Some ASCs spend one-fourth or more of their net operating revenue on employees to stay ahead of shortages, according to a report from VMG Health.
Jessica Sorsby, vice president of operations at Chicago-based DxTx Pain & Spine, shared her insights on how to tackle the ever-present issue of staffing shortages and competition at independent ASCs using shared staffing.
Two independent ASCs — APAC Surgery Center in Crown Point, Ind., and Munster (Ind.) Surgery Center — formed a shared staffing agreement, allowing the two ASCs to share staff between their sites using scheduling efficiencies. One example: having staff at one location Tuesdays and Thursdays and at the other Wednesdays and Fridays.
The agreement allows for improved recruiting of full-time staff and improved efficiencies as the ability to cross cover during a call-out allows for better fill-in coverage, Ms. Sorsby told Becker's.
Here are two tips on how to successfully share staff, according to Ms. Sorsby:
1. Make sure staff is on board, especially if travel was not a requirement for their role before. Going forward, new hires will be aware working at two facilities is an expectation.
2. Work as a team. Leadership from both locations should work together and act in the best interest of both facilities.
"ASCs can compete, we can obtain and retain the highest quality of staff and provide full-time benefits without financially burdening the center through staffing synergies," Ms. Sorsby said.