Features
Join state associations and participate in benchmarking and National Advocacy Days
BY ROBERT KURTZ | SEPTEMBER 2018
A 2013 study of Medicare data by research scientists at the University of California-Berkeley found that in just four years, between 2008 and 2011, ASCs saved the Medicare program and its beneficiaries $7.5 billion. In 2011 alone, they report, the savings to Medicare and its beneficiaries totaled $2.3 billion.
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Deliver strong management, diversified revenue and a balanced payer mix
BY ROBERT KURTZ | SEPTEMBER 2018
It is a good time to be a seller of an ASC, says Glenn Prives, an attorney at the law firm of McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney and Carpenter in Morristown, New Jersey. “Numerous parties are interested in acquiring well-run ASCs these days. Hospitals are shopping, private equity firms are hungry for deals and management companies are looking to expand their portfolios.”
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A company shares its successful pain management program
BY ROBERT KURTZ | SEPTEMBER 2018
When HealthCrest Surgical Partners, an Edmond, Oklahoma-based ASC management company, set out in 2017 to build comprehensive total joint replacement programs at its two Maryland ASCs the team decided it also wanted to develop a supporting opiate-sparing pain management program that delivered excellent pain relief. HealthCrest manages Frederick Surgical Center in Frederick, Maryland, and Cumberland Valley Surgery Center in Hagerstown, Maryland.
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Learn their communication styles and speak their language
AUGUST 2018
While the generation an individual is born into cannot paint the entire picture of a person’s attributes and attitudes, it can provide insight for ASC leaders, says Margaret Chappell, RN, CASC, senior vice president of operations for ASC management and development company Ambulatory Surgical Centers of America, based in Hanover, Massachusetts.
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Stay on top of your paperwork, perform drills and collaborate with your local authorities
AUGUST 2018
Do not think of complying with emergency preparedness requirements as a regulatory burden, says Kris Kilgore, RN, administrative director at Surgical Care Center of Michigan in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Rather, think of it as an opportunity.
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Effective communication is key
AUGUST 2018
If you want your ASC to provide a better experience for its patients and physicians, focus on ways to get the most out of your staff, says Anne Hargrave-Thomas, chief executive officer of OakLeaf Surgical Hospital in Altoona, Wisconsin, and vice president of operations for Surgery Partners, a nationwide operator of surgical facilities based in Nashville, Tennessee.
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One World Surgery provides continuum of care to patients globally
JUNE-JULY 2018
One World Surgery in Chicago, Illinois, a nonprofit, partners with communities, health care providers and leaders in health care to deliver surgical services globally. ASCA has joined hands with the organization to help fulfill its mission. Below is an excerpt from an interview with Claire Cunningham, executive director of the organization.
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Keep ADA requirements in mind
JUNE-JULY 2018
Paralyzed patients rarely come into Reading Hospital SurgiCenter at Spring Ridge in Reading, Pennsylvania, says Brandi Reisch, RN, a perioperative nurse at the ASC. That, however, does not mean the ASC is any less prepared to meet their needs.
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Post your ASC’s surgery prices online
JUNE-JULY 2018
Northwest ENT Surgery Center in Woodstock, Georgia, started observing a trend around 2011–2012, says Shatul Parikh, MD, otolaryngologist and medical director of the ASC.
“There was a change in the tide of the insurance market,” he says. “The Affordable Care Act marketplace and employers started offering higher deductible plans. When patients had a $250 or $500 deductible, surgery was affordable, regardless of the type of procedure. Then deductibles started to rise sharply.”
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The credential is a seal of quality that demonstrates commitment to the ASC community, employers say
JUNE-JULY 2018
Different people take the Certified Administrator Surgery Center (CASC) examination for different reasons. ASC employers, however, say that to them the credential stands for one thing: validation that the credential- holder has mastered the skills that an ASC administrator needs.
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Consistency is key
JUNE-JULY 2018
Go looking for Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations concerning eyewash stations and you might be surprised by what you find—or more likely what you will not find, says Cathy Montgomery, RN, CASC, president and managing partner of ASC and physician practice consulting firm Excellentia Advisory Group in St. Peters, Missouri.
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Boost collections with transparency and up-front payments
MAY 2018
Depending on specialty, geography, payer mix and technology, the critical components of an ASC revenue cycle can change, says Lindsay Miller, executive vice president of operations at National Medical Billing Services in St. Louis, Missouri. “The ASC revenue cycle is nuanced because of its complexity in all of these areas. Each ASC faces its own set of challenges,” she says.
