The following are the five steps Mr. Deconciliis shared during the presentation:
1. Focus on the surgeons. ASCs want to fill their ORs with the quickest, most efficient surgeons in order to maximize utilization, according to Mr. Deconciliis. He recommended doing utilization audits to make sure those are the surgeons in the rooms.
Improving surgeon efficiency can also help improve profits at ASCs, and there are some simple steps to take that can improve surgeon efficiency. For instance, Mr. Deconciliis said to encourage surgeons to be in the room for patient positioning and to dictate at the end of the day if possible.
2. Analyze the equipment. Decreasing spend on equipment, supplies and disposables are all ways to improve overall ASC profits. For equipment, Mr. Deconciliis recommended trying to get a trial of the equipment first. “We’ve been pretty successful getting those from reps,” he said. For supplies, ASCs should use one source if possible. And to decrease spend on disposables, ASCs can educate everyone in contact with the disposable so it won’t be opened unnecessarily.
3. Get the most out of your staff. Proper staffing can help save money for ASCs. To do so, Mr. Deconciliis said to not take interviews lightly and to be sure to check references. “You want to make sure you get the right people,” he said.
He noted he has found value in having full-time staff. “That has helped us out in terms of efficiencies and knowing what the physicians need.”
4. Boost the business office. Scheduling improvements can increase efficiency and, therefore, profits. It is crucial to have physician blocks and make sure they are full. Mr. Deconciliis also suggested doing bigger cases earlier in the day.
5. Make anesthesia part of the team. Finally, surgery centers should make anesthesia part of the team. Organizations should limit the number of anesthesia providers to just the efficient ones. Additionally, the providers should have some involvement in decision-making at the center to truly make them part of the team.
