the largest locally owned and operated surgery centers in the United
States, bringing this "coach" along for the pre-surgery education
course isn't just recommended — it's mandatory.
"There's a strong correlation between patient outcome and family sup-
port," says Hilary Galbraith, MBA, VP of operations at MPSC. "And our
goal is always to ensure patients have the best outcome possible."
Coaches are also required for anyone traveling to MPSC from out of
town — in the past 5 years, the facility has treated people from 47
states and 10 countries. Recently, MPSC has started offering these
patients and their families the services of a concierge who will help
make travel arrangements, book accommodations, even make recom-
mendations for a great Italian restaurant, if that's what's wanted.
While the patient is in surgery, the family is free to explore Monterey
— an MPSC employee will call when it's time to come back.
• Demystify the money. Another tenet of MPSC ideology is that surgery
costs should not be a complicated and mysterious puzzle to be solved
after the fact. "We're totally transparent," says Monterey Peninsula CEO
Tom Wilson. "We want to demystify surgery, including its cost."
To that end, the billing department looks into the insurance plan of
each patient so that, ahead of the surgery date, everyone receives a
phone call with a breakdown of price — what they're liable for, and
what insurance will cover.
The facility also offers a bundled payment option for the facility fee,
surgeon fee, anesthesia fee, and the cost of any implants or supplies,
so that bills aren't trickling in one by one.
"As the healthcare industry becomes more complex and patients are
increasingly taking on more responsibility for their care, they're doing
more research and looking around for their best options," says Ms.
Galbraith. "They should be empowered to make the best decisions."
OSM
Ms. Stopyra (dianestopyra@gmail.com) is a contributing editor.
Business Advisor
BA
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