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Expand, invest in new technology and market your brand
MAY 2018
The future of ophthalmology in ASCs looks bright, says George Violin, MD, board-certified ophthalmologist and one of the founding principals of ASC management and development company Ambulatory Surgical Centers of America, based in Hanover, Massachusetts.
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Educate yourself, develop relationships and act quickly on denials
MAY 2018
Whether your ASC is in- or out-of-network with a payer, payment denials, payment delays and underpayments are inevitable, says Brian Hufford, health care attorney with the law firm of Zuckerman Spaeder in New York, New York.
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The Certified Ambulatory Infection Preventionist credential is now available
MAY 2018
Infection preventionists in ASCs have their own certification program with the official launch of the Certified Ambulatory Infection Preventionist (CAIP) credential in January. This credential represents the culmination of extensive planning over several years, says Gina Throneberry, RN, CASC, executive director of the Board of Ambulatory Surgery Certification (BASC), which administers the CAIP exam.
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Expand your ASC network, knowledge and skills at ASCA 2018
APRIL 2018
Where can you find thousands of your peers, ASC industry leaders, cutting-edge technology, the Green Monster, chowder and duck tours all in one place? Boston, Massachusetts, of course, between April 11 and 14, when ASCA 2018 convenes at the Hynes Convention Center. Need some more reasons why you need to be at this meeting? Read on.
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How to protect your patients from paying out-of-network prices
APRIL 2018
Over the last several years, patients have been bearing the brunt of the first dollars coming off the top for their care, says Stanford Plavin, MD, ASCA Board member, an anesthesiologist and owner of consulting firm Technical Anesthesia Strategies and Solutions in Atlanta, Georgia. “As insurance plans have transitioned from low co-pays and low deductibles with good out-of-network benefits to higher co-pays and higher deductibles with little to no out-of-network benefits, patients are receiving what they perceive as inordinate bills. They might not have been previously privy to these bills, but they have essentially been around all along. That is where the ‘surprise’ comes in.”
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Know the current standards and follow established best practices
APRIL 2018
In 2014, the Andrews Institute Ambulatory Surgery Center in Gulf Breeze, Florida, conducted its first annual safety culture survey. It asked the employees to rank the ASC’s performance in areas including safety priority within the facility, safety as part of the ASC’s ongoing agenda, accountability, issues corrected, teamwork and training.
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Proceed with caution for best results
APRIL 2018
An electronic medical record (EMR) system can be a valuable tool in helping ASCs improve their billing performance, says Nanette Reintges, founder and principal consultant at Finance and Information Technology Performance Strategies, a consulting firm in Odenton, Maryland. It is vital, however, that use of the EMR does not streamline documentation to the point where potential problems can occur, she cautions.
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Groundwork laid for future success
MARCH 2018
Last year was an important year for the ASC community, as ASCA and its members achieved several beneficial policy changes through steadfast federal and state advocacy efforts. ASCA is optimistic about 2018 and, with its members, continues to work with Congress, regulatory agencies and state legislatures across the country to ensure ASCs are represented as policy decisions are made.
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ASCA’s Advocacy Fund helps make sure ASCs get fair legislation
MARCH 2018
ASCA created its Advocacy Fund as a way to solicit support from the ASC community and help communicate its legislative and regulatory agenda to federal and state policymakers. In particular, the fund was created to garner support from the many companies that sell products and services to ASCs and, therefore, benefit from a thriving ASC model.
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Convalescent centers, skilled nursing facilities or home care?
MARCH 2018
As more complex procedures move to the outpatient setting, ASCs should be looking at where patients can receive the best post-acute recovery care, recommends Rebecca Craig, RN, CASC, ASCA Board president and chief executive officer of Harmony Surgery Center and Peak Surgical Management in Fort Collins, Colorado.
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Meet your members of Congress and advocate for your ASC in Washington, DC
MARCH 2018
More than 5,600 Medicare-certified ASCs provide care to patients across the US. Despite the expanded access to top-quality care that ASCs offer and the billions of dollars ASCs save patients, Medicare and private insurers each year, many elected officials do not fully understand the role ASCs play in health care.
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Strategies for success lie in pre- and postop care
FEBRUARY 2018
Arthritis and spine- and backrelated conditions in adults aged 18 and older will grow from 54 million in 2014 to 63 million by 2020 and 78 million by 2040, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
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Use external and internal parameters
FEBRUARY 2018
To say some ASCs do not enjoy the benchmarking process may be an understatement, says Carol Hiatt, RN, CASC, owner of Surgery Center Consulting Services in Ocala, Florida.
