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Speaker 1: This is Gracelyn Keller with the Becker's Healthcare podcast, and we are live at the business and operations of ASCs. I'm currently joined by doctor Basil Besh, who is the founder of Precision Surgi Center. So, doctor Besh, thanks for joining me today.

Speaker 2: Thanks for having me.

Speaker 1: Yeah. Can you please take a moment and just introduce yourself a little bit further as we get started here and talk about your role in the industry?

Speaker 2: Sure. My name is Basil Besh. I'm a North Peak surgeon. Started our surgery center about 14 years ago, doing well. I also do quite a bit of leadership within orthopedics, health care policy, and my, interest is health care economics.

Speaker 1: Alright. Well, thank you for being here. We'd love to start our conversation today talking about ASC volume. So this is expected to increase countrywide by 16% by the year 2030 2. With this growth, what is the most pressing challenge to maintaining a positive patient experience?

Speaker 2: I I think change and comfort are mutually exclusive, and getting people used to procedures that were historically done in the inpatient setting and shifting them to the outpatient realm is a gradual process. I think the 2 biggest examples of that in orthopedics are total joint replacement and spine surgery. These are cases that are traditionally done inpatient. Patients have gotten used to that and there's an acclimation period to getting them to shift to the outpatient realm. Interestingly, I think COVID did ASCs a big favor.

I think people are more open to not utilizing a hospital now than they ever have been. So I think that's helped the ASC industry.

Speaker 1: A 100%. And going off of that, what strategies have worked for your organization to tackle some of these challenges, and what's one recommendation you have for healthcare leaders to stay ahead?

Speaker 2: I I think you have to be proactive in terms of speaking to your patients, managing their expectations, reassurance, but but that challenge becomes less and less every day as as the acclamation progresses. But, I think, you know, be out in front of the problem rather than reactive, I think is the best advice I can give.

Speaker 1: 100%. And shifting gears slightly toward the financial side, how can leaders ensure their staff are well equipped to help patients navigate the financial aspects of care, and how does this benefit patient provider relationships?

Speaker 2: Again, it's important to be proactive. I think, not just the shift towards the outpatient realm, but in terms of benefit design changes that we've seen where health insurers have seen benefit to having patients have more skin in the game. It's important to have these conversations with patients in an open setting, again, managing their expectations, not just clinically, but financially as well.

Speaker 1: And as we close our conversation today, do you have any parting words that you'd like to share on the podcast?

Speaker 2: Well, I I I think there's an inevitability to ASC growth. And I think the healthcare cost curve is not sustainable, and one of the primary drivers of that cost, is inpatient treatment. And I think that the truth is the wind is at our back. And it's a good time to be involved in the ASC industry.

Speaker 1: Wonderful. Well, doctor Besh, thanks so much for joining me today on the Becker's Healthcare Podcast. Again, we're live at the business and operations of ASCs.