NORTHSTAR NEWS

Understanding the NorthStar Experience

02/02/10

Written by John Brock (NorthStar Surgical Center Administrator)

Whenever I’m asked to talk about NorthStar Surgical Center and what we do, I’m unable to go through the list without first saying that it’s all about the experience.

To understand the NorthStar experience is simply to understand people. And, when it comes to surgery – and the care of our patients both before and after their procedure – we pride ourselves on the experience we provide. After all, surgery is what we’re all about. You probably know many of our physician partners, but beyond each of them are our staff and nurses – each armed with tremendous experience, but more important, they are dedicated to the patients’ experience. It’s their compassion that makes NorthStar Surgical Center different, and that’s the experience I’m proud to witness them share with our patients each and every day.

In today’s skyrocketing healthcare costs, we believe it’s a good thing to be a physician-owned facility. Why? It’s simple, really. Without the unnecessary bureaucracy, our physicians are able to be directly involved in the business decisions of our facility – thus keeping healthcare costs to a minimum. And, without mandates from a management-heavy organization, our physicians are freer to make the decisions on what they know best: taking care of patients and getting them back on the road to recovery in the quickest manner possible.

As a same-day surgical center, our specialties are vast. And, our 37 physician partners serve a variety of needs for the people of the South Plains. From treating our Texas Tech athletes and keeping them at their best to every other person in between – both young and old – we’re able to provide procedures once thought to require days of in-hospital stays. Thanks to advances in medicine, and the experience of our physicians, the NorthStar experience is one that’s not only comfortable, but also focused on getting patients back into the swing of their daily lives where the best experiences lie.
As the Administrator of NorthStar Surgical Center, it’s easy for me to brag, because I play but one small part of the overall work that goes on here each day. The most important part is carried out by our doctors, our nurses and our staff. I’m honored to bear witness to what they provide our patients, and I’m lucky to be the one who gets to read the letters of thanks we receive regularly from patients, their families and friends who are happy with what even they now call “their NorthStar experience.”

I cannot let it go unsaid that I am proud to be a part of a medical community that I believe far surpasses the kind of medical expertise offered in cities many times the size of Lubbock. From surrounding hospitals to clinics – Lubbock has much to offer.

But when it comes to surgical care, I’m especially proud to be a part of NorthStar Surgical Center. After all, the experience isn’t just for our patients. Our doctors say they love the experience. So do our nurses and our staff.

And, I’m lucky enough to experience it every single day.