Northpoint Surgery and Laser Center (West Palm Beach, Fla.)<br
Annual case volume: 10,000+ (for the third consecutive year)
Specialties: ENT, GI, GYN, ophthalmology, orthopedics, podiatry, pain
Keys building/maintaining volume: The physician partners are respected in the community, which has had a positive influence on attracting new physicians to their groups and the ASC, both for growth and to replace retiring partners. The center has built a reputation for clinical excellence thanks to AAAHC accreditation, a seasoned nursing staff and an anesthesia team with emergency and pediatric experience.
Staff are rewarded with regular bonuses and strong benefits. Northpoint’s administration works to ensure employees feel the ASC operates safely and that it responds immediately and fairly to both employee and physician concerns. As a result, physicians are engaged in MEC committees and care about the center’s quality before profits (which has led to healthy distributions).
Administration also works with the corporate partner, National Surgical Care, to ensure payor contracts pay well and are renegotiated regularly. NSC also adds value with regard to purchasing, clinical and business office expertise, and networking with other centers. Finally, profitability is enhanced by maintaining state-of-the-art capital equipment and keeping the facility updated, clean and safe.
Central Utah Surgical Center (Provo, Utah)
Annual case volume: 12,200+
Specialties: GI, orthopedics, hand surgery, ophthalmology, general surgery, ENT, urology, podiatry, GYN, oral surgery, pediatric dental surgery, pain management, plastic and reconstructive surgery
Keys to building/maintaining volume: Central Utah Surgical Center opened its doors in 1997 and has since set a precedent in the Provo area and within Nueterra Healthcare’s network of facilities for excellence in outpatient delivery. Administrator Jill Andrews and her staff believe the facility has such maintained their success due to their strong relationships with their medical staff and physician partners. The staff delivers clinically superior service and patient care, averaging 99.5 percent in patient satisfaction scores. The center provides ample block time for the physicians and is very flexible with the physicians to accommodate their schedules.
The facility has remained profitable despite its sets of challenges. They have fierce competition in their market from five area hospitals and two surgical centers and have faced declining reimbursements in the state of Utah. “It comes down to filling your facility with great staff that makes thing happen,” said Ms. Andrews.
