Beyond the Contract: New Toolkit Reimagines Hospital-Anesthesiology Partnerships for Performance, Access, and Growth

CHICAGO, July 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As hospitals grapple with anesthesiology shortages, cost escalation, and throughput delays, Surgical Directions is flipping the script on traditional vendor management with the release of a new white paper: "Strengthening Anesthesiology Partnerships: A Toolkit for Collaborative Contract Renegotiation."

"This is about more than renegotiating terms—it's about reimagining the relationship," said Dr. Jason Klopotowski, lead author and Physician Managing Director at Surgical Directions. "When hospitals and anesthesia groups collaborate with clear metrics and aligned goals, everyone wins—especially patients."

A Smarter Framework for a Sustainable Anesthesiology Strategy

The white paper outlines practical tools to strengthen hospital–anesthesia alignment at a time when outdated stipend models, rigid staffing contracts, and governance gaps are creating operational friction and financial strain.

"Rather than default to subsidy increases or employment conversions, hospitals need a framework grounded in transparency, performance, and partnership," said Supriya Patel, co-author and Managing Director of Consulting Services.

Inside the Toolkit: Results That Matter

Based on over 450 client engagements, Surgical Directions' collaborative model has helped health systems:

• Create operational efficiencies resulting in a 15% increase in first-case on-time-starts and up to a 12% reduction in case cancellations through stronger scheduling & anesthesiology management practices¹
  
  
• Reduce anesthesia expenses by up to 20% via volume-aligned staffing and performance-based incentives²
  
  
• Cut locum dependence by 25% with pooled coverage strategies and enhanced recruitment partnerships³
  
  
• Attract 30% more anesthesia applicants through shared marketing, onboarding, and CME programs⁴

Employed vs. Outsourced: It's Not Either/Or

The paper highlights the pros and cons of anesthesia employment versus outsourcing. While employment offers control and strategic alignment, it shifts staffing and recruitment risks to hospitals. Meanwhile, outsourced models may limit adaptability and transparency if not structured properly.

The recommendation: move away from either/or decisions and focus on shared outcomes, data-driven performance, and adaptable governance models.

A Conversation Starter: 12 Questions That Change Everything

To help hospitals and anesthesia groups build stronger, future-ready contracts, the white paper offers a 12-question negotiation framework covering key areas like:

• Shared block scheduling and performance benchmarks
  
  
• Joint recruitment and retention planning
  
  
• Real-time throughput dashboards and operational transparency
  
  
• Governance structures for continuous improvement and conflict resolution

"This isn't about driving a hard bargain," said Dr. Klopotowski. "It's about building a partnership that delivers on access, safety, and sustainability."

ABOUT SURGICAL DIRECTIONS

Surgical Directions is a healthcare solutions company specializing in perioperative and procedural care, sterile processing, and anesthesia services. With a unique clinician-led model and proprietary analytics platform, Merlin^™, the firm empowers hospitals and provider groups to drive measurable improvements in access, efficiency, and financial performance. From supply chain optimization to governance redesign, Surgical Directions delivers peer-to-peer partnership and clinical expertise that helps clients provide quality care and improve margins. Learn more at www.surgicaldirections.com.

¹Journal of Clinical Anesthesia. Impact of Shared Scheduling on Perioperative Throughput. 2023.
²Journal of Healthcare Finance. Incentive-Based Contracting in Anesthesia. 2024.
³Healthcare Financial Management Association. Locum Tenens Cost Analysis. 2024.
⁴Anesthesia & Analgesia. Recruitment and Retention Strategies in Anesthesiology. 2023.

SOURCE Surgical Directions