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Join the ‘transparency revolution’
FEBRUARY 2018
Health care consumers are at a disadvantage when it comes to researching their surgical options, says Thomas Wilson, chief executive officer of Monterey Peninsula Surgery Center in Monterey, California.
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Share basic information and encourage questions
FEBRUARY 2018
ASC staff typically have limited time to spend with patients. This makes it imperative for staff to take advantage of every moment available to provide critical education to patients, says Missy Soliz, RN, quality and risk manager for Mississippi Valley Surgery Center and Mississippi Valley Endoscopy Center in Davenport, Iowa. “We must also do so without overwhelming them or talking over their heads,” she says.
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More foot cases are migrating into the ASC setting
FEBRUARY 2018
Developments over the past few years have made this a particularly exciting time for outpatient foot surgery, says Scott VanValkenburg, MD, foot and ankle surgeon at Upstate Orthopedics Ambulatory Surgery Center in East Syracuse, New York.
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Where ASCs stand in the business of health care
JANUARY 2018
Three experts share their view on the future of the ASC industry and what surgery centers can expect to see this year. While ASCs are poised to grow and evolve, especially, with more higher acuity cases moving into the ASC setting, cyber security remains a threat.
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Reduce risk with understanding
JANUARY 2018
Although rare, surgical fires continue to occur in health care facilities. Their prevention must be an ongoing area of focus for ASCs, says Mark Bruley, vice president of accident and forensic investigation for ECRI Institute, a Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania-based organization that researches approaches to improving patient care.
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What ASCs need to know about FDA 510(k)
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2017
While ASCs have no role in the US Food & Drug Administration’s (FDA) pre-market notification 510(k) medical device clearance process, it is imperative that they understand what the clearance does and does not include and cover, says Barbara Ann Harmer, president at MedAssist Consultants, a provider of medical and surgical consulting services based in Gainesville, Florida.
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Plan ahead, take your time and do your research before making a purchase
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2017
Price is not the only factor to take into consideration when purchasing a new piece of equipment, but it is an important one, says Sherrie Landry, materials manager for Bayou Region Surgical Center in Thibodaux, Louisiana. “You really want to make sure you make the right purchase the first time.”
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Invest in OR technology
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2017
If you want to keep your surgeons happy, give them the surgical technology they want, says Brian Brown, regional vice president of operations for AmSurg Corporation, an ASC management and development company based in Nashville, Tennessee.
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Responsibilities of ASCs
OCTOBER 2017
The opioid crisis presents both a challenge and an opportunity for ASCs, says Amy Mowles, president and chief executive officer of Edgewater, Maryland-based Mowles Medical Practice Management, an ASC regulatory and development company.
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Know your procedure costs, set fees that ensure a reasonable margin and keep your costs low
OCTOBER 2017
Looking to grow your case volume while accommodating the needs and wishes of patients from within— and even potentially outside—your community? Consider offering a cashpay program, say ASC managers who are already offering this option.
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ASCs nationwide are using ASCA Benchmarking to improve their performance
OCTOBER 2017
The clinical staff at Lakeview Surgery Center in West Des Moines, Iowa, believed their patients always received their prophylactic intravenous (IV) antibiotics “on time,” recalls Kate Foreman, the ASC’s quality coordinator.
“On time,” according to the definition used in Medicare’s ASC Quality Reporting (ASCQR) Program’s ASC-5: Prophylactic Intravenous (IV) Antibiotic Timing measure meant these antibiotics were initiated within one hour prior to the time of the initial surgical incision or the beginning of the procedure, or two hours prior if Vancomycin or fluoroquinolones were administered.
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Three accrediting agencies explain upcoming modifications in their standards
SEPTEMBER 2017
The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care of Skokie, Illinois, the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities of Gurnee, Illinois, and The Joint Commission of Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois, described the upcoming changes in their standards for ASC Focus. Learn what to expect from your survey experience, the steps you need to take to stay on top of your game and how to comply with the changed standards.
