At Sacramento, Calif.-based Sutter Health, a new scheduling strategy is giving physicians full, reliable block time in ASCs.
“For physicians, block time is everything,” Sarah Sterling, executive of operations for Sutter Health’s Surgery Center division, told Becker’s. “Empty blocks mean patients aren’t being served. We want to show them we care about their practice growth as much as ours.”
Sutter is expanding aggressively, planning to grow from 36 ASCs today to nearly double that number by 2030. That scale raised big questions about efficiency.
Traditional ASC scheduling heavily relied on physician offices sending cases through faxes or calls. But those systems created bottlenecks and left block time at risk.
Then, according to Ms. Sterling, Sutter shifted its mindset. ASCs and physician offices now collaborate directly to fill the schedule. That includes immediate rescheduling of cancellations so physicians’ block time stays intact, pulling cases forward from future dates to avoid idle ORs and working with offices to call patients who are cleared for surgery but unscheduled.
“It wasn’t about shifting roles but about building a partnership,” Ms. Sterling said. “When physicians see us taking ownership of keeping their block full, trust grows.”
That trust has encouraged physicians to suggest new ways to collaborate. At a recent board meeting, a GI physician proposed letting ASCs manage colonoscopy recall intervals, traditionally left to physician offices. Ms. Sterling called the idea an example of Sutter’s new cultural value — curiosity.
Additionally, weekly reviews of access and utilization keep physicians informed and engaged. Data transparency has become a cornerstone of the strategy.
“We provide utilization metrics — block use, cancellations, retention — so physicians can see their ASC performance as part of their overall practice,” Ms. Sterling said.
By taking on some of the logistical burdens, Sutter ASCs allow physicians to focus more fully on patient care. The result is more efficient practices and fuller schedules.
“Traditionally, ASCs had rigid steps and processes offices had to conform to. Now we’re saying: let’s blend your workflows with ours to serve patients in the right place, at the right time,” Ms. Sterling said.
For physicians, that means confidence their block won’t go underutilized. For ASCs, it means stronger volumes. The proactive scheduling model serves patients by improving access, while helping physicians maximize their time and productivity.
“By leaning into curiosity and focusing on patients, we build culture shifts that benefit everyone: patients, physicians, staff and centers,” Ms. Sterling said.
