BUSINESS ADVISOR
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O U T P AT 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 | A U G U S T 2 0 1 4
ter — really bitter — that they had been asking for new equipment for
years but their requests had been passed over by administration in
favor of pursuing this new doctor and accommodating his wish list.
These surgeons had been practicing at this facility for decades and
their cases were a big percentage of the hospital's revenues. Imagine
if they decided the recruitment of the new physician was the final
straw and left the facility. It could easily have happened.
As you recruit new doctors, don't forget to take care of the surgeons
who have been faithful to your facility. This may mean proactively
approaching them about equipment upgrade requests, involving them
in the recruiting process and preserving their coveted block time.
Above all, try not to take their regular OR team away to work with
new surgeons. If this is absolutely necessary, prep the veteran sur-
geons well in advance and include them in the staffing decisions.
Perhaps they need a stronger tech, but would reluctantly part with
their circulator. Be aware of your surgeons' needs so you can contin-
ue to grow your center's business instead of making up for cases lost
to these types of oversights.
Create an implementation team
Introducing a new physician or specialty to your facility should
not be done without adequate planning. You know what strengths
your staff brings to the table, so use them to bolster the resources for
these new endeavors.
If you're recruiting a new orthopedic surgeon, for example, have
your ortho team sit down with him to discuss case intricacies and
patient flow. Include members of the pre-op, post-op and scheduling
staffs. The surgeon may want a continuous passive motion device in
recovery that goes home with patients. Or he might want it delivered
directly to the patient's home. That means your scheduler must com-
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