The ASC industry is a rapidly developing space, demanding a multifaceted, adaptable and dynamic approach to leadership.
Six ASC leaders joined Becker’s to discuss the qualities they believe are most important for ASC leaders to have and why.
Editor’s note: Responses have been lightly edited for clarity and length:
What’s the most important quality for an ASC leader to have — and why does it matter now?
Dale Bachwhich, MD. Former Chief Medical Officer and Founder of Dark Canyon Laboratories (Rapid City, S.D.): A primary focus on the quality of the care. If you can demonstrate that the quality of care is first rate, your worst critics have little to complain about. This is especially true when many competitors — large corporate chains, integrated health systems, etc. — have become so singularly focused on the return on investment or profitability. Such finance-based goals, at the sacrifice of quality, make for cultures that are unsatisfying for many physicians, nurses and other caring staff. This makes attracting and retaining new partners and staff all the more difficult. Plus, focusing on quality is a great antidote to burn-out for all healthcare workers.
Suzi Cunningham Administrator of Advanced Ambulatory Surgery Center (Redlands, Calif.): I would say the most important quality is resilience. Some days are hard, but thankfully the good days outweigh the hard ones. The important thing to keep in mind is that you are making a difference and tomorrow is a new day and a new opportunity to win the day! I believe most would agree that in the healthcare sector, things are changing faster than ever, so being able to bounce back from setbacks will serve us well.
Steve Evans, MD. Chief Medical Officer of SilverSummit at Centene (Las Vegas): Adaptability. Everything changes, nothing stays static in the ASC environment. Internal staffing, qualified anesthesia team, limited footprint, etc. Those things will continue to evolve and change so leaders will want to be able to adapt, be creative and find solutions even when they don’t present themselves immediately. It’s unique so you really have no choice but to be adaptable and lean into it. Adaptable collaboration from a solid leadership team.
Ashley Hilliard, MSN. Administrator of Piedmont Outpatient Surgery Center (Winston-Salem, N.C.): An ASC leader must be able to adapt to change. Whether it is new regulations, EMR systems, or process changes the ASC leader is going to be tasked with guiding their team through changes. How the leader reacts and responds will set the tone for the team.
Raymond Sainz. Administrator Five Points Surgery Center (Greenfield, Ind.): In my ASC career, I have found that the most important quality for an administrator to have is their ability to adapt. Throughout my 15-plus years and 11 ASCs, I have worked both with managed and independent facilities, from small two [operating rooms], one procedure room to large sixORs, four procedure rooms, each position and ASC organization has had different administrative demands. I have found there are major differences between walking into an established and very structured scenario to very dysfunctional ASCs that require revamping, to building them from the ground up. You must get buy-in, not just from the company and physician groups, but also connecting and getting the culture from the employees that in the final tally, can make or break the ASC’s success. With employees it wasn’t always about recruiting the right person, but rather the training and retention of the best, and creating a team that was a benefit for management, the physicians and individual employee satisfaction. In my current role as the de novo administrator of a pediatric dental ASC, it is something very new as compared to a traditional ASC. The absence of circulators and surgical techs is an adjustment and a totally different way to make the daily operations function at that same high level of any ASC. Again, coming back to a core skill of having the ability to adapt.
Lisa York, MSN. Executive Director of Hunterdon Center for Surgery (Flemington, N.J.): The most important quality I think ASC leaders need is adaptability and flexibility. It matters now because as the face of healthcare changes we need to be ready to accommodate the changes in a way that benefits patients and profits.
