Preparing for COVID, round 4,000.
As we move into the fall, also known as “busy season,” many of our ASC partners are reporting an increased concern surrounding the COVID-19 Delta Variant, and how it could impact them in the coming months.
I think I speak for all of us when I say, no one is looking forward to putting together yet another COVID-19 Preparedness/Response plan, but as business leaders, it’s on us to protect our patients and our businesses no matter what gets thrown at us and this fall, it would appear ‘Delta’ is getting thrown at us. Preparedness varies significantly regionally as it depends on local policy/mandates both state to state, and in our case, even city to city. Sometimes it feels like room to room! But, I digress.
As business leaders, it’s on us to apply what we’ve learned from the past and use it to strengthen our strategic position moving forward. Some of you will face new mask mandates, reduced on site staff and potentially in some areas, even a partial shutdown. Every center’s situation will be different, as it was with rounds 1 through 3,999. In order to help get your plan started, we put together a few things to consider.
Review your supply levels.
Who can forget the toilet paper takeover that left shelves bare and some individuals upselling a roll to their neighbor? It’s a good time to forecast what your supply needs will be, and place any necessary orders. No, we aren’t saying to go wipe the shelves and invest in a storage unit – just make sure you can comfortably navigate the next few months without having to scavenge for supplies.
Streamline operations.
This tip can take shape in a variety of ways, depending on how your center operates. All in all, your goal should be to identify ways to a. reduce costs, and/or b. increase revenue.
a. You’re looking for services or expenses that could be suspended should cases/revenue dip. For example, cancel fresh flower service, or cable subscriptions at the center. Maybe you can reduce the frequency of linen pick-ups to better match your volume – every little bit helps.
If you haven’t already, take a look at PREFcards. It’s a digital preference card platform that allows your staff to easily update preference cards on the spot from any tablet or computer, while also showing the total breakdown and cost associated with each procedure, and each surgeon. This brings case-costing to a whole new level!
b. We helped several ASCs increase their revenues while cases were down by providing them with a short-term A/R clean up service. You can read more here. In short, we can come in at 90 or 120 days out and try to resolve unpaid claims. It’s a low-risk, high-reward strategy as we only get paid on what we collect.
Make staffing arrangements.
Take some time to map out your staffing plan – if your ASC has to temporarily reduce staff, which employees would remain on-site and which would work remotely? Other things to consider include additional equipment needs for work-from-home individuals, as well as any monitoring / staff management tools necessary (be it a task tool or reviewing your IT cybersecurity for those working on their personal wifi). Once you’ve determined the lay of the land for if you need to reduce staff, consider the measures that would need to be reviewed to determine when to bring staff back on site.
While we hope to escape the throws of 2021 without COVID causing even more chaos, it’s best to be prepared for the possibilities that could come as we head into fall. As you work through your preparedness plan and implement next steps, our team is here to help.
Ready to get prepared? Grab our FREE downloadable Essentials Prep List to guide you through the process.
Ready to start seeing increased revenue? Reach out to us today at 1(855) 208-5566 or info@in2itive.org for your free consultation!
