Connecting Workflows Across the ASC

Introduction

Valley Surgery Center opened in Hudson, Wisconsin, in 2023 as a multispecialty ASC with three operating rooms and three procedure rooms. With more than eight clinics scheduling cases into the center, the team needed a reliable way to keep information moving across the patient journey. But as the center grew, separate systems for scheduling, charting, and practice management created friction instead of continuity.

By expanding its use of HST into a more connected operational platform, Valley Surgery Center has reduced manual handoffs, enabled front-end collections, and given leadership better access to the information needed to understand case costs and reimbursement.

Challenge

Before expanding its use of HST, Valley Surgery Center relied on separate systems for key parts of its workflow, including preference cards, electronic health records, and practice management. Those systems didn’t communicate the way the team needed them to, leaving staff to bridge gaps manually when integrations fell short. That meant more time spent on work that could otherwise be automated and more friction across day-to-day operations.

For Sarah Karau, director of operations, the disconnected technology also made it difficult to extract the data needed for informed decisions. Getting a clear view of case volume, cost per case, and reimbursement required more effort than it should have. The center also wasn’t collecting patient balances at check-in, creating another opportunity to improve financial workflows.

The Solution

Valley Surgery Center expanded its use of HST to connect more of the workflow within one platform. Scheduling and care communication already helped more than eight clinics send cases into the center. The team then added billing and inventory capabilities and electronic charting, creating a more direct flow of information from scheduling through clinical documentation and financial operations.

Patient estimates also became part of the front-end process, giving the team a more accurate basis for collecting balances at check-in. When a case is updated and approved, the information can move into charting so pre-op nurses can begin preparing the record and contacting the patient without waiting on manual handoffs.

The Results

The impact has been most visible in workflow efficiency, chart completeness, and financial visibility. Valley Surgery Center can now collect front-end balances based on patient estimates, helping the team bring revenue in sooner. Providers and staff have responded positively to electronic charting, including its step-by-step workflow, completion checks, remote access, and tablet-based use in pre-op.

Leadership is also gaining better insight into the business. Karau said the available information has been valuable for comparing cost per case with reimbursement. She also highlighted stronger chart completeness for coding and billing, smoother movement of supply information into financial workflows, and better collaboration across departments.

The Future

Valley Surgery Center is still early in its expanded HST journey, but the team already sees value in having more of its workflows connected. Karau highlighted HST’s understanding of the ASC space and its continued work to make integrations even more seamless as important parts of that experience.

The center is also implementing patient-facing texting capabilities that can welcome patients before their procedures and give them an easy way to contact the center with questions. Karau noted that HST has considered the full patient journey, from preoperative communication and patient estimates through charting and financial operations. As those workflows become more connected, the center is continuing to build on a model designed to support both staff efficiency and the patient experience.