Dr. Ruggieri says surgeons hope to have the final say in the care they
provide and the equipment they use, but, in reality, they don't always.
"You'd think administration would listen more to surgeons regarding
the technology they want, because we're the primary caregivers, but the
business side of surgery puts pressure on the decision-making process,"
says Dr. Ruggieri. "That can be a source of frustration."
Some facilities have rigid clinical protocols or tight budgets that
limit the equipment they purchase, points out Dr. Gauta. "Surgeons
often don't have a lot of say in the technology they get to incorporate
into their cases, even if it's equipment they've gotten the best results
with."
But Dr. Gauta gets it. He's part owner of a surgery center where he
performs advanced pelvic and vaginal reconstructions and is very
aware that his profits are directly related to the center's expenses.
"We consider any and all new technologies, but unless we see a defi-
nite and obvious proof of improvement over what we're currently
using, we don't invest in it," he says. For example, his center has the
financial means to invest in a robotic platform, but he's spurned
countless sales reps, because the physician-owners decided outcomes
are no better than what they can achieve with straight-stick
laparoscopy.
"Surgeons with skin in the game look at costs more acutely and
keep a tight budget, because it's their money that's flushed down the
drain if they make a mistake," says Dr. Gauta.
3. Don't waste their time
Any facility where Dr. Gauta operates must be within a short drive of
his clinic. It was a familiar refrain. "None of us make money in our
cars," says Dr. Gauta. "We want to get to the surgical facility and back
to our office as quickly as possible."
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