Q: How often should an ASC make distributions?

A: Jim Cobb, CEO of Orion Medical Services: "We have found that physician-owners prefer that distributions be made on a monthly basis. It eliminates the need for the ASC manager or management company to find an interest-bearing account until the distribution is made, especially if it is made on a quarterly or annual basis. It also helps retain a great nexus between the center's results and its owners.

"In all our centers, we make the distribution before the 15th of the following month. When your center is distributing profits in substantial amounts, it increases the need to distribute those profits sooner than later to avoid the build-up of significant cash balances.

"We have quarterly meetings after a new center is stabilized, which usually takes from one year to 18 months. A new center should have monthly meetings with the regional VP for operations for that region or the management of the center and the physician-owners or executive committee."

Learn more about Orion.

Q: What is your best suggestion for retaining great staff? What do you do to recognize staff members who have been with your facility five years? Ten years?

-- submitted by Marcy Sasso of ASC of Union (N.J.) County

E-mail Rob Kurtz your thoughts to this question. Be sure to include your name, title and business name. Next week, we will publish a selection of the responses we receive and choose one response as our "featured answer." For answers to last month's question, click here.

Surgical specialty hospital seeks board certified physician candidates in the following specialties: gynecology, podiatry, orthopedics or neuro/spine, and pain management. Fully licensed acute-care hospital with adjacent medical office building is located in idyllic southwest-Colo. mountain town. Skiing, kayaking, mountain biking, great public schools and four-year liberal arts college. For inquiries, please contact Brett Gosney, CEO, Animas Surgical Hospital, at (970) 385-2360.

We are seeking a sales superstar: someone who is very smart and is always on and wants to grow into a leadership position. You would be selling advertisements for an industry-leading magazine, as well as exhibits and sponsorships for conferences and audio conferences. Experience is preferred but secondary to great work ethic, great initiative, great people skills and high intelligence.

If you are interested or know someone who is, please e-mail Scott Becker or Jessica Cole.

We are seeking a consultant with expertise in developing a PHO for MSO and managed care contracting purposes.

If you are interested or have suggestions, please e-mail Scott Becker.