Lisa Austin, RN, CASC, vice president of ASC operations for Pinnacle III, says many ASCs do not construct cost-effective compensation models for their staff. She describes some best practices to avoid such a predicament.
Lisa Austin: One of the biggest problems we've found is ASC staff [members] being paid to work shifts. Because ASCs are intended to operate more efficiently than more traditional healthcare settings, it is not advisable to adopt the traditional shift nursing model used in larger hospitals. Staffing should be structured around the number of cases scheduled each day. If you have a low volume day before Christmas, for example, you need to send clinical personnel home early. Proper preparation is key, however. Hire staff with this expectation clearly outlined — it's really hard to create a change in mentality [of how staff members will be compensated] after the fact.
One way to involve staff members in an ASC's operation [as a component of compensation] is to allow them to financially benefit, through a good profit-sharing program built upon the cost savings that you're able to accomplish. If you're able to create cost savings in your salaries and supplies, a portion of that additional profit can be distributed to your staff on a monthly or quarterly basis. Staff members become more excited about creating efficiencies when they know that their efforts have a tangible effect on the outcome and they can benefit from the resultant savings.
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