and honest look at his
surgical career. He
says surgeons are very
interested in buying
shares in surgery cen-
ters to augment their
surgical income. "The
best case scenario is to
join a multi-specialty
physician-owned sur-
gery center with its
own radiology clinic
and pathology lab," he
says. "That's the ideal,
because you're part
owner of the center,
have a say in the way
things are run and ben-
efit financially from the ancillary services."
2. Buy the latest toys
Surgeons will definitely assess the technology you have in your ORs
and strongly consider your willingness to remain on the cutting edge of
care. "Surgeons want to work with the technology they're accustomed
to using, but it doesn't necessarily have to be the latest and greatest,"
says Dr. Rickert. "However, we will make sure a facility has the finan-
cial means and desire to invest in platforms such as robotics that we
may want to add in the future."
Most facilities are willing to invest in new technologies if it guaran-
tees new business from a high-volume surgeon, but Dr. Rickert warns
4 8 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 6
• INTERESTED OBSERVER Orthopedic surgeon Jim Rickert, MD, pays particular
attention to how staff members treat patients outside of the OR.
Jim
Rickert,
MD
