Beacon Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine (Sharonville, Ohio).
Beacon Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, with three locations in the northern Cincinnati area, is home to 13 physicians specializing in orthopedic surgery, including total joint replacement and arthroscopic procedures, and sports medicine. The group recently introduced a spine center, which provides surgical and non-surgical treatments for disorders of the spine. The flagship 33,000 square-foot facility in Sharonville performs around 4,800 procedures annually and features two large surgical suites and two smaller procedure rooms.
According to Jayne Walker, the center’s corporate marketing director, the ASC’s success is due to its outstanding services and patient care. “Our [program] is known for many things, but one element that is outstanding is our capability to serve the patient from start to finish under one roof,” she says.
The single-specialty center is appealing to the physicians who affiliate with it as well. “For overall patient care and cost-effective delivery, a single-specialty ASC is a must for any busy orthopedic sports surgeon,” says Tim Kremchek, MD, a board-certified and fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon at the facility. “Working within this tremendously motivated environment is rewarding to the patients, physicians and staff.”
The ASC offers teaching programs for medical students and is directly involved with sports teams, including the Cincinnati Reds and the Cincinnati Cyclones, a local professional hockey team. Beacon Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine has successfully treated a number of professional athletes including Ryan Dempster, pitcher for the Chicago Cubs; Scott Rolen, third baseman for the Toronto Blue Jays; and Rondell White, outfielder for the Minnesota Twins.
East Portland Surgery Center (Portland, Ore.).
East Portland Surgery Center is a multi-specialty, freestanding surgery center, which features a strong orthopedics program. The ASC boasts state-of-the-art medical technology making it possible for physicians to treat patients more efficiently and comfortably. According to John DiPaola, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at the center, the ASC provides outstanding patient care. “EPSC provides excellent service, excellent equipment, and their well trained staff always treats my patients with exceptional skill,” he is quoted as saying on the ASC’s Web site.
Houston Orthopedic Surgery Center (Warner Robins, Ga.). Houston Orthopedic Surgery Center is home to four orthopedic and sports medicine specialists and one spine surgeon. The ASC consists of two operating rooms, a sub-sterile area, four preoperative rooms and five PACU beds. The center performs a variety of orthopedic procedures, including anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, carpal tunnel release, trigger finger release and surgery for tennis elbow. The center’s spine program performs cervical disc replacement, multi level anterior cervical disc fusion, endoscopic spine procedures and minimally invasive spine fusions, among other procedures.
Becky Mann, director of Houston Orthopedic, attributes the center’s success to its dedication to patient care and cost-consciousness. “Our goal at Houston Orthopedic Surgery Center is to always put our patient first. We make their visit with us as timely and pleasant as possible,” she says. “Service is given with professional competence and a smile. No one in the center is too busy to stop and answer a question or lend a helping hand.”
Ms. Mann warns, however, that even with the best care available, a successful surgery center must be aware of cost. “We know to the penny what a case costs to perform. We strive daily to save money by researching products and prices. We waste nothing,” she says. “Knowing your area’s reimbursement is critical to the bottom line.”
The center is also active in the communities of Houston County, Ga., providing physicals for school athletes for a $10 fee, all of which is returned to the schools’ athletic programs to purchase equipment.
The center’s great patient care and commitment to the community has lead to the financial success of the center and to patient referrals. “Our patients recommend us to their friends and family,” says Ms. Mann. “Word of mouth is more valuable than any billboard, and we are proof of it.”
Illinois Sports Medicine & Orthopedic Surgery Center (Morton Grove, Ill.).
The Illinois Sports Medicine & Orthopedic Surgery Center is the surgery center of the Illinois Bone & Joint Institute, an orthopedic practice group in the Chicago area with more than 20 locations. The 100-percent physician-owned surgery center has four operating rooms and one procedure room and is home to 18 orthopedic surgeons, eight podiatrists, three pain management physicians and 14 anesthesiologists. ISMOSC performs a wide variety of orthopedic ambulatory surgical procedures, including arthroscopies, ACL reconstructions, arthroplasties, carpal tunnel releases, meniscectomies, open reduction internal fixations, arthroscopic Bankart procedures and rotator cuff repairs as well as spine procedures such as laminectomies, microdiscectomies and anterior cervical discectomies and fusions. In 2007, the ASC’s first year of operation, ISMOSC performed 2,500 cases. The center performed 3,250 cases in 2008, according to Larry Parrish, administrator of the center.
Robert Patek, MD, a physician and board member of the center, attributes the ASC’s success to its outstanding staff. “A dynamic, adaptive and forward thinking leadership team comprised of talented facility administrator, outstanding nurse leaders and a skilled medical director has been empowered to create, maintain and nurture an environment of professionalism, mutual respect and teamwork,” he says.
Loveland Surgery Center (Loveland, Colo.).
