The DocBuddy Journal

The Joint Commission's New AI Certification

In this episode, Erik breaks down what this certification actually means, why it matters, and what it signals about the maturity of AI in healthcare. This isn't about slowing innovation—it's about validating before deploying. Eighty-one percent of physicians are now using AI in clinical practice—up from just 38% in 2023. That's not gradual adoption. That's a full-out sprint. But here's the problem: adoption has vastly outpaced oversight, and healthcare cannot afford to learn that lesson the hard way. On June 1st, 2026, the Joint Commission—the nation's oldest and largest healthcare accreditation body evaluating over 23,000 healthcare organizations—launched the Responsible Use of AI in Healthcare (RUAIH) certification. And it's one of the most significant announcements in healthcare AI in quite a while. Whether you're a health system deploying AI tools, a clinician using them daily, or an administrator responsible for governance, this framework defines what thoughtfully deployed AI actually looks like—and why your organization should care. Links from the show: * Check out DocBuddy's Op Note [https://docbuddy.com/solutions/op-note/] solution. * Connect with DocBuddy on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/docbuddy/?viewAsMember=true]. * https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/06/01/3304442/0/en/joint-commission-releases-first-of-its-kind-exclusively-designed-for-healthcare-organizations-voluntary-responsible-use-of-ai-in-healthcare-certification.html * https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/joint-commission-intros-new-voluntary-ai-responsibility-certification * https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/ai-and-machine-learning/joint-commission-launches-voluntary-ai-certification-program-healthcare * https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/quality/joint-commission-launches-certification-for-responsible-healthcare-ai-use/

The Surgeon Shortage Nobody Is Talking About - And What You Can Do About It

A landmark study just tracked 224,629 surgeons over a decade, and the findings are a wake-up call for every surgery center administrator in the country. Nearly 10% of surgeons left clinical practice within an eight-year period — and in some specialties, the numbers are far worse. Oral and maxillofacial surgery lost 1 in 4 surgeons within just five years. OB/GYN wasn't far behind. In this episode, we break down the data, reveal which specialties face the highest attrition risk, and explain why mid-career surgeons - those with 5 to 9 years of practice - are the most vulnerable group. We also cover the American College of Surgeons' newly released national workplace standards framework - the first of its kind in the organization's 113-year history - and what its six key domains mean for how you structure schedules, allocate OR time, and support the surgeons affiliated with your center. Whether you're managing a single-specialty ASC or a multi-specialty center, this episode gives you the data and the framework to have more informed conversations with your medical staff, your board, and your recruitment partners - before a staffing gap becomes a crisis. In this episode: * The attrition rates by surgical subspecialty you need to know * Why the mid-career danger zone matters for your retention strategy * What the ACS workplace standards framework actually requires * Five practical steps ASC administrators can take right now SHOW NOTES / SOURCES 1. ACS Press Release — Nearly 10% of Surgeons Are Leaving the Profession Within 8 Years (May 20, 2026) https://www.facs.org/media-center/press-releases/2026/nearly-10-percent-of-surgeons-are-leaving-the-profession-within-8-years/ [https://www.facs.org/media-center/press-releases/2026/nearly-10-percent-of-surgeons-are-leaving-the-profession-within-8-years/] 2. ACS Press Release — American College of Surgeons Releases First-Ever Workplace Standards Framework (March 4, 2026) https://www.facs.org/media-center/press-releases/2026/american-college-of-surgeons-releases-first-ever-workplace-standards-framework/ [https://www.facs.org/media-center/press-releases/2026/american-college-of-surgeons-releases-first-ever-workplace-standards-framework/] 3. Primary Research — Elemosho A, et al. A National Analysis of Trends and Factors Associated with Surgeon Attrition in the United States. Journal of the American College of Surgeons, 2026. DOI: 10.1097/XCS.0000000000001905 https://journals.lww.com/journalacs/abstract/9900/national_analysis_of_trends_and_factors_associated.1680.aspx [https://journals.lww.com/journalacs/abstract/9900/national_analysis_of_trends_and_factors_associated.1680.aspx]

Stop Treating Old Workflows Like the Status Quo

If your surgery center is still relying on transcription services, freehand dictation, or rigid EHR templates for operative reports, this episode of the DocBuddy Journal is worth your time. Host Erik Sunset makes the case that what many ASCs treat as standard practice is actually just the old way and there's a measurable cost to staying there. Drawing from Doc Buddy's own onboarding process, Erik explains how Op Note transforms surgeon dictation into standardized, EHR-integrated operative reports in real time, without changing how surgeons work or burdening the business office with setup. The result is documentation that's cleaner, faster, and more revenue cycle friendly — with less rework, fewer denied claims, and a direct impact on days to bill and days AR. Plus, Erik shares highlights from the Surgery Partners Leadership Conference and what to expect from DocBuddy at ASCA 2026 in Washington, DC. Links from the show: ASCA [https://www.ascassociation.org/home] DocBuddy's Op Note [https://docbuddy.com/solutions/op-note/] Connect with DocBuddy on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/docbuddy/?viewAsMember=true].

Michael McClain: How to Expand Your ASC

Michael McClain, founder of Left Coast Healthcare Advisors, returns to the DocBuddy Journal with Erik Sunset for a practical conversation about ASC expansion. Before jumping to blueprints and construction budgets, Michael argues that most surgery centers need to get honest about what problem they're actually trying to solve. More often than not, the answer isn't more square footage. From maximizing revenue cycle performance and payer contract management to block time utilization and physician alignment, Michael walks through the foundational work that should happen before any expansion conversation begins. The episode also covers the five key questions every feasibility study should answer, why physician volume estimates are almost always optimistic, and how to build a realistic financial model that accounts for ramp time, regulatory costs, and operating capital. If you're thinking about growing your ASC, this episode is required listening before you break ground. Connect with Michael McClain [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelmcclainpac/] and follow LeftCoast Healthcare Advisors [https://www.linkedin.com/company/lcha/] on LinkedIn. Check out the LeftCoast Healthcare Advisors Website [https://lchadvisors.com/]. Follow DocBuddy on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/docbuddy/?viewAsMember=true].

Jeff Pfaff: Technology, Culture & the Future of ASC Operations

Jeff Pfaff, Senior Director of Business Operations at Inova Health Systems, joins host Erik Sunset to share hard-won lessons from scaling one of Northern Virginia's most active ASC networks — from a single center to five thriving multi-specialty locations with a additional growth planned. Jeff breaks down how Inova approaches the relentless pace of digital transformation, why throwing FTEs at operational problems is no longer an option, and how his team vets and implements new technology without burning out the people who actually have to use it every day. They dig into the real barriers to technology adoption — resistant physicians, stretched administrators, and the hidden time cost of implementation — and why building a "we" culture is the foundation everything else has to sit on. Jeff also shares his candid take on AI in the ASC space: what's genuinely exciting, what's being wildly oversold, and why a site visit in a live production environment is worth more than any demo. He wraps with glowing feedback for DocBuddy's team and solution! Connect with Jeff Pfaff on LinkedIn. [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrey-pfaff-mba-61219869/] Follow DocBuddy On LinkedIn. [https://www.linkedin.com/company/docbuddy/?viewAsMember=true]