Last year was the worst financial year for hospitals since the start of the pandemic, according to Kaufman Hall, with half of all hospitals reporting negative operating margins. For many, 2023 doesn’t look much better, with cost pressures from staffing remaining high and reimbursements from payors stagnant, or even declining. As a result, hospitals are looking to increase the volume of one of its few profitable revenue sources: surgery.

AP Health recently signed an agreement with Broward Health, a leading health system in Broward County (Fort Lauderdale) where it will be providing its’ services at four of their hospital facilities. To accommodate this growth, AP Health has promoted John Torres, PA-C, to Senior Vice President of our South Florida Market

Founder & CEO, J. Toby Gray says, “We are thrilled to be Great Place to Work-Certified™.   Employee culture is a top priority for us, and we value what our employees think about the company.

I started my career in cardiac surgery nearly 40 years ago. The advances that I’ve witnessed in terms of procedures, medicines and machines have transformed the nature and the effectiveness of the cardiac OR.

“I can’t think of doing anything but cardiac surgery,” says Irina Gruboy, PA-C. “It is my true passion in life because we take people into the operating room and about three or four hours later, we change lives for the better. It is so gratifying knowing that you are part of something so monumental for them and I think it’s absolutely incredible.”

AP Health has been implementing what Denis does intuitively into its Surgeon Relationship Management (SRM) program. “I understand what it’s like to be a surgeon,” Denis explains. “Like everyone, surgeons can have very different personalities and different ways they like to work. You must understand that, but also realize that whoever the surgeon is, your role is to make their jobs easier and make them more successful.”

I believe owners think differently than employees with no stake in the company’s future. They are more committed to the success of their fellow employees and to the company as a whole.

Hospitals are being squeezed by the dual forces of soaring costs and limited revenue growth, resulting in extreme pressures on margins. Faced with these increased costs, hospitals are looking for ways to boost revenue from all sources.

When asked to describe what she was looking for in a new PA job, Kristen says, “the biggest thing for me is the ability to leave work at work.”