Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/332156
ASC Turnarounds: Ideas to Improve Performance 11 A dding new specialties and procedures to a center's offerings can be a challenging but ultimately rewarding process. Here, three administrators share their experiences with ex- panding their service lines as well as their best ad- vice for administrators facing the same decisions. Question: Which specialty did your cen- ter add in 2013? How was the process, and what was the most difficult part? James Kamps, Administrator, Sur- gery Center at Tanasbourne (Hill- sboro, Ore.): We added ophthal- mology to our center in 2013. The main reason we did this is because we felt we could offer a better sur- gical experience at a lower price to these patients. The process of adding a new service that no one in the center was an expert in was trying, but also I learned a lot from the experience. You only get one chance to make a good impres- sion, and we wanted to ensure that the patients and surgeons coming here would be well served and enjoy their experience. I would have to say the most difficult part was getting a consensus from all the new surgeons and ensuring we had every- thing to meet their needs. Stephanie Martin, Administra- tor, St. Augustine (Fla.) Surgery Center: During the 2011 year we added GYN, and in 2013 we added general surgery services. We had been working to identify a surgeon that could bring that service. As a multispecialty facility that already had video equipment and had expanded to per- form GYN, we had many of the items that were necessary to perform general surgery. The costs to add the service were minimal, due to previous equipment acquisitions. The facility already had video towers, scopes, cameras, insuf- flators, etc. Our staff was excited to expand our service offering and had the clinical experience from other places they had worked. Our clinical coordinator, Peggy McGriskin, handled the de- tails of specific equipment the surgeon required and reviewed trays, consumables, and other de- tails related to performing laparoscopic colonos- copies and laparoscopic hernia repairs. Shelley Yuva, Administrator, Slo- cum Orthopedics (Eugene, Ore.): We introduced uni-compartmental knees, our first step into total joints. We created our outpatient model based on care currently received in an inpatient setting. We provide the patient with a comprehensive preoperative consult that includes training and education materials with our physical therapy department. Due to advances in anesthesia, these patients are discharged several hours after their procedure and can comfortably recover in their homes. We are able to provide all of this within our facility in a very efficient and orga- nized model. Q: How can ASCs decide which new spe- cialty or specialties to add? Mr. Kamps: The best way to decide what special- ties to add is to look at the surrounding area and Trials & Tribulations of Adding New Specialties and Procedures to ASCs By Ellie Rizzo