Highlight Reel – What is one thing you can do to improve your Surgery Center?
Here’s what to expect on this week’s episode. 🎙️
🎙️ Over the last three months, we have had nine amazing ASC leaders on our podcast.
At the end of every discussion, we always ask them, “What is one thing our listeners can do this week to improve their surgery centers?”
To close out the year’s first quarter, we took all nine of their answers and turned them into this week’s episode. Topics range from benchmarking to scheduling to rev cycle trends and so much more. We hope everyone enjoys this round-up of things you can do this week to improve your surgery centers!
A huge thank you to our featured guests:
➡️ Kara Newbury
➡️ Gwen Donithan
➡️ Dr. Thomas Kenjarski
➡️ Debra Stinchcomb
➡️ Lisa Rock
➡️ Marie Yarborough, CASC
➡️ Tara Gillon
➡️ Jim Stilley
➡️ Jeff Lawrence
Find the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube to hear all the details.
#Podcast #ThisWeekinSurgeryCenters #TWISC
Episode Transcript
0:00
welcome to this week in surgery centers
0:03
if you’re in the ASC industry then
0:06
you’re in the right place every week
0:08
we’ll start the episode off by sharing
0:10
an interesting conversation we had with
0:11
our featured guests and then we’ll close
0:13
the episode by recapping the latest news
0:15
impacting surgery centers we’re excited
0:18
to share with you what we have so let’s
0:20
get started and see what the industry’s
0:22
been up to
0:23
[Music]
0:27
hi everyone for today’s episode we are
0:31
going to change it up a bit from our
0:32
usual format and agenda there’ll be no
0:35
guest interview and no news but instead
0:38
a highlight reel of all the great advice
0:40
our most recent guests have shared over
0:43
the last three months we have had nine
0:45
amazing ASC leaders on the podcast and
0:48
at the end of every episode we always
0:50
ask them the same question what is one
0:53
thing our listeners can do this week to
0:55
improve their surgery centers so we took
0:58
all nine of their answers and turned
0:59
them into this week’s recap episode
1:01
topics range from benchmarking to
1:04
scheduling to recycle Trends and so much
1:06
more so I hope everyone enjoys the
1:09
episode and learns a little something
1:11
and here’s a Roundup of things you can
1:13
do this week to improve your surgery
1:15
center
1:16
good night
1:20
aska is uh hosting our first fly-in in
Kara Newbury
1:24
three years
1:25
um and I would say you know if at all
1:28
possible if you can come and participate
1:30
in our you know fly-in also known as our
1:33
national advocacy day you know really
1:35
that’s how you’re going to help make an
1:37
impact not only for your facility but
1:39
the industry as a whole is getting in
1:42
front of your elected officials and you
1:44
know telling them your story and how
1:45
great you are that’s how we really get
1:48
through to them if that’s not feasible I
1:51
would say you know host a facility tour
1:53
and bring folks in you know I would I’m
1:56
not a clinical person and I could never
1:57
give advice on you know how to run your
1:59
surgery center I’m also not you know
2:01
business person in that sense but
2:03
um you know what we do here from elected
2:05
officials who you know go to bat for us
2:08
in Congress or in your States is that
2:12
really hearing your story what you’re
2:14
doing and all the great care you’re
2:15
providing is you know really what
2:18
resonates with them and gets them to
2:19
either sign on to them legislation or
2:21
help you know push different wins for
2:24
the industry so that’s that’s my plug I
2:26
you know I’d love for you all to bring
2:27
people into your facilities or come to
2:29
DC if you have the ability I would
2:31
encourage them to strive for Progress
Gwen Donithan
2:34
not perfection
2:35
I think we can drive ourselves nuts
2:38
trying to be perfect in all the
2:41
multi-faceted areas that ASCS are
2:43
dealing with and I think as long as you
2:46
keep the goal of moving forward always
2:48
progressing always looking for
2:49
improvements I think that you’re doing
2:51
exactly what you need to do and don’t be
2:54
too hard on yourself if you’re not as
2:55
perfect as you want to be because I
2:57
don’t think it’s attainable and that’s
2:59
what I would say really look at all of
3:01
the stakeholders involved I love doing
Dr. Tom Kenjarski
3:03
the stakeholder exercise and
3:05
um you know uh not assuming
3:09
um anything
3:11
um if if we look at a surgery center for
3:13
example we have we have our patients uh
3:16
you know surgeons anesthesia providers
3:19
we have our or staff we have our
3:21
administrative staff we have you know
3:24
the administrators who are both at the
