Incorporating spine procedures into orthopedic-driven or multi-specialty ASCs can be a lucrative venture but is also a hard feat to accomplish, given the traditionally held perception that sensitive and intensive spine procedures should only be performed in the hospital setting. Melody Winter-Jabeck, administrator at Ravine Way Surgery Center in Glenview, Ill., explains how her surgery center built case volume around spine procedures.
1. Level with spine surgeons. In order to increase and maintain spine case volume, Ms. Winter-Jabeck says the first obstacle she had to overcome was convincing spine surgeons that spine procedures could be performed in an outpatient setting. Spine surgery has altered dramatically over a course of many years so that now many spine procedures can be safely and effectively done outside of the hospital setting.
"It's all about changing [spine surgeons] mindset and the belief that they can only do their cases in the hospital," Ms. Winter-Jabeck says. "Most spine cases are highly complicated, and physicians are used to sending their patients to the ICU post-surgery."
Changing surgeon mentality requires marketing to spine surgeons and giving them multiple reasons why shifting their business from the hospital venue to the ASC would be a safe and profitable venture. Ms. Winter-Jabeck says she personally leveled with spine surgeons by telling them performing spine surgery in the outpatient setting often leads to faster turnovers in a more relaxed setting than the hospital.
2. Build a team of excellent clinical staff support. Ms. Winter-Jabeck says building a team of staff members with excellent expertise is another way to bring additional spine surgeons on board as well as ensure an optimal clinical experience for the spine surgeons, thereby maintaining physician satisfaction and their spine cases.
"[Spine surgeons] want to know that they are working with very experienced staff members so in case there is a complication or something doesn't go as planned with a certain spine procedure, the team is well-equipped to handle it," she says. "The key roles that are importing to building this support team are the clinical director and nurses who would be working in the OR and post-operative areas."
3. Market the surgery center as a "one-stop shop." At Ravine Way Surgery Center, spine surgeons are given the opportunity to practice in other specialties. Ms. Winter-Jabeck says if spine surgeons wish, they can practice pain management or orthopedics if that is part of their practice because those specialties are already built into the make-up of the facility. "So if a spine surgeon is also able to practice pain management, we can allow them to provide epidurals to patients at our ASC as part of their practice," she says.
Learn more about Ravine Way Surgery Center.
1. Level with spine surgeons. In order to increase and maintain spine case volume, Ms. Winter-Jabeck says the first obstacle she had to overcome was convincing spine surgeons that spine procedures could be performed in an outpatient setting. Spine surgery has altered dramatically over a course of many years so that now many spine procedures can be safely and effectively done outside of the hospital setting.
"It's all about changing [spine surgeons] mindset and the belief that they can only do their cases in the hospital," Ms. Winter-Jabeck says. "Most spine cases are highly complicated, and physicians are used to sending their patients to the ICU post-surgery."
Changing surgeon mentality requires marketing to spine surgeons and giving them multiple reasons why shifting their business from the hospital venue to the ASC would be a safe and profitable venture. Ms. Winter-Jabeck says she personally leveled with spine surgeons by telling them performing spine surgery in the outpatient setting often leads to faster turnovers in a more relaxed setting than the hospital.
2. Build a team of excellent clinical staff support. Ms. Winter-Jabeck says building a team of staff members with excellent expertise is another way to bring additional spine surgeons on board as well as ensure an optimal clinical experience for the spine surgeons, thereby maintaining physician satisfaction and their spine cases.
"[Spine surgeons] want to know that they are working with very experienced staff members so in case there is a complication or something doesn't go as planned with a certain spine procedure, the team is well-equipped to handle it," she says. "The key roles that are importing to building this support team are the clinical director and nurses who would be working in the OR and post-operative areas."
3. Market the surgery center as a "one-stop shop." At Ravine Way Surgery Center, spine surgeons are given the opportunity to practice in other specialties. Ms. Winter-Jabeck says if spine surgeons wish, they can practice pain management or orthopedics if that is part of their practice because those specialties are already built into the make-up of the facility. "So if a spine surgeon is also able to practice pain management, we can allow them to provide epidurals to patients at our ASC as part of their practice," she says.
Learn more about Ravine Way Surgery Center.