Jim Becker, CEO of TriasMD, and Karen Reiter, vice president of operations and payer management, are optimistic about the future of spine ASCs.
TriasMD is the parent company of Newport Beach, Calif.-based DISC Sports and Spine Center, and the practice's ASC network has developed significantly.
Mr. Becker and Ms. Reiter discussed their plans for DISC's ASC network and how they're managing some of the top challenges affecting practices today.
Note: This conversation was edited for clarity.
Question: Can you give me an overview of your vision for TriasMD and expanding the ASC model?
Jim Becker: We are building upon the success of the DISC Surgery Center model that's been established for over a decade. DISC breeds excellence in quality and service and does this in a way that gets patients back to their best lives. We're planning to grow our business throughout California and other states, with the goal of being the destination of choice for complex spine and musculoskeletal care.
Karen Reiter: We started with a single ASC, and that facility now does 1,000 cases a year. As of today, we are already at four ASCs.
Q: How many ASCs do you have now and how many are under construction like you mentioned earlier?
KR: We have four ASCs currently up and active and two under construction.
Q: And how many different regions are you spread across?
KR: We're in Southern and Northern California. We are also very actively looking in other states, partnering closely with the insurance companies where their populations have the greatest need for complex spine care.
JB: Our plan is to be national where it makes sense and where we can help patients return to their best lives. It has to be in an environment where we can deliver at the highest quality while improving the cost of healthcare. In our model, we only recruit physicians who are masters of their craft, and that's why we seek out the absolute best in each market we target. If we're able to find the best surgeons in an area where there's a true need for complex spine and musculoskeletal care, we'll go there. It's just a question of whether it's the right fit.
Q: Have you considered anywhere outside of California in terms of markets? If so, can you say where?
JB: We're in conversation across at least eight states right now. I'll leave it at that because I think it's premature to talk about other states that we're going into.
Q: Can you talk about what DISC has done to reduce costs and boost revenues among some of the larger economic headwinds going on in the healthcare sector? What advice do you have for other ASCs and practices that are struggling with their bottom lines?
KR: All ASCs struggle with similar challenges, particularly with staffing and cost control. Staff retention is key, and team members definitely love being in a place where they're making a difference and have an engaging and collaborative environment. We work very hard to create that environment. Understanding the individual case economics is also critical. For example, keeping an eye on implants and other supply chain costs is something that has to be done every day.
JB: I would tell other ASCs that every day, what we strive to do is make sure we're putting the physicians first, because they're the folks who are actually making things happen in our business. Then it's making sure your clinical model is highly supportive of the team so that we can act as one team. Managing your economics aggressively is just the price to play. We're okay with that, and I think everybody has to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Above all, we have to make sure we're safely delivering distinctive quality and an exceptional patient experience.
Q: How do you expect the ASC landscape in California to evolve in the next two to three years?
JB: There's a lot of ASCs in California. We're going to continue to see more complex work evolve into those ASCs, and I think that's appropriate. ASCs must constantly push the boundaries of what can be done in an ambulatory environment. That's what we strive to do and that's just really important. But the model has proven that we can already do incredibly complex care in an ASC, so this will absolutely continue. At the same time, I think ASCs can tighten their areas of focus, yielding stronger returns. That is a model that can be successful in the future.
KR: From an ASC perspective, this highly specialized model, with the protocols and processes in place to do complex cases, is driving quality and safety at the front line. The key for each ASC is focusing on what it can do well.