10 Best Practices for Recruiting New Partners to Your ASC

Larry Taylor, president and CEO of Practice Partners in Healthcare, offers 10 best practices on recruiting new physician-partners to an ASC.

1. Get buy-in from existing partners. The decision to add new partners should start with a meeting of the existing partners. "They need to be eager participants," Mr. Taylor says. Enthusiastic, committed partners who understand the value of adding new partners will be effective recruiters and be more likely to accommodate new physicians when they arrive.

2. Understand legal issues. Reapportioning shares in the ASC can create new legal issues. An attorney will be needed for such matters as evaluation of safe harbors and the need to offer shares to each partner equally.

3. Let them take a test run.
For potential recruits in an existing specialty at the surgery center, invite them to use the facility and see if they are comfortable with it. This could be for a protracted period of time.

4. Ask about ASC experiences.
Potential partners from a new specialty won’t be able to test out the ASC, but you can ask if they have prior experience in the ASC environment. Do they have a high volume of ASC-appropriate cases?

5. Look for compatibility.
Would the newcomers get along with existing partners? Bad interpersonal dynamics can cripple a surgery center.

6. Survey equipment needs. Would the new surgeon want items requiring a new vendor? Physicians in new specialties involve the biggest changes, but there are ways to make it work, Mr. Taylor says. Find out how much their equipment and supplies would cost. If they are expensive, there are ways to keep costs low, such as lease per click and use of financing.

7. Redraft the OR schedule.
Existing partners should be wiling to share highly sought-after block times with newcomers. "Partners need to be flexible with block times," Mr. Taylor says. "This is one reason why their commitment was so important on the front end."

8. Schedule group members together.
When surgeons in the same group practice are scheduled together in one block of time, there is less possibility of friction if a difficulty arises, such as a surgeon going over his allotted time. Surgeons are more accommodating to a familiar colleague than to a stranger, Mr. Taylor says.

9. Prepare staff for new surgeons. Prepare staff for the new surgeon. Staff should be given a chance to review the new surgeon's preference cards and specific pre-op and discharge instructions.

10. Throw down the red carpet. "You should always be positive to the new kids on the block," Mr. Taylor says. "Don’t have them wind up with the crummiest OR. Don’t give them staff who won't be compatible."

Learn more about Practice Partners in Healthcare.

Read more guidance from Larry Taylor and Practice Partners ASCs:

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Emerging Problem for ASCs: Collecting from Patients

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Improving Profitability at a Single-Specialty GI ASC: Q&A With Jackie Harrison of Practice Partners and Alabama Digestive Health Endoscopy Center

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ASC Best Practice: Keep Reevaluating Custom Packs and Trays

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