OSE_1211_part1_Layout 1 11/1/12 8:57 AM Page 29
BUSINESS ADVISOR
benefits we'll reap quickly, but as we get operational as 1 facility, we'll
also see more utilization and be able to take advantage of the flexibilities of having a greater pool of clinical staff.
• Better access to payors and contracts. The merged entity will provide a
much broader range of surgical services and thereby will become an
even more attractive provider of outpatient surgical solutions to the
payors in the Santa Monica and West Los Angeles markets. We anticipate that, as a result of this merger, we will be able to engage with some
new payors, as well as recalibrate strategies with some of our existing
payors in the market.
Handling the key challenges
There are 3 major areas in which we'll need to head off issues. Here's
what we're doing.
• Physician engagement. We've formed a physician committee with
THE TAKEAWAYS
3 Keys to an ASC/ASC Merger
1. A merger may make sense in a saturated market — for example, where supply
of surgical services exceeds demand.
2. Physicians must have aligned values (culture, clinical quality, reputation) to
even begin talking about the process.
3. A cautious approach with full due diligence and rationales for any changes to
practice or staffing is crucial.
— Goran Dragolovic, MBA
N O V E M B E R 2012 | O U T PAT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E
2 9
