, man" to coin a phrase from an old movie.
By being consistent and efficient an administrator can meet with the board with confidence that they will be heard — there should be no games involved. Your board has to trust you. It doesn't hurt to have the financial report toward the end of the meeting either. You should have their attention, and when the financials are reported, then everyone relaxes. In this day of medical reimbursement changes, however, maybe not as relaxed as in the past.
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