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In the absence of CEHRT, ASCs adapt to reach clinical integration
BY SAHELY MUKERJI | SEPTEMBER 2017
If an ASC needs to participate in the continuity of care across a surgical episode, it needs to have an IT system that speaks to a physician partner’s electronic health records (EHR), says Roy Georgia, partner in the ASC Division of ICE Technologies, headquartered in Pella, Iowa. “Herein comes the need for interoperability,” he says. “With a lot of consolidation in the ASC software space, there is going to be more standardization and increased adoption of EHR products. With that, there will be a more specific need for interoperability.”
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Look beyond the price tag, choose carefully
BY ROBERT KURTZ | SEPTEMBER 2017
Electronic medical records (EMR). Patient portals. Electronic scheduling. Patient tracking. Analytics.
ASCs, today, have their choice of many different types of information technology (IT) systems and many different suppliers. The IT systems have tremendous potential to help ASCs achieve their growth objectives, says Paul Davis, chief executive officer and president of Amblitel, a provider of ASC accounting and back-office services based in Louisville, Colorado.
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Stay on track with an ongoing, active process
BY ROBERT KURTZ | SEPTEMBER 2017
The primary focus for everything that happens at the Orthopedic Surgery Center of Orange County in Newport Beach, California, is patient safety, says Karen Ollila, the ASC’s operations manager. Peer review, she says, is a critically important part of that focus.
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Staff training is key
BY ROBERT KURTZ | SEPTEMBER 2017
An ASC that wants to capitalize on its investment in information technology (IT) has to invest in training staff to operate the new system, says Matt Petty, senior vice president of IT for Surgery Partners, a nationwide operator of surgical facilities based in Nashville, Tennessee.
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Educate yourself to avoid adverse outcomes and litigation
BY SAHELY MUKERJI | AUGUST 2017
The term “scope of practice” has different definitions in policy and professional documents, which is why it is critical to know how your state’s regulations define the term, says Debra Stinchcomb, RN, CASC, consultant with Progressive Surgical Solutions in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
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Adaptability and flexibility play key roles
BY SAHELY MUKERJI | AUGUST 2017
Staffing optimally to achieve the greatest productivity while keeping your staff happy can be challenging. Administrators at three different ASCs share their secrets to success.
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Develop a long-term plan, be responsive to your doctors’ needs and make sure staff is happy
BY ROBERT KURTZ | AUGUST 2017
Between November 2014, when Jennifer Morris became the administrator of Surgicare of Wichita in Wichita, Kansas, and May 2017, the ASC added 26 physicians across seven specialties. She says that part of the reason for that is because she is always working on physician recruitment since it is vital to sustaining an ASC.
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Hire smart, cross-train and keep staff morale high
BY ROBERT KURTZ | AUGUST 2017
When Sarah Malaniak, CASC, was brought on as administrator for the Ambulatory Center for Endoscopy in North Bergen, New Jersey, one of her first assignments was to tackle the ASC’s overtime problem.
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Communicate clearly, gain staff support and hold employees accountable
BY ROBERT KURTZ | AUGUST 2017
Gaining staff support is essential for a change to achieve its desired outcome, says Don Bartnick, chief executive officer of Annapolis Surgery Center in Annapolis, Maryland, and Maryland Eye Surgery Center in Prince Frederick, Maryland.
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Accreditation standards that can challenge ASCs
BY SAHELY MUKERJI | JUNE-JULY 2017
When The Joint Commission looked at the 10 most challenging accreditation guidelines for ASCs in 2016, it found that three of the 10 were related to medication management.
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Check accreditation, state registration and licensure, and FDA track record
BY ROBERT KURTZ | JUNE-JULY 2017
Compounding pharmacies can play an important role in supplying ASCs with medications they need to provide patient care, says Sharon Johnson, RN, CASC, senior vice president of operations for ASC management and development company Ambulatory Surgical Centers of America, based in Hanover, Massachusetts.
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Participation leads to better outcomes
BY ROBERT KURTZ | JUNE-JULY 2017
Montgomery Surgical Center in Montgomery, Alabama, considers patient engagement to be a vital component for a successful surgical experience, says Linda Westhoff, RN, CASC, the ASC’s administrator.
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‘Scopes for Hope’ at Surgery Center of Farmington sees early success
BY ROBERT KURTZ | JUNE-JULY 2017
Last year was a difficult year for the gastroenterology service line at the Surgery Center of Farmington in Farmington, Missouri, says Cindy Young, RN, CASC, the ASC’s administrative director. After starting the year with five gastroenterology physicians, only one remained at the end.
