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2013
Awards
he adds.
For Drs. Smith and Lantier, the crusade isn't about trying to make as
much money as possible. "Keith and I make less money now than we
made 10 years ago," says Dr. Lantier.
"If we were trying to [make as much money as possible], we
would only be charging 20% less than what the hospitals are charging, instead of one-tenth or one-twentieth," says Dr. Smith. "We
have generated this pricing based on cost, not on a desire to make
profits and build an empire and get rich.
"I may get rich on a book deal," he adds with a smile. "How's that?"
Disturbed and distressed
For Drs. Smith and Lantier, the satisfaction of running a successful
surgery center is exceeded, arguably, by the joy of demonstrating that
the way things are isn't the way they have to be.
"I get e-mails and phone calls every day," says Dr. Smith. "People
asking, 'How did you do this?' and 'Can you help me do this?' That's
very exciting. They've begun the process. And what I'm hearing from
the people who are in the trenches in the healthcare-medical-economic world is that we really don't perceive how disruptive and radical what we've done is for the whole system. The ripple effect, I'm
told, is much, much bigger than we have any idea. I think for people
who are fans of the status quo, this is very disturbing, very distressing. I get no feedback from any of the big hospital people, but I know
this is very creepy for them."
The perception that health care can't be treated like other businesses
is the dragon they want to slay. At the center's core is the unshakable
conviction that the only sensible way to provide health care is through
a free-market system that — by fanning competition — will inevitably
improve quality and reduce prices.
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O U T PAT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E | S E P T E M B E R 2013
