Ginny Dunaway, RN, is an administrator at the Effingham Ambulatory Surgery Center in Illinois.
Mr. Dunaway will participate in Becker’s ASC Annual Meeting keynote panel, “ASC’s Next Five Years: What Works, What Doesn’t Work, and More.” As part of an ongoing series, Becker’s is speaking with his leader in healthcare, where he plans to speak at a conference in Chicago Oct. 27-29.
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Q: What’s the smartest thing you’ve done in the last year to help your organization succeed?
Jeanie Dunaway: I think the best thing that happened last year was the increase in nurse retention and employee satisfaction. In today’s healthcare market, it is very difficult for ASCs to compete for staff. We pride ourselves on providing the best care but keeping the best nurses was a challenge last year.Post COVID staff morale is the lowest I have seen in years. The mantra of ‘teamwork’ has been transformed into an environment of ‘everyone for themselves’. Having great staff and keeping them happy with their work is difficult, but essential.
Q: What are you most excited or nervous about right now?
JD: We are launching a fully joint program in 2021 and although it was a slow start, I am really excited to see the program grow as both surgeons and staff become more comfortable with the process. It is exciting to see the excellent results our patients are experiencing and how satisfied they are with our services. The shortages we’ve experienced in the last year are wide-ranging. Let’s face it—some of them have no rhyme or reason.
Q: What are your thoughts on growth over the next 12 months?
JD: Overall, I think ASC is poised for continued growth. There are many challenges to its growth, but the platform we put in place can continue to expand as both the public and payers recognize the superior care we provide at a low cost. Overall, I feel like cases will continue to move to us from the acute care setting.
Q: What will it take for healthcare executives and leaders to become effective leaders in the next five years?
JD: I think patience and planning are the keys. Before doing my first case, I fought for his full joint for seven years at my facility. Let’s face it — many initiatives in health care and life are marathons, not sprints. I think we should always look for ways to grow and improve what we do.
Q: What is your strategy for recruiting and retaining a great team?
JD: We focus on employee appreciation and team building. Money is always an incentive, of course, but at the rates hospitals and travel agencies are paying, ASC cannot compete on the basis of compensation alone. We must be able to provide an environment in which our staff want to work. We have always had a culture of appreciating our employees, and in this environment we seek to enhance that to make our facility that kind of place to work.
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