ASCs in some markets have to compete with the deep pockets of hospitals to recruit staff, but many can use work-life balance and flexible hours as incentives in hiring employees.
Ira Richterman, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at Canton, Ohio-based OrthoUnited Spectrum, joined Becker's to discuss the biggest staffing lesson his team learned in 2023.
Editor's note: These responses were edited lightly for brevity and clarity.
Question: What was the biggest lesson ASCs learned in 2023?
Dr. Ira Richterman: The biggest lesson ASCs learned in 2023 is to recognize they can maintain and hire staff at a lower pay rate than hospitals as long as the ASC provides the life-work balance the staff desires. Working during the day — and no nights, weekends or holidays — certainly represents a great value. Hospital systems have created an unsustainable pay scale escalation. These overinflated labor costs are having detrimental consequences to their financial survival. Secondary to the Medicare failure to recognize the fact that paying physicians at 1994 Medicare reimbursement rates is absolutely depleting the physician pool and ultimately is creating a massive physician shortage.