Through a five-year partnership, construction firm Ryan Companies has helped develop five ASCs affiliated with Nashville, Tenn.-based Surgery Partners. Most recently, Ryan helped complete Valley Ambulatory Surgery Center in St. Charles, Ill.
For health systems and independent practices undertaking projects like these, "choosing the right location is extremely important to their success," Ryan said in a Dec. 10 blog post.
Three insights on how the firm approaches ASC site selection:
1. Ryan lays the groundwork for any new ASC by using a variety of data sources, including information on available land parcels, geographic information system mapping, demographics overlays and geological site analysis. Analytics help clarify the benefits and drawbacks of choosing a certain site.
2. The site-selection process also involves evaluating whether a viable parcel of land has demographics that align with the organization's business objectives as well as a favorable payer mix. Annual healthcare spend for each household in the area is taken into consideration.
3. After leveraging analytics and visiting locations, Ryan grades the site options on a scale and narrows down the list. It then builds a pro forma analysis, which projects the actual financial return a real estate development is likely to create.