3:25
facility and the the others and and to
3:28
look at everybody’s goals and incentives
3:30
and really make sure that those are in
3:31
alignment and if there are ongoing
3:34
issues or if they have had trouble with
3:36
anesthesia coverage or retaining
3:38
anesthesia staff or canceling cases and
3:40
whatever ask that most important
3:42
question why is this happening
3:44
don’t don’t assume anything but just say
3:47
hey why weren’t you able to show up or
3:49
you know um why did you not want to do
3:51
the case at this time or you know you’ve
3:54
been talking about you know wanting to
3:55
meet with our scheduler maybe it’s time
3:57
for us to do that so that everybody can
3:58
express their concerns uh really just
4:01
taking a look at something that may have
4:02
been in existence for 10 15 20 years for
4:05
the first time as I mentioned I think
4:08
that what’s going on in 2023 is great
4:11
being able to tell people you can have a
4:14
total hip replacement
4:15
at a Surgery Center
4:17
with you know your family close by and
4:21
be able to get home and sleep in your
4:22
own bed that same night is is amazing
4:25
and I’m so glad we have had all the
4:27
advances in in every aspect in order to
4:30
get to that but we need to have an
4:31
understanding that those types of cases
4:33
done in that type of facility present
4:35
new challenges and that we really need
4:37
to make sure that we’re on the same page
4:38
in order for it to not only make
4:40
clinical sense but Financial sense for
4:42
everybody as well the planned mock
4:45
tracer
Debra Stinchcomb
4:48
administrators follow a patient through
4:51
the process you would probably be
4:53
surprised what you find because you’re
4:57
certainly looking at your clinical
4:58
records you’re looking at all your logs
5:01
you probably pop quote unquote into the
5:04
back and out again but following a
5:07
patient all the way through really gives
5:09
you a very different viewpoint on where
5:12
there might be gaps in education and
5:14
resources for your team if I could say
5:17
just one thing it would be get copies of
5:20
your Managed Care contracts this is what
Lisa Rock
5:22
you’re supposed to be paid it was one of
5:25
the data elements that we talked about
5:26
what what is your net revenue you’re not
5:31
going to know unless you have copies of
5:32
your contracts and you might say Well
5:34
they’re loaded in your system and I’ll
5:36
say well they can’t all be loaded like
5:39
that correctly and and then if there’s a
5:42
change in the contract was that was that
5:45
fixed in your systems so many times it’s
5:48
not so please get copies of your Managed
5:51
Care contracts read through them and see
5:53
exactly what you’re supposed to be
5:54
paying don’t trust that the payer is
5:55
doing it doing it the right way
5:58
I say Empower your employees with
6:01
information these tracings are just not
6:05
for you in the board allow your
6:07
employees to see the changes that are
6:08
happening
6:10
um set a benchmark and create a goal for
6:12
them and lastly reward them for a job
6:14
well done because their success is your
6:17
success charge Master analysis
From Ep 21
6:21
[Music]
6:22
um it really is truly a very simple
6:24
process to do
6:27
um I know it sounds scary and it sounds
6:29
big but it truly is not
6:32
um and it will really
6:34
head your facility into the right path
6:36
for 2023
6:38
um to get that information that you need
6:41
and like you said it’s low hanging fruit
6:43
but it’s quick low hanging fruit I think
6:46
maybe just take a time out and realize
6:48
that I mean the staff in my office and
James Stilley
6:51
the practice are just overwhelmed
6:54
because nobody’s getting paid more
6:55
anymore I mean we’re all getting paid
6:58
less and we’re required to do more and I
7:01
think just I know we do a good job of it
7:03
in the surgery center industry but I
7:05
think just taking a time out and making
7:07
sure all the employees know that you
7:10
rely on them that they’re incredibly
7:12
important in value and that they feel
7:14
that stress just like we all do of this
7:17
metronome of productivity just
7:19
increasing and increasing them when will
7:21
it end and it may not but what they also
7:24
have to understand is we’re Relentless I
7:27
know my peers in the industry are
7:29
Relentless at looking at ways to make
7:31
their jobs easier not harder to find
7:34
help to help them in these processes and
7:37
to let them know that we care about them
7:38
we understand that they’re stressed and
7:41
we’re working every day to make sure
7:42
that they’re less stressed and we can’t
7:44
that we just value our team is pick up
7:47
the phone and call two of your partners