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How to create and maintain a social media site
BY SAHELY MUKERJI | MAY 2017
More than 3 billion people use the Internet and more than 2 billion of those users have active social media accounts, according to an August 2016 Hootsuite column. Given the widespread use, social media is no longer optional for businesses, says Kelly David, director of marketing and public relations at Spectrum Medical Group in Portland, Maine. “The more we become patient and customer focused, the more important a tool social media becomes to connect.”
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Take advantage of more than 60 educational sessions and advocate for your ASC
BY ROBERT KURTZ | MAY 2017
At a time when Washington, DC, is under the world’s microscope, it seems fitting that ASCA is bringing the ASC community into the heart of the action at ASCA 2017, May 3–6, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland.
“Attending an ASCA meeting continues to be an unparalleled opportunity for all attendees, regardless if it is your initial meeting or your 25th,” says Jo Vinson, CASC, director of integration management for Deerfield, Illinois- based Surgical Care Affiliates.
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Train staff to maintain data security and privacy
BY ROBERT KURTZ | MAY 2017
Even in an ASC with great information technology infrastructure, human error can open the door for cyber criminals, says Tracy Rubino, privacy officer of ambulatory surgery centers for not-for-profit health system Sutter Health in Sacramento, California. In fact, Verizon’s 2016 Data Breach Investigations Report cites human error as one of the leading causes of health care cyber security incidents.
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Reduce your risk and the cost of protection
BY ROBERT KURTZ | MAY 2017
ASCs need to prepare for the possibility of a data breach and be ready to respond if it happens, says Michael Wells, chairman of Hylant of Indianapolis, an insurance brokerage and risk management solutions provider in Indianapolis, Indiana.
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What ASCs need to be on the lookout for
BY SAHELY MUKERJI | APRIL 2017
Coding modifiers—usually two digits—can increase or decrease reimbursement and cause claims not to be paid properly or denied if used incorrectly or not used when necessary. “Modifiers are added to the main procedure code to signify that the procedure has been altered by a distinct factor,” says Stephanie Ellis, RN, president of Ellis Medical Consulting Inc. in Franklin, Tennessee. “Modifiers are accepted by most payers.”
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Streamline production, eliminate waste and improve efficiency
BY ROBERT KURTZ | APRIL 2017
For an ASC striving to bring about improvements throughout the facility, applying Lean Six Sigma principles can be an effective method to achieve desired results, says Erin Huston, RN, the Lean Six Sigma Black Belt continuous improvement specialist for The Urology Group and its ASC, The Urology Center, in Cincinnati, Ohio.
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Surgery centers should seize the opportunity
BY ROBERT KURTZ | APRIL 2017
Regardless of the changes that will be made to the US health care system in the coming years, at least one thing seems to be certain, says Gregory Horner, MD: Value-based care is here to stay. Horner, an ASCA Board member, works as a managing partner at HealthPoint Ambulatory Surgery Company, an ASC management and development company in Newbury Park, California.
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Skilled nursing facilities would work with surgery centers
BY ROBERT KURTZ | APRIL 2017
Andy Whitener is the chief executive officer and administrator of Gainesville Surgery Center in Gainesville, Georgia, an affiliate of Surgical Care Affiliates. Write him at Andy.Whitener@SCASurgery.com.
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Avoid contaminants with careful testing and vigilance
BY ROBERT KURTZ | MARCH 2017
What you do not know about your ASC’s water could harm patients and damage devices, says Barbara Ann Harmer, RN, director of clinical services for Innovative Sterilization Technologies in Dayton, Ohio, a company that developed and markets a sealed sterilization container system.
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Reduce costs, increase value, maintain choice
BY SAHELY MUKERJI | MARCH 2017
Knowledge is power when it comes to getting a good price on implants, says Tim Burney, founder and chief executive officer of Advantien in Greenwood Village, Colorado. “You need to know the market and your alternatives,” he says. “Do not accept that you cannot get the same price as the hospitals. You can, believe me, you can.”
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Be cognizant of financial obstacles and cultural differences
BY SAHELY MUKERJI | MARCH 2017
Running an ASC in a low-income area is fraught with risks, delays in payment, demands from the Department of Health and the fire department, and other adverse factors, says Roy Bejarano, president of Frontier Healthcare in New York, New York. “It is a fragile and delicate situation,” he says. “ASCs, however, are the smarter health care option for low-income areas because they offer high-quality care at a lower cost than hospitals and are more specialized than hospitals.”
