Labor costs continue to rise as ASCs compete with hospitals for staff.
Here are 10 notes on the state of the ASC workforce:
1. A survey from OR Manager found that 2023 marked the first time a higher percentage of ASC leaders reported increased turnover among surgical techs (39%) compared to registered nurses (35%).
2. In 2023, 35% of OR Manager's ASC survey respondents reported RN turnover, compared to 15% in 2014 and a peak of 49% in 2021.
3. ASCs faced greater difficulty recruiting surgical techs than RNs in 2023 for the first time, with 69% reporting challenges recruiting techs compared to 68% for nurses.
4. ASC leader salary breakdown, according to OR Manager:
1. Less than $100,000: 23%
2. $100,000-$119,999: 32% (up from 23% year over year)
3. $120,000-$149,999: 28% (up from 22% year over year)
4. $150,000-plus: 17% (up from 6% from 2021)
5. The report noted that most director-level and administrator respondents earned between $100,000 and $150,000. About a quarter of nurse managers reported annual earnings between $120,000 and $149,000. Additionally, 12% of ASC leaders reported a total compensation package exceeding $200,000.
6. Here are ASC total staffing hours per case by region, according to VMG Health's "Multi-Specialty ASC Benchmarking Study" for 2022.
- Northeast: 14.2
- Midwest: 13.7
- Pacific: 13.6
- Mountain: 13.5
- Atlantic: 13.3
- South: 13.1
7. Here is the median number of full-time equivalent administrative staff at ASCs by region:
- Atlantic: 8
- South: 8
- Midwest: 7
- Mountain: 7
- Northeast: 6
- Pacific: 6
8. The number of full-time equivalent staff at ASCs by region:
- Atlantic: 30
- Midwest: 31
- Mountain: 28
- Northeast: 25
- Pacific: 23
- South: 34
9. The average number of full-time equivalent staff at ASCs by position:
- Nurse staff: 15
- Administrative staff: 9
- Tech staff: 8
10. The median number of full-time equivalent nurses at ASCs by region:
- Atlantic: 14
- Midwest: 15
- Mountain: 13
- Northeast: 12
- Pacific: 10
- South: 15