Here are 10 steps you can take to help you recruit a great physician to your ASC.
1. Explain to partners why recruitment is an opportunity worth seizing. Amanda Kane, manager, business development, for Blue Chip Surgical Center Partners, writes:
If a few surgeon-investors are reluctant to add new partners, a candid discussion of the opportunity is usually enough to convince them it's a good idea. That conversation should start with complete and accurate data about current volumes, reimbursement rates, OR utilization and the costs to perform cases at the center.
Then, ASC leadership should take a look at local market information regarding volume in various specialties, payor relationships and surgeons' outlook toward the local hospitals. Maybe there is another ENT practice in town that's looking for an outpatient environment for their patients. Adding spine cases may make sense. Hernia specialist, colonoscopists and physiatrists may all be viable partners and excellent sources of new cases. Of course, much depends on market conditions, so detailed analysis of the numbers and scenario modeling may be necessary to form a clear plan.
At the simplest level, the opportunity may be defined as X number of new cases in this specialty will bring us X dollars in new revenue, with X percentage of that revenue falling to the bottom line. All partners should understand not only the revenue and profit opportunity, but also the impact on overhead and operations. For instance, will new equipment need to be purchased? How will block schedules need to be adjusted?
Source: 4 Steps to Effectively Bring New Surgeons on Board
2. Research your prospects. Rob Carrera, president of PINNACLE III, writes, "Learn what he or she is known for. Identify and anticipate facility needs and be able to present how your ASC can address those needs. Know and address any past history with your ASC. Determine and gather any information, paperwork and/or staff members you may need to bring with you to inform and familiarize your prospect with your center. Know your competition and what makes your ASC a better option. Remember to bring value to all involved parties — you, the physician and the physician's scheduler. Express the desire to fulfill both their needs and yours."
Source: Retaining and Recruiting Highly Productive, Quality Surgeons to Your ASC
3. Indentify obstacles to recruitment. Nap Gary, COO of Regent Surgical Health, writes:
If you're looking for new investors, you need to know whether targeted physicians are employed by a local hospital or have invested in another surgery center and are bound by contractual restrictions on making similar investments within the geographic area. You need to be assured that new investors can meet the requirements of the ASC Safe Harbor as well. We obtain information regarding case mix and volume, and use it for many purposes, including determining how we can accommodate new physicians should they decide to join the center.
Source: Positioning a Center for Recruiting New Physicians
4. Hold references in high regard. In addition to checking online sources for feedback and ratings on physicians, references should be checked to see how those physicians conduct themselves not only in the operating rooms but outside of them as well.
"It's important that the physician in an OR doesn't create a stressful environment because we don't want to stress the surgical team," says Sarah Sterling, business administrator of Post Street Surgery Center in San Francisco. "If we get a physician that wants to be privileged here to do cases, we ask around about the physician to see what turns up."
Source: 3 Best Practices for Successful Recruitment of Physicians
5. Ask the right questions. Nicola V. Hawkinson, DNP, MA, RNFA, NP, CEO and founder of SpineSearch, writes that the five most important questions to ask a candidate are:
- Are you selectively or actively looking for a job? Why?
- Are you willing to relocate?
- What type of salary/compensation structure are you in search of?
- Why do you think you would be a good fit for this position?
- What is your ultimate motivation in searching for a job?
Source: 5 Most Important Questions to Ask When Recruiting ASC Physicians
6. Address whether it's more valuable to grow an existing specialty or add a new one. It is wise to recruit physicians who practice a specialty already offered in your facility as this will likely help you keep additional costs down in new equipment purchases and staff training. This is a good idea, but it's two-fold, says Larry Taylor, present and CEO of Practice Partners in Healthcare. If you're a multi-specialty ASC, you're probably looking to expand on the specialties your already offer and take advantage of the solid history of performing those cases and the trained staff you already employ. However, it can be valuable to consider adding other profitable specialties, considering reimbursement cuts and other financial challenges.
Source: 4 Considerations When Recruiting New ASC Physician Partners
7. Focus on physician-to-physician recruitment. In the past, ASC administrators went out and marketed directly to physicians, a policy that Lori Ramirez, the founder, president and CEO of Elite Surgical Affiliates says can waste time and resources. "The best way to get interest from physicians is through their peers," she says. "We find physicians that have influence, and we task them with recruiting other physicians when we start the partnership." Ms. Ramirez says when you're initially discussing the partnership between the physician and your ASC, ask the physician if he or she is willing to take responsibility for physician referrals. "Then follow up regularly to keep track of who your physicians are talking to and what the response is."
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8. Promote the facility's reputation. Kathie Stewart, administrator of Cascade Spine Center in Tualatin, Ore. says one of the physicians at the center has such a sterling reputation that physicians coming from out of town reach out to the surgery center first.
"We have a physician that meets with other physicians in the area, and he keeps in touch with them for our main referrals, but we also usually get phone calls from physicians from out of town," she says. "He has a great reputation because he does some spine procedures that some other spine specialists don't do, like procedures around the cervical area since those are so complicated."
Source: 3 Best Practices for Recruiting Physicians for Your Spine Center
9. Provide a path to ownership. While many non-investing physicians prefer not being partners, some will want to have that as an option, according to Alan Kravitz, MD, a general surgeon and one of the investing partners at Montgomery Surgery Center in Rockville, Md.
Source: 6 Ways to Make an ASC Attractive to Non-Partnering Surgeons
10. Always be recruiting. "Physician case loads are sometimes sporadic," says Buddy Bacon, CEO of Meridian Surgical Partners. "So, if the ASC has more physician partners, the case volume should be more constant even when a couple of the partners' cases are lower than usual."
Source: Improve Your Struggling ASC This Week: Q&A With Buddy Bacon of Meridian Surgical Partners