Josh Billstein, practice manager at The Polyclinic in Seattle, shares eight ways ambulatory surgery centers can save more money on supplies and staffing.
1. Compare insurance plan allowables with supply costs. Every month, Mr. Billstein's sits down and audits ASC supply costs versus the allowable charges for every insurance plan. This is reported to the governing body because when physicians understand that the ASC is receiving a finite amount of money from each insurance carrier, they tend to be more flexible in exploring alternative products, Mr. Billstein says.
"For example, we did an audit of one of our urologists for an [incontinence] case and found that the supplies were not the most cost-effective on the market," he says. "When you compare products side-by-side with the physician, you can move that data point more easily." He says the physicians enjoy comparing their supply costs with the amount of money the insurance carrier provides for a particular case.
Read the full report in Becker's ASC Review on cost-saving techniques.