Loveland Surgery Center performs approximately 3,400 orthopedic, spine, pain management and ENT procedures annually. The ASC, which is jointly owned by physicians and National Surgical Care, features two operating rooms and a procedure room that is equipped with anesthesia. The center’s spine program was the first facility in the United States to perform a level-three Prestige cervical artificial disc replacement, utilize the Coflex device, perform a multi-level Neo- Disc replacement and the first to utilize the Dynamic Stabilization System for a posterior lumbar fusion, according to Sue Sumpter, administrator of the center. Additionally, Loveland has participated in five FDA Investigational Device Exemption studies and is enrolled to begin three more.
The surgery center holds a convalescent license, which allows the facility to complete more complex surgeries such as lumbar and cervical spine fusions, which require multiple overnight stays, while remaining an outpatient facility. The offering of these complex surgeries at the center provides an economical surgery option for patients and third-party payors, says Ms. Sumpter.
The center also provides a variety of payment and cost-saving opportunities to its patients whose procedures are not covered by insurance. “For artificial disc procedures not covered by patients’ insurance, we have developed a cash-pay price, which includes the surgery center facility fee, the fee for the implant and physician and anesthesiologist charges,” says Ms. Sumpter. Spine surgeons at the center also recently provided a free clinic for patients without insurance coverage.
Ms. Sumpter credits the physicians and staff for the center’s success. “We are fortunate to have surgeons who truly care about their patients. Our physicians are on the cutting-edge of their specialty. A combination of our physicians, staff and our convalescent center is what makes the Loveland Surgery Center so successful and allows us to provide excellent patient care,” she says.
Mayfield Spine Surgery Center (Cincinnati).
The Mayfield Spine Surgery Center, which opened in early 2007, is the first freestanding surgery center in the region to provide same-day spine procedures. The center performs both pain management and spine procedures including lumbar laminectomies, anterior cervical diskectomies and fusions, spinal cord decompression, ulnar nerve surgery, carpel tunnel surgery and minimally invasive spine procedures. The 23,500 square-foot facility features three operating rooms and a pain management suite.
Missoula Bone & Joint Surgery Center (Missoula, Mont.).
Missoula Bone and Joint Surgery Center has been an AAAHC-certified center since 2002. The surgery center’s eight physicians perform a number of orthopedic and sports medicine procedures, including joint replacements, arthroscopies, hand and microvascular surgeries, spine procedures and general orthopedic surgeries. The Missoula Bone & Joint Surgery Center is part of Missoula Bone & Joint clinic, an orthopedic practice serving Western Montana for more than 50 years. The surgery center features a one to one nurse-to-patient ratio and has performed more than 12,000 procedures since opening its doors in 2001.
The surgery center also actively works with Missoula Medical Aid, a nonprofit organization which began in 1998. Physicians from Missoula Bone & Joint travel to Honduras twice each year with a group of volunteers to provide orthopedic care to residents of the country. In addition to their time and expertise, the physicians of Missoula Bone & Joint donate medical supplies and durable medical equipment to the cause, according to Sami Spencer, CEO of the surgery center and clinic.
Ms. Spencer attributes the center’s success to the dedication of its staff. “What makes Missoula Bone & Joint so special is the caring physicians and staff that work here,” she says. “We are very proud of the care we provide our patients by incorporating both team effort and team spirit. Patient care and satisfaction are the number one priority for us.”
Orthopaedic Surgery Center of La Jolla (La Jolla, Calif.).
The Orthopaedic Surgery Center of La Jolla is the orthopedic ASC of Surgery One, a network of four outpatient surgery centers located in and around San Diego. The center offers a full range of surgical services from minimally- invasive spine surgery and arthroscopic and reconstructive orthopedic surgery to cutting-edge treatments for chronic pain. Ten spine surgeons, 24 orthopedic surgeons and six pain management physicians are affiliated with the center. The surgery center is driven by its goals, which include offering the best and most current state-of-the-art technology, impacting the industry, pursuing an outstanding reputation and maintaining profitability.
Parkway Surgery Center (Hagerstown, Md.).
Parkway Surgery Center offers comprehensive spine treatments and non-invasive spine surgical procedures in a state-of-the-art outpatient facility. The physician-owned surgery center, which is part of the Blue Chip Surgical Center Partners network of physician-led surgery centers, features four neurosurgeons specializing in the spine, and three pain management specialists. The center prides itself on providing world-class care and using the latest technology at an affordable cost.
Tucson Orthopaedic Surgery Center (Tucson, Ariz.).
Tucson Orthopaedic Surgery Center specializes in orthopedic and pain management procedures, performing more than 6,400 procedures annually. The center performs more than 1,000 knee scopes and around 500 carpal tunnel procedures annually, according to Tracey Kruse, RN, director of nursing for the surgery center. The 11,500 square-foot facility features four operating rooms and serves 17 surgeons. The accredited center sought accreditation not because it was required by law or other governing bodies, but because the staff believed it would improve patient care and safety, according to Ms. Kruse. “The entire staff has worked very hard to build a team that is constantly looking for ways to improve patient outcomes, cost of care and staff satisfaction,” she says.
