We have found, especially on start-up, that we get the best quality service with the least risk as far as staffing and expenses with these arrangements.
We also find that the anesthesiologists will bring some pain management cases because of the convenience of their existing presence at the center.
Dianne Wallace, RN, BSM, MBA, executive director of Menomonee Falls (Wis.) Ambulatory Surgery Center: Our freestanding, multi-specialty center performs around 13,000 procedures annually. We have a contracted anesthesia group that we have worked with exclusively for 14.5 years. They also contract with the hospital next door to us.
The group is local. Over time they have grown to 15 physicians, mainly to facilitate our growth as well as the expanded cardiac and women’s health services at the hospital. Since we are the only two customers they service and because we are located within walking distance of each other, they are interested in retaining us as their customer. Consequently, they are very service oriented. They are aware that we could (and would) look to another group if we needed to.
The biggest benefit to us is that we don’t have to ‘manage’ the physicians and/or their billing. The advantage to them is that we provide all supplies and equipment and a large volume of procedures.
Marge Schillaci, RN, MS, administrative director of Surgery Center of Joliet (Ill.): At the Surgery Center of Joliet, we contract with the same anesthesia group that provides service to our hospital partner which is adjacent to our center.
They also run the independent pain management center in our building. This works for us because of the proximity to the hospital and the availability of MDs/CRNAs. They will frequently send us staff for a short period during our times of greatest need.
Note: Share your thoughts on the question of “Do you outsource anesthesia to a company, to a local group or do you handle it 100-percent internally, and why does this model work well for your ASC” by e-mailing Scott Becker at sbecker@mcguirewoods.com.
