Recruiting physicians to ASCs has never been easy, but the last year has pushed the challenge to new extremes.
From anesthesiologists priced out of outpatient models to gastroenterologists stretched thin by expanded screening guidelines, ASC leaders say the difficulty is about the structural forces making certain specialties nearly impossible to staff.
Editor’s note: Responses were edited lightly for clarity and length.
Question: Which physician specialty has been the hardest for your ASC to recruit in the last 12 months, and what’s the biggest factor driving that difficulty?
Megan Friedman, DO. Chair and Medical Director at Pacific Coast Anesthesia Consultants (Los Angeles): Anesthesiology. The challenge isn’t just a shortage, it’s a structural mismatch. Demand for anesthesia continues to grow in outpatient settings, but reimbursement hasn’t kept pace with the true cost of coverage, making many ASC models financially unsustainable without subsidies.
Thomas Jeneby, MD. CEO of Palm Tree Surgicenters, Chrysalis Cosmetic Surgicenter and Maximus Plastic Surgicenter (San Antonio): Since I am a fully cash pay model, the entrepreneur type of plastic surgeons are always looking for a decreased price to pay from their escrow. It’s hard to recruit when other surgeons drive down the price. You must have the best people in there to have the patients and physicians sing your praises.
Omar Khokhar, MD. Managing Partner and Gastroenterologist at Illinois GastroHealth (Arlington Heights): GI is extremely difficult to recruit for a number of reasons. Supply — several retirements over the last five years and newer physicians tend to stay in urban areas. Demand — we lowered the screening age to 45 so our denominator went up dramatically and folks are living longer and healthier, so there are more follow up exam exams required
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.