ASCs have to balance the often diverging needs of patients, providers and payers to produce quality outcomes.
Matt Kraemer, orthopedic service line administrator of Northern Arizona Healthcare in Flagstaff, spoke to Becker's ASC Review on how to balance stakeholder demands to remain competitive.
Question: How does your center remain competitive?
Matt Kramer: In order to remain competitive in the marketplace, our center focuses on meeting the needs of the patient, the provider and the payer. We understand that the value equation for each of these key stakeholders are different but aligned at the same time.
Our patients demand seamless, consistent and economical experience for their care. This requires hardwired processes built around reducing waste and driving out costs, as well as our interactions with them and their families. We achieve this through competitive pricing through accountable care organization participation, seamless communication from the preadmissions team to the discharge nurses and, ultimately, a great experience with friendly interactions.
Similarly, our providers are looking for a facility to complete their cases where they can rely on a consistent and highly trained team to ensure there are no surprises, and they are able to get clean and efficient operating rooms operations with on-time starts, fast room turnover and block times when they need it.
Finally, our partners in reimbursement are focused on the needs of their covered lives — including a favorable experience, highly reliable outcomes and successful cost containment. Northern Arizona Healthcare is confident that by devising an operating plan that focuses on executing the tactics necessary to achieving these goals, we will remain highly competitive in our market.