Strategies For a Turnaround 1

Five Steps Taken by Florida ASC to Remain Competitive

This article, which appeared in Becker’s ASC Review, outlines key initiatives taken by ASD Management to successfully turnaround the Surgical Center for Excellence in Panama City, Florida.

by Leigh Page

The Surgical Center for Excellence in Panama City, Florida, has taken several steps to keep itself on solid financial footing. Sue Glendon, administrator of the two-OR center, identifies five key steps the center has taken in the past 6-9 months.

1. Changed suppliers. The ASC identified about $53,000 in yearly savings for supplies. This involved moving from one vendor to another for a variety of supplies, such as anesthesia tubing.

2. Switched to a new GPO. By switching to a new group purchasing organization, the ASC expects to save almost $20,000 per year.

3. Began working with a reprocessor. For the first time, the ASC is contracting for reprocessing of equipment such as burrs and blades. In an arrangement with reprocessor Medisiss, the cost of reprocessing is half the cost of buying new equipment. It is still too early to estimate the savings, Ms. Glendon says.

4. Adding a procedure room. The center is in the process of getting authorization to build a procedure room for pain cases. Pain cases are currently being done in ORs, making it more difficult to schedule surgery cases there.

5. Looking to add physicians. The ASC currently hosts orthopedics, ENT, dental, podiatry and pain management. It is looking for an orthopedic surgeon or to add a new specialty. While the area has several ASCs, Ms. Glendon says her center has a competitive edge. “We have high patient and physician satisfaction,” she says. “Once physicians start working here, they want to stay.”

Reprinted with permission from Becker’s ASC Review.
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