At the 21st Annual Becker's ASC Conference in Chicago on Oct. 25, a panel of healthcare industry experts debated some of the best methods of increasing ASC visibility to both physicians and patients.
The panel consisted of Farid Naffah, MD, a gastroenterologist at Avamar Gastroenterology in Warren, Ohio; Maggie Summerfelt, the administrator of Advanced Surgery Center in Omaha, Neb.; and Herb Riemenschneider, MD, a private practice urologist in Columbus, Ohio.
For Dr. Naffah, there is one area that ASCs should specifically emphasize in their outreach: cost.
"I think the public is, by and large, familiar with ASCs for their access, friendliness, efficiency and personalized care,” said Dr. Naffah. “I don't think we've done enough to inform the public about the cost differential.”
Another way Dr. Naffah makes his ASC stand out to patients is by offering evening hours to accommodate the schedules of working people.
Ms. Summerfelt agreed that price is a major issue for many patients and should be emphasized more saying, "I think consumers are becoming more and more knowledgeable as medical costs come out of their own pockets."
To educate patients about your ASC and prices, Ms. Summerfelt encouraged administrators to have a website. As for physicians, displaying brag cards for the ASC at the private offices of the physicians helps gets the ASC’s name out, while encouraging the center's physicians to refer patients to one another.
Dr. Riemenschneider also promoted the use of a website to increase ASC visibility. Specifically, creating videos to post on the website that educate patients and potential physicians about the ASC, the center's physicians, the company's pricing methodology or testimonials from patients.
According to Dr. Riemenschneider, ASCs are able to provide quality care at an affordable price which is a model patients really should utilize and physicians should want to participate in. "We're patient advocates and that's what we should always be."