7:49
and Supply Partners right so make that
Jeff Lawrence
7:52
your GPO rep and make that your highest
7:54
spend direct supplier rep and just know
7:58
that relationships matter and you know
8:01
having those relationships having those
8:03
contacts these organizations are there
8:05
for the ases to help them and when shown
8:09
the right data they can and help you
8:10
save money as well so just pick up the
8:12
phone or go sit down for a cup of coffee
8:17
[Music]
welcome to this week in surgery centers
0:03
if you’re in the ASC industry then
0:06
you’re in the right place every week
0:08
we’ll start the episode off by sharing
0:10
an interesting conversation we had with
0:11
our featured guests and then we’ll close
0:13
the episode by recapping the latest news
0:15
impacting surgery centers we’re excited
0:18
to share with you what we have so let’s
0:20
get started and see what the industry’s
0:22
been up to
0:23
[Music]
0:27
hi everyone for today’s episode we are
0:31
going to change it up a bit from our
0:32
usual format and agenda there’ll be no
0:35
guest interview and no news but instead
0:38
a highlight reel of all the great advice
0:40
our most recent guests have shared over
0:43
the last three months we have had nine
0:45
amazing ASC leaders on the podcast and
0:48
at the end of every episode we always
0:50
ask them the same question what is one
0:53
thing our listeners can do this week to
0:55
improve their surgery centers so we took
0:58
all nine of their answers and turned
0:59
them into this week’s recap episode
1:01
topics range from benchmarking to
1:04
scheduling to recycle Trends and so much
1:06
more so I hope everyone enjoys the
1:09
episode and learns a little something
1:11
and here’s a Roundup of things you can
1:13
do this week to improve your surgery
1:15
center
1:16
good night
1:20
aska is uh hosting our first fly-in in
Kara Newbury
1:24
three years
1:25
um and I would say you know if at all
1:28
possible if you can come and participate
1:30
in our you know fly-in also known as our
1:33
national advocacy day you know really
1:35
that’s how you’re going to help make an
1:37
impact not only for your facility but
1:39
the industry as a whole is getting in
1:42
front of your elected officials and you
1:44
know telling them your story and how
1:45
great you are that’s how we really get
1:48
through to them if that’s not feasible I
1:51
would say you know host a facility tour
1:53
and bring folks in you know I would I’m
1:56
not a clinical person and I could never
1:57
give advice on you know how to run your
1:59
surgery center I’m also not you know
2:01
business person in that sense but
2:03
um you know what we do here from elected
2:05
officials who you know go to bat for us
2:08
in Congress or in your States is that
2:12
really hearing your story what you’re
2:14
doing and all the great care you’re
2:15
providing is you know really what
2:18
resonates with them and gets them to
2:19
either sign on to them legislation or
2:21
help you know push different wins for
2:24
the industry so that’s that’s my plug I
2:26
you know I’d love for you all to bring
2:27
people into your facilities or come to
2:29
DC if you have the ability I would
2:31
encourage them to strive for Progress
Gwen Donithan
2:34
not perfection
2:35
I think we can drive ourselves nuts
2:38
trying to be perfect in all the
2:41
multi-faceted areas that ASCS are
2:43
dealing with and I think as long as you
2:46
keep the goal of moving forward always
2:48
progressing always looking for
2:49
improvements I think that you’re doing
2:51
exactly what you need to do and don’t be
2:54
too hard on yourself if you’re not as
2:55
perfect as you want to be because I
2:57
don’t think it’s attainable and that’s
2:59
what I would say really look at all of
3:01
the stakeholders involved I love doing
Dr. Tom Kenjarski
3:03
the stakeholder exercise and
3:05
um you know uh not assuming
3:09
um anything
3:11
um if if we look at a surgery center for
3:13
example we have we have our patients uh
3:16
you know surgeons anesthesia providers
3:19
we have our or staff we have our
3:21
administrative staff we have you know
3:24
the administrators who are both at the
3:25
facility and the the others and and to
3:28
look at everybody’s goals and incentives
3:30
and really make sure that those are in
3:31
alignment and if there are ongoing
3:34
issues or if they have had trouble with
3:36
anesthesia coverage or retaining
3:38
anesthesia staff or canceling cases and
3:40
whatever ask that most important
3:42
question why is this happening
3:44
don’t don’t assume anything but just say
3:47
hey why weren’t you able to show up or
3:49
you know um why did you not want to do
3:51
