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Why develop an ambulatory surgery center?
Faced with declining professional fees in a cost-conscious healthcare environment, physicians need to find new ways to increase income, save time, reduce costs, and improve service quality in order to achieve their professional and financial goals. Through an ownership interest in an ambulatory surgery center, physicians can obtain these results—without increasing their work load and the stress in their professional and personal lives. With proper planning and management, owning a center can help physicians to:
Increase income
The revenue generated by a medical practice is limited by the:
- number of physicians in the practice
- case load of each physician
- mix of services provided
- payment received for each service type.
When the physicians' schedules are full, additional physicians cannot be recruited, reimbursement for services is stagnant, and no new services can be provided, a practice's revenues will remain flat—or decline. Ownership of an outpatient surgery center would allow the physician—instead of someone else—to collect the facility fees associated with the services he or she delivers. An ownership position in a center also can be an incentive for other physicians to join a practice, further increasing the practice's revenue potential.
Save time and reduce costs
Scheduling issues and commute time always impact a physician's productivity. It's easier to accommodate the scheduling preferences of physicians working in a dedicated outpatient surgery center versus a multi-function facility used by various specialists. Ownership in a dedicated center can help a physician plan the day to improve productivity and better accommodate patients' needs. The physician can enjoy a better work/life balance while also improving patient satisfaction.
Working in a dedicated ambulatory surgery center also reduces the time required to locate required equipment and supplies, set up for a specific procedure, brief support staff, or ensure proper coding for billing. This time savings helps improve team productivity and control operating costs. Plus, since a dedicated center doesn't have the higher overhead expenses of a hospital or similar facility, a dedicated outpatient surgery center can remain profitable even when reimbursement levels shrink.
Maintain service quality
A high standard of care is important to the physical and emotional
well being of patients. Working in a dedicated ambulatory surgery
center allows the medical and administrative staff to become very
knowledgeable about the services they help to provide. Staff members
can perform their assigned tasks more efficiently, while adhering
to the high quality standards the physician has set. They also can
identify ways to continually improve productivity, service quality,
and patient satisfaction.
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