“You can build a quality facility, make money and have fun doing it,” said Ms. Thomas.. “But vision and reality are often in conflict. It’s hard to backtrack to do things the way they should be done when they have already happened,” she said. .” Rather, ASCs should proactively avoid the eight following mistakes.
1. Hurrying the planning process. The entire process from planning to grand opening should take between 18 months and two years to complete. In that time ASCs should have developed stable partnerships and detailed business plans, have financing, have a specialty mix and have enough cash to run the center for the first 4 months, including rent and employee costs.
2. Selecting an inexperienced architect. Select an architect with an ASC-building history and a qualified healthcare contractor. There are many nuances to ambulatory healthcare occupancy, and overlooking some of these can become costly. Ms. Thomas recommended using a design-build contract to preempt communication problems between architect and contractor.
3. Building to ego. Have the right type of building and the right type of finish. A good rule of thumb is to have one operating room for every 100 cases per month and one procedure room per 150 cases per month. Respect the functionality of the building, and don’t try to make a statement: Patients don’t want to feel as though they are paying for unnecessary luxury. Surgery is expensive as it is.
4. Nuilding in an impractical location. An ideal location is efficient for physicians, staff and patients. Try to locate the ASC within walking distance of the physicians’ other workplaces. Also plan for adequate convenient parking, or expect to suffer from added costs and lower volumes.
5. Drawing out regulatory procedures. Hire ASC administrators between six and nine months before opening. Be sure they are educated on rules, regulations, accreditation and anything else they are likely to encounter on a regular basis. Also, plan for equipment, scheduling and accreditation early. When the center opens, it should be fully open for operation.
6. Not choreographing arrivals for different groups. Don’t expect to be able to deal with new staff, the state and accrediting surveyors on the same day. Carefully plan the sequencing of events as it relates to preparing the facility for business.
7. Overstaffing. Open the center with enough staff to operate one to two operating rooms, and have them work on a per diem basis. A common mistake is to overstaff ASCs in their early days, which is a waste of needed funds.
8. Accepting excuses for failure to bring cases. Every ASC’s surgeons must be invested. If a surgeon is not bringing cases, make it a priority to figure out why as soon as possible.
At the Becker’s 32nd Annual Meeting: The Business and Operations of ASCs, taking place October 29-31 in Chicago, ASC leaders, surgeons and healthcare executives will explore strategies to drive growth, enhance operational performance, navigate reimbursement challenges and prepare for the future of ambulatory surgery. Apply for complimentary registration now.
