7 bright ideas for ASC administrators today (and every day)

At the Becker's ASC 21st Annual Meeting in Chicago on Oct. 23, three ambulatory surgery center administrators discussed some of the best ideas they've encountered and put to use in their daily work.  

The session's panelists included Kelly Shirer, manager of finance and contracting for Wildwood Surgical Center in Toledo, Ohio, Chandler Shirer, administrator of Franciscan Surgery Center in Indianapolis, and Barbara Draves, administrator of The Surgery Center in Cleveland. The session was moderated by Carrie Pallardy, lead editor with Becker's ASC Review.

Here are seven ideas or pieces of advice that were brought up during the panel discussion.

1. Be diligent about your No. 1 priority. "In this day and age when we're being squeezed, vendors are trying to press it out because they have new device taxes. Governing boards are pressing for the same profits we had years ago. The cornerstone is the patient coming through the door. Be diligent you're not cutting corners or sacrificing anything for the patients," said Mr. Shirer.

2. Bring on new talent. Ms. Draves said her center hired a class of recent graduates, which has left older and more experienced staff members feeling rejuvenated. "Now they can show their expertise to other people," she said.   

3. Identify your champions. Ms. Shirer recommended administrators tap into employees' interests and make the most of them. Identify the people on your staff who can champion certain issues, whether health IT, HIPAA or supply chain, and incorporate these interests into their goal-setting. Mr. Shirer agreed: "Let young stars grow into their own roles and find things they enjoy."

4. Let staff know you're part of the team. As an administrator, Mr. Shirer makes a point to show staff he is not afraid to roll up his sleeves. He expects the same from employees. "One of the things we don't like to hear is, 'That's not my job.' You need to function and be diverse in your talents."

5. Market to employers. Ms. Shirer said her center has marketed itself to some of northwest Ohio's larger employers, which include automakers. She said this has been tremendously effective. "Many [employers] have raised deductibles for their employees, so when they see that a certain procedure will be [an] OON expense of several hundred dollars less at our facility than a hospital, it really raises their attention," said Ms. Shirer.

6. Consider alternative relationships with hospitals. Ms. Draves' center may rent its facility once per week to a hospital. Under that arrangement, employees would work for the hospital in that time while The Surgery Center derives rent. She encouraged other administrators to think out of the box and find arrangements that work best for them, which might not be the same arrangement that works for the ASC down the street.

7. Be generous with professional development for staff. Encourage staff to take on educational opportunities as much as possible. Help them broaden their skill sets through professional events or seminars, webinars and other engagements or learning opportunities, said Ms. Shirer.  

More articles for ASC administrators:
Hospital C-suite changes, narrow networks & more: What are some of the biggest issues facing ASCs today?
12 ASC administrators: 'Our biggest plans for 2015'
111 ASC administrators to know

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