As several different physician specialties, including orthopedics, continue to move to the ASC setting, there are several considerations that executives and physicians need to make when deciding whether or not to open an ASC, according to an April 16 article published in Outpatient Surgery Magazine.
Here are five key things to consider when opening a new orthopedic ASC:
1. Just because you build an ASC does not mean patients will automatically show up at the door. ASC owners need to reach out to payers and make sure to have strong relationships and data. Crunch the numbers to make sure operating an ASC makes financial sense in the area.
2. Assemble appropriate staff members who have experience in, or knowledge of, the ASC setting and its differences. ASCs need staffers who are cross-trained and familiar with different areas of the practice, as they are often smaller and have fewer hands on deck. There are fewer silos within ASCs, so hire employees who know that.
3. Equipment is changing rapidly in healthcare. It is important to build strong partnerships to acquire top-of-the-line tech. Additionally, some equipment for orthopedic ORs can be rather large, so ASC builders need to account for the footprint of equipment in the design of a new center.
4. Decide if an ASC should be built from scratch or renovated from an existing facility. When building an ASC from the ground up, it is a good idea to include enough extra space for future expansion.
5. ASCs can grow rapidly, and many owners report feeling that there is "never enough space." Keep in mind that as orthopedic demand grows, it is important to have the room to grow.