“This is the best group of people I have ever worked with or for,” Mr. Scheunemann says. “All help each other willingly and conflict is nonexistent compared to where I have worked before.”
The Ambulatory Surgical Center of Stevens Point opened in September 2006. It initially offered urology, podiatry, pain management, orthopedics and ophthalmology but has since added general surgery and plastic surgery. There are seven physician owners and one physician owner group of ophthalmologists.
“The center is a the result of local physicians who — for years and years — wanted to provide the community a freestanding surgery center that would provide excellent cost efficient care,” says Becky Ziegler-Otis, administrator of the ASC. “They were all physicians who had been in the community for many years — many approximately 15-20 years — and had seen how things operated in a hospital environment and dreamed they could some day offer an alternative to the community that would exceed both patient and employee expectations.”
This ASC has done extremely well in fulfilling the dreams of these physicians. Although the ASC only saw 81 patients in the first few months of 2006, this freestanding center has since seen strong growth. In 2007, the facility performed more than 1,000 procedures and expects a similar number in 2008.
When the center opened, all of the staff was already hired, with many of them handpicked by the physicians. The slow start for the center in 2006 did not cause the physician owners to make any changes.
“Obviously with very low volumes, the tendency would be for a layoff or reduction in staff,” says Ms. Ziegler-Otis. “Instead of doing this, the staff were kept busy as much as possible during the hours they were promised. This meant those with benefits were kept at their same benefit level. This was extraordinary for a startup operation and all of the startup expenses incurred. The owners kept their promise to their selected employees.”
This loyalty has been reciprocated by the staff — there has not been a single employee turnover since startup, says Ms. Ziegler-Otis. The physicians frequently discuss patient care and operations with staff members and value their opinions.
“The owners stay in close contact with how the employees are feeling and look for ways to make their work life better,” Ms. Ziegler-Otis says. “Employees recommended the purchase of a Sterrad machine to help with instrument processing and the investment was made. When employees identified a need for extra carts, the owners quickly tried to make this happen.”
Employees receive a recognition lunch reach month and the center celebrates notable accomplishments, including rewarding employees with lunch bags with the center’s logo on them after setting a new record for number of cases seen in a month.
“The owners are very appreciative of all staff regardless of their position, and they view them as their most important resource,” says Ms. Ziegler-Otis. “You can actually feel this when you see the staff and the physicians working together.”
To learn more about Ambulatory Surgical Center of Stevens Point, contact Ms. Ziegler-Otis at beckyo@klasinskiclinic.com.
Note: Look for a list of some of the best ASCs to work at in the Jan./Feb. issue of Becker’s ASC Review.
