The paradigm of physician leadership: How to find the ideal ASC medical director

Pat JepsenThe medical director is a key figure in an ambulatory surgery center's team, but as with any leadership role finding the right person is easier said than done.

No one specialty can claim physicians tailored to the medical director role. Rather, the physician who spends a significant amount of time at the surgery center is the natural choice. Anesthesiologists are often selected as medical directors because they are frequently present. On the other hand, the medical director may be a physician from one of the center's high volume specialties, such as orthopedics or gastroenterology. More importantly, the ideal ASC medical director will be invested in the center's strategy and success.   

While medical directors are sometimes also physician owners, the more important investment is time. "The medical director must be "bought in" as the position requires a sizable time commitment. He or she needs to be at partnership and board meetings as well as quality council and MEC meetings," says Patricia Jepsen, RN, MBA, CASC, Director of Operations with Surgical Management Professionals.  

Oftentimes there is no one right person for the job, but rather two. "In this case dual medical directors may work," says Ms. Jepsen. "One can help with the business side of the center and the other can help with the clinical." Additionally, physicians are extremely busy. Two medical directors can not only share responsibilities, but always ensure that there is a director at important center meetings.

Regardless of whether a center has one or two medical directors, it is essential to find certain qualities in those that hold the role. An ASC medical director cannot have tunnel vision; he or she must be able to understand the perspectives of fellow physicians and the center's administration. "You want someone the administrator can work with. You want someone who will be a champion for the center and won't be adversarial," says Ms. Jepsen. You also want to rely on that physician to effectively communicate on the peer-to-peer level. From trying new implants to standardizing supplies, the effective medical director will communicate with the center's physicians the importance of new initiatives at an ASC.
 
Though medical directors are an important part of the ASC leadership team, many centers do not utilize the role to its full potential or do not fill at all. "The medical director role is vital to taking a center to the next level. They should be working side by side with the administrator as a true champion," says Ms. Jepsen. "Centers that don't have a physician in this role are missing a lot of valuable guidance."

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