The surgery center is also committed to providing care to those who need it most. “Our center, as well as the Tucson Orthopaedic Institute, continue to provide services to the Medicaid population and those without insurance while many other physicians have withdrawn from the Arizona Healthcare Cost Containment System [Arizona’s Medicaid program],” says Ms. Kruse.
The center recently worked with Continental Airlines and its Continental Cares program to bring a young girl from Belize, along with her mother, to Tucson for a surgery to repair a fracture of her distal humerus. “The girl and her mother stayed at the guest house of a surgeon from our center for four weeks until the pins could be removed and they could then return to Belize,” says Ms. Kruse. That surgeon, Brian Nielsen, MD, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon, learned of the girl on a vacation to Belize and helped to organize the effort surrounding her surgery.
Ms. Kruse says that staff members attribute the center’s success to the cohesiveness of the team. “Our entire staff — from housekeeping to management and everyone in between — has a committed interest and desire to assure that we provide excellent support not only to our patients but to each other as well,” she says. “I believe that our ASC stands out from the crowd for multiple reasons, but most importantly due to the outstanding patient care delivered by the staff.”
Surgical Institute of Lake of the Ozarks (Osage Beach, Mo.).
Surgical Institute of Lake of the Ozarks, an 8,400 square-foot multispecialty surgery center, features three operating rooms. The center’s orthopedic program is led by Chris Leslie, DO, and Thomas G. Hoeft, DO. Dr. Leslie is the co-designer of the popular knee replacement device, the 3-D Knee. The center’s orthopedic program specializes in knee arthroscopy, rotator cuff surgery, carpal tunnel procedures and pain management. The surgery center opened less than a year ago, in July 2008, and is continuing to grow its patient volume, according to Steve Henry, administrator of the ASC. The new center is also successful in patient satisfaction ratings, with a 96-percent-positive patient satisfaction rate in the first three months of operation.
Surgical Institute of Lake of the Ozarks is the first surgery center in its community and is finding success in offering outpatient procedures to area residents. “We are the first ASC in Camden County, Mo., and offer patients a low cost, highquality alternative for their outpatient procedures,” says Mr. Henry.
Wildwood Surgical Center (Toledo, Ohio).
Wildwood Surgical Center is an 18,000 square-foot multi-specialty surgery center with five operating rooms. The center is home to 50 physicians in addition to 44 clinical and administrative staff. The center performs approximately 6,000 orthopedic, ENT, plastic surgery, and ophthalmology procedures annually. The center’s orthopedic program is particularly known for procedures involving the knee, shoulder, foot and ankle, according to Kelly Shirer, manager of finance and contracting at the center.
Ms. Shirer points to efficiency as one critical reason for the center’s success. “We have rapid room turnover, cost-effective supply ordering, cross-trained staff, scheduling flexibility, stateof- the-equipment and an excellent preoperative screening process,” she says. Ms. Shirer also says that the center’s staff greatly contributes to the center’s success. “We have a courteous, respectful and kind staff that treats all patients like a ‘member of the family,’” she says.
St. Louis Spine Surgery Center (Creve Coeur, Mo.).
The St. Louis Spine Surgery Center is a freestanding, pain management and spine surgical facility. The 6,000 square-foot center, part of the Blue Chip Surgical Center Partners network of physician-owned surgery centers, is home to six pain management physicians, two orthopedic surgeons and two neurosurgeons. The center features two operating rooms and offers a variety of outpatient pain management, orthopedic and neurological procedures. The center aims to offer personal attention and the highest quality surgical care using the latest technology, at an affordable cost.
Angie Ford, administrator, attributes the center’s success to its single-specialty focus. “I believe our program is so successful because we are, at this point, a single-specialty center with spine and pain management,” she says. “Our staff is focused on the patients, and they are familiar with the patient’s needs and the doctor’s needs.”
The staff is so confident in the center that they have even referred their own family members. Karen Lloyd, business office manager at the center, referred her mother for a consultation after working at the center for only a short time. “What better show of confidence as to trust someone with the care of your family member,” she says. “[My mother’s] surgery was a huge success and has greatly improved her quality of life.”
Thomas Forget, MD, a spine surgeon at the center, says that facility’s wide-ranging spine services enhance patient care. “The St Louis Spine Surgery Center houses a variety of pain specialists and spinal surgeons under one roof. This has given us the ability to efficiently tailor treatments for all spinal pain disorders,” he says. “[The] open collaboration between all team members has provided us with better outcomes and a very satisfied patient population.”
Contact Lindsey Dunn at lindsey@beckersasc.com.
