DOING BUSINESS


Optimize Patient Care with Careful Provider Scheduling A new perspective on capacity management BY RICH MILLER


The traditional healthcare supply chain has taken center stage because of the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, access to per-


sonal protective equipment (PPE) has become a common topic of discussion, as have questions about equitable vac- cine distribution. Among all the dis- ruptions caused by COVID-19, ASCs might be overlooking a new supply- and-demand issue: elective care. True enough, “care” is not tradi- tionally considered a “supply” but con- sider this: A recent survey conducted by two Indiana-based firms in the sum- mer of 2020 found that almost half of the patients in five cities—Atlanta, Dallas, Minneapolis, Louisville and Phoenix—would request having sur- gery at an ASC rather than a hospital. The goal of the panel-based survey was to get 450 responses from each of the five cities.


As patients feel increasingly com-


fortable scheduling their procedures at ASCs, the ability to accommo- date growing demand will require an expanded definition of the healthcare supply chain. A holistic look at the supply chain reveals more than surgi- cal products. To optimize patient care, ASCs must ensure the availability of providers just as they ensure the avail- ability of other necessary surgical sup- plies. Thus, providers are as much a part of the supply chain as thermom- eters and IV bags.


A New View of Provider Scheduling When it comes to meeting the over- all demand for elective surgical care, providers are a crucial piece of the supply equation. Optimizing clinical


18 ASC FOCUS MARCH 2021 | ascfocus.org


staff scheduling, however, has always been a challenge. A complex symphony, provider scheduling requires detailed orches- tration. Schedulers must make sure the right staff are available to care for the right patients at the right time and in the right locations. This includes surgeons, physicians, anes- thesiologists and other non-physi- cian staff necessary to perform safe and effective procedures, such as nurses, mid-level providers, techni- cians and housekeepers.


ASCs additionally need the flex- ibility


to accommodate last-minute changes, such as when providers call in sick, patients cannot be cleared for


surgery or changes in a patient's clini- cal condition drive immediate attention. What happens, though, if ASCs start


to view these scheduling issues more like “staff procurement” issues? ASCs that assess how to procure providers can take a more proactive approach to provider scheduling. Using schedul- ing data and analytics, ASCs can better align their staff “supplies” with their clinical demand, thus optimizing staff resource management.


Proactive Staff Optimization Staff resources are exponentially more dynamic than thermometers, scalpels or IV bags and cannot be kept on hand in a storeroom. Nevertheless, the same


The advice and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not represent official Ambulatory Surgery Center Association policy or opinion.


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