1. Partner with a different specialty. Dr. Sales, an orthopedic surgeon, is currently in a practice with a neurosurgeon. “It’s a nice niche because he doesn’t do deformity cases and I don’t do tumors, so it works well for us,” he said. Patients also like the idea of physicians from different specialties collaboratively working on their case, he said.
2. Empower employees. The panelists agreed on the importance of both uniting clinical and frontline staff in the organization’s mission as well as allowing clinicians autonomy to do what they think best for the patient and the practice. “We’ve always been pleasantly surprised that people will do the right thing if you don’t put the bottom line in front of them, or make a doctor [meet financial goals] after 90 days with the center,” said Dr. Chekka.
For an added reward, Dr. Caruso offers employees that save his organization money use of his personal beach house. “It empowers them,” he said.
3. Go to accountants for advice. Accountants are founts of valuable information and advice for spine surgery centers, and their time is significantly cheaper than lawyers’, said Dr. Caruso. Spine surgery centers should not hesitate to consult their accountants about growth opportunities, regulatory and financial challenges and other pressing issues, he said.
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