Workforce shortages have become one of the biggest challenges facing the healthcare industry, and many ASCs have felt the effects.
Here are five stories covered by Becker’s in recent years highlighting how staffing shortages have affected ASCs and physician practices.
1. Staffing challenges have led ASC leaders to struggle with rising personnel costs and managing case volume.
“The typical physician staff member of an ASC believes that the most important factor in determining the financial health of the center is how many cases they can perform in the time they schedule to be at the facility. The more cases they perform, the more revenue the center collects, and the more revenue the physician collects. They believe that interests are aligned,” Michael Weinstein, the CEO of Capital Digestive Care, told Becker’s. “Unfortunately, physicians generally don’t think about, or care about, the expense side of the equation that determines the financial health of an ASC. Physicians should be considerate of staff work satisfaction, the importance of efficient scheduling to decrease staffing expenses, and consider the cost of wasted or unnecessary supplies that are not separately reimbursable.”
2. Longmeadow-based The Hand Center of Western Massachusetts announced it would close June 1 due to “sudden unexpected staffing issues” that have disrupted operations.
“The matter has reached a critical point whereby staffing concerns have prevented us from being able to resume our regular activities as a hand surgery practice despite our fervent desire and significant efforts to do so,” the practice’s notice said.
3. Redlands Mesa Surgery Center in Grand Junction, Colo., shut down in April 2022 after struggling with staffing due to COVID-19.
4. Staffing shortages have made it more difficult for some ASCs to take on new patients or add new departments and procedures. With a lack of staffing comes a lack of mobility.
“I am most nervous about covering staffing needs in the future or holding back growth due to lack of healthcare professionals that are available,” Jacqueline McLaughlin, RN, administrator at Northwoods Surgery Center in Woodruff, Wis., told Becker’s.
5. Physicians have reported that staffing shortages have led to longer wait times, delayed treatments and worse outcomes for patients.
