Q: What do you think is the secret to an ASC staying open and successful for 25 years?
Jeff Hayes: I don’t think it’s a secret, but in my opinion it all starts with your physician partners and their leadership. You have to have committed partners that work together and are willing to make compromises for the benefit of the center. Every center and its medical staff or partner group has its own personality and each center will require its own unique physician leader or leaders to herd the cats. Providing darn good patient care and equally great service to physicians helps too.
Q: What are the key lessons learned that have allowed Tuscaloosa Surgical Center to remain in business and provide high quality care?
JH: 1. Nurses are golden, they naturally want to care for and serve others. If that’s not obvious, don’t force it. Find good people, set the expectations and stay out of their way. 2. Your clinical leader is critical to the success of the center and should be allowed to run the show day to day. Get the right one and support them. 3. Small things that to me seem trivial, say animal crackers, are huge maybe even life and death to others. 4. If you agree to drop the non-compete clause in an LP agreement, make the buy-out $1.
Q: The past few years have been challenging to the ASC industry. How was Tuscaloosa Surgical Center able to overcome these challenges and continue to prosper?
JH: In general, I’d say see answers to #1. Specifically, without material increases in our case volumes in recent years, we’ve kept margins on track through expense control, especially improving worked hours/case.
Q: What opportunities exist for your organization to grow and improve efficiency over the next 6-12 months?
JH: Continue to improve our labor flexibility and finding the right mix of teammates that can thrive in this environment.
Q: What do you think you need to do to stay open another 25 years?
JH: A free market healthcare system.