the case at this time or you know you’ve
3:54
been talking about you know wanting to
3:55
meet with our scheduler maybe it’s time
3:57
for us to do that so that everybody can
3:58
express their concerns uh really just
4:01
taking a look at something that may have
4:02
been in existence for 10 15 20 years for
4:05
the first time as I mentioned I think
4:08
that what’s going on in 2023 is great
4:11
being able to tell people you can have a
4:14
total hip replacement
4:15
at a Surgery Center
4:17
with you know your family close by and
4:21
be able to get home and sleep in your
4:22
own bed that same night is is amazing
4:25
and I’m so glad we have had all the
4:27
advances in in every aspect in order to
4:30
get to that but we need to have an
4:31
understanding that those types of cases
4:33
done in that type of facility present
4:35
new challenges and that we really need
4:37
to make sure that we’re on the same page
4:38
in order for it to not only make
4:40
clinical sense but Financial sense for
4:42
everybody as well the planned mock
4:45
tracer
Debra Stinchcomb
4:48
administrators follow a patient through
4:51
the process you would probably be
4:53
surprised what you find because you’re
4:57
certainly looking at your clinical
4:58
records you’re looking at all your logs
5:01
you probably pop quote unquote into the
5:04
back and out again but following a
5:07
patient all the way through really gives
5:09
you a very different viewpoint on where
5:12
there might be gaps in education and
5:14
resources for your team if I could say
5:17
just one thing it would be get copies of
5:20
your Managed Care contracts this is what
Lisa Rock
5:22
you’re supposed to be paid it was one of
5:25
the data elements that we talked about
5:26
what what is your net revenue you’re not
5:31
going to know unless you have copies of
5:32
your contracts and you might say Well
5:34
they’re loaded in your system and I’ll
5:36
say well they can’t all be loaded like
5:39
that correctly and and then if there’s a
5:42
change in the contract was that was that
5:45
fixed in your systems so many times it’s
5:48
not so please get copies of your Managed
5:51
Care contracts read through them and see
5:53
exactly what you’re supposed to be
5:54
paying don’t trust that the payer is
5:55
doing it doing it the right way
5:58
I say Empower your employees with
6:01
information these tracings are just not
6:05
for you in the board allow your
6:07
employees to see the changes that are
6:08
happening
6:10
um set a benchmark and create a goal for
6:12
them and lastly reward them for a job
6:14
well done because their success is your
6:17
success charge Master analysis
From Ep 21
6:21
[Music]
6:22
um it really is truly a very simple
6:24
process to do
6:27
um I know it sounds scary and it sounds
6:29
big but it truly is not
6:32
um and it will really
6:34
head your facility into the right path
6:36
for 2023
6:38
um to get that information that you need
6:41
and like you said it’s low hanging fruit
6:43
but it’s quick low hanging fruit I think
6:46
maybe just take a time out and realize
6:48
that I mean the staff in my office and
James Stilley
6:51
the practice are just overwhelmed
6:54
because nobody’s getting paid more
6:55
anymore I mean we’re all getting paid
6:58
less and we’re required to do more and I
7:01
think just I know we do a good job of it
7:03
in the surgery center industry but I
7:05
think just taking a time out and making
7:07
sure all the employees know that you
7:10
rely on them that they’re incredibly
7:12
important in value and that they feel
7:14
that stress just like we all do of this
7:17
metronome of productivity just
7:19
increasing and increasing them when will
7:21
it end and it may not but what they also
7:24
have to understand is we’re Relentless I
7:27
know my peers in the industry are
7:29
Relentless at looking at ways to make
7:31
their jobs easier not harder to find
7:34
help to help them in these processes and
7:37
to let them know that we care about them
7:38
we understand that they’re stressed and
7:41
we’re working every day to make sure
7:42
that they’re less stressed and we can’t
7:44
that we just value our team is pick up
7:47
the phone and call two of your partners
7:49
and Supply Partners right so make that
Jeff Lawrence
7:52
your GPO rep and make that your highest
7:54
spend direct supplier rep and just know
7:58
that relationships matter and you know
8:01
having those relationships having those
8:03
contacts these organizations are there
8:05
for the ases to help them and when shown
8:09
the right data they can and help you
8:10
save money as well so just pick up the
8:12
phone or go sit down for a cup of coffee
8:17
[Music]
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