Suzi Cunningham is administrator of Advanced Ambulatory Surgery Center in Redlands, Calif.
Ms. Cunningham will serve on the panel "Building Resilient ASCs and Teams" at Becker’s ASC Annual Meeting. As part of an ongoing series, Becker’s is talking to healthcare leaders who plan to speak at the conference on Oct. 27-29 in Chicago.
To learn more and register, click here.
Question: What is the smartest thing you've done in the last year to set your organization up for success?
Suzi Cunningham: Adding an EHR platform and outsourcing our billing were big changes for our organization that are having a positive impact on our business. We have visibility and analytics like never before.
Q: What are you most excited about right now and what makes you nervous?
SC: I am excited to get back to the basics of our business: focusing on our patients and their surgery. I would like to put COVID in our rearview mirror, if possible. The ripple effects from the pandemic have impacted us in so many ways, with supply chain issues, staffing challenges and inflation to name a few. What makes me nervous and keeps me up at night is payer contracting. All our costs have gone up, yet the payers are pulling back on reimbursement.
Q: How are you thinking about growth over the next 12 months?
SC: Honestly, I would like to focus on the basics: take care of our patients and find ways to make their time at our center as good as possible, to show our appreciation to all our staff who have stuck with us or joined our team, and to find ways for our company to serve our community in a meaningful way.
Q: What will healthcare executives and leaders need to be effective leaders for the next five years?
SC: Patience, an open mind, composure and a good night's sleep so we can keep a clear head and remain grounded when things get challenging.
Q: What is your strategy for recruiting and retaining great teams?
For me, I need to work on my communication. I don’t say or interact enough with the team. Also, find ways to let the staff know they are appreciated.