Amid buyout concerns and the increasing risk of losing surgery volume to physician offices and ASCs, hospitals and health systems should consider shifting some volume to physician partners, according to Kaufman Hall.
Here are three tips for developing an effective ASC strategy from Kaufman Hall's ASC Industry Flash Report.
1. Seek partners rather than rivals. Partner with independent medical groups to create mutually beneficial opportunities and avoid duplicating assets. It may be helpful to rely on a third-party ASC management company.
2. Structure a "true" partnership. The hospital and the physician each would each have about 50 percent representation in an ideal governance structure. In some cases, physicians should have more operational control.
3. Keep an open mind about new facility concepts. Kaufman Hall discovered ambulatory sites in numerous markets are becoming more customized. The floorplans depend on projected surgery volume, but facilities are typically 60,000 to 80,000 square feet. One-third of that space is usually reserved for ORs, another third for office space and the rest for ancillary services, lobbies or a cafe.