The best approach is to work with your surgeons and their offices to operate tighter during the day, trying to go more vertical than horizontal. The way to do that is to have proper release times on block time and work with the physicians — show them the economic impact and how opening the OR is probably not in their financial interest.
Scheduling more efficiently is the defensive side. The offensive side is inserting new specialties and recruiting new physicians to justify the open operating room’s use. It’s fine to have one shelled out for future growth, but you don’t want to start using it until you’re scheduling efficiently and can financially justify opening it.
Learn more about ASD Management. Contact Joe Zasa (joezasa@asdmanagement.com) at (214) 369-2996.
Read more from ASD Management:
– 5 Areas Profitable Surgery Centers are Still Leaving Money on the Table
– 3 Best Practices for Handling Patient Complaints
– 5 Ways to Incent Good Behavior With Staff Bonuses
At the Becker’s 32nd Annual Meeting: The Business and Operations of ASCs, taking place October 29-31 in Chicago, ASC leaders, surgeons and healthcare executives will explore strategies to drive growth, enhance operational performance, navigate reimbursement challenges and prepare for the future of ambulatory surgery. Apply for complimentary registration now.