Administrator Meredith Warf shares the secrets behind her center's profitable TJR program

Orthopedic

Jackson-based Mississippi Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center's Madison (Miss.) Physician Surgery Center's Administrator Meredith Warf shared how the practice is making total joint replacement affordable.

Note: This has been edited for style and clarity.

Question: What's something you've implemented at your center that has seen great results that other ASCs could benefit from?

Meredith Warf: We have brought the practice management of our surgery center in-house and have been able to negotiate better contracts with our payers including carve outs for total joint and spine procedures, allowing for more cases to be performed here.

We have also streamlined our vendors being the sole source for joint arthroplasty and partnered closely with a few other vendors for all other procedures including sports, trauma and distal extremity. We feel strongly the surgeon should be able to choose which implant they use and it is our job to make it profitable. These partnerships enable us to help drive down costs of implants and supplies, which are not typically reimbursed in our geographic area. Our team also does an excellent job reviewing our custom supply packs regularly to minimize any waste.

Mississippi Sports Medicine is subspecialized and integrates an all-in-one approach from the clinic, imaging, surgery, pharmacy and therapy spaces. We are seeing more and more self-pay patients in 2019, and are able to bundle procedures with the facility and professional fee to help our patients with the multiple bills they receive. We also offer payment plans and are instating a patient lending program this month to help combat the higher deductible plans.

Have an idea that's worked well at your surgery center? Send it to Eric Oliver at eoliver@beckershealthcare.com.

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