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Effective communication, drills and working with your local organizations are key
BY ROBERT KURTZ | MARCH 2017
In a disaster, either natural or manmade, continuity of operations planning helps an ASC protect and preserve its critical infrastructure, says Lynne Bergero, project director for the division of health care quality evaluation at The Joint Commission in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois.
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ASCs that do can reduce expenses and improve contracts
BY ROBERT KURTZ | MARCH 2017
Do you know what it costs when patients are in your ASC’s operating room (OR), asks Ann Geier, RN, CASC, chief nursing officer for SourceMed, a Birmingham, Alabama-based provider of software and ASC advisory services for ASCs and other organizations. Since the OR is where an ASC generates revenue, she says, understanding the costs incurred there is an essential management tool for an ASC.
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Sign up for National Advocacy Day when you register for ASCA 201
BY DANIELLE KASTER | FEBRUARY 2017
As rising costs, inadequate payment updates and the steady growth of hospital-employed physicians continue to threaten ASCs, ASCA’s ongoing efforts to promote the interests of the ASC community before the legislative and regulatory bodies that set ASC policies grow increasingly important. The success of ASCA’s advocacy efforts, however, relies on the participation of everyone in the ASC community.
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Gauge the health of your ASC’s collections, billing processes and contracts
BY ROBERT KURTZ | FEBRUARY 2017
If you do not know how your ASC’s revenue cycle is performing, you will not know how to improve it says Crystal Ewing, manager of data integrity for ZirMed, a provider of claims management solutions based in Louisville, Kentucky.
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ASCA’s 2017 advocacy agenda
BY KRISTIN MURPHY AND KARA NEWBURY | FEBRUARY 2017
In 2017, ASCA will be working on many levels with multiple regulatory agencies and Congress to ensure that ASCs are at the table and in the conversation when federal policy decisions that affect surgery centers are made.
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Meet the Government Affairs team
BY SAHELY MUKERJI | FEBRUARY 2017
ASCA’s Government Affairs Department leads ASCA’s efforts to promote the interests of the ASC community before federal and state legislative, regulatory and executive agencies. Working with state ASC associations and industry leaders, the department staff identify and analyze critical health policy issues concerning ASCs and act to enhance and protect each ASC’s ability to continue providing high-quality patient care.
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Government support continues to grow
BY ROBERT KURTZ | FEBRUARY 2017
The culture that an ASC is aiming for doesn’t just develop naturally, says Jo Ellen Braden, RN, CASC, quality assurance performance improvement (QAPI) coordinator at Taylor Station Surgical Center in Columbus, Ohio. It requires hard work and commitment.
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These contributions ensure that the ASC message is heard in Congress
BY DANIELLE KASTER | FEBRUARY 2017
ASCAPAC is the only political action committee in Washington, DC, that represents the interests of the entire ASC community. Through the contributions it receives, ASCAPAC helps ensure that the policymakers who support and understand the importance of the ASC delivery model remain in Congress.
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As FDA requirements changed, manufacturing costs escalated, production decreased and needs increased
BY SAHELY MUKERJI | JANUARY 2017
Drug shortages continue to be a challenge for ASCs as they impact providers with little or no warning and potentially threaten patient safety, says Norman Tomaka, clinical consultant pharmacist in Melbourne, Florida.
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The numbers of community hospitals and ASCs are going in different directions
BY ROBERT KURTZ | JANUARY 2017
It is a good time to own an ASC, says Mark Weiss, an attorney with The Mark F. Weiss Law Firm, which has offices in California and Texas.
“The health care landscape is changing quickly, and ASCs look to be positioned for success,” says Weiss, the author of The Impending Death of Hospitals: Why You Must Plan Your Medical Practice’s Survival and other health care books. “The evolving hospital model is creating a growing pool of potential opportunities for surgery centers.”
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What ASCs can do
BY ROBERT KURTZ | JANUARY 2017
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that more people died from drug overdoses in 2014 than any other year on record (www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/ epidemic/index.html). A majority of drug overdose deaths—more than 60 percent—involve an opioid. And nearly 80 Americans die daily from an opioid overdose.
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Patient selection and tracking metrics under bundled care
BY SAHELY MUKERJI | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016
The number of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) surgeries, one of the most common spine procedures performed in the US today, continues to rise as a result of the growing elderly population in the country, says Anthony L. Asher, MD, ASCA Board member, director of the Neuroscience Institute at Carolinas HealthCare System and a senior partner at Carolina Neurosurgery and Spine Associates in Charlotte, North Carolina.
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Will the bundled payment model work for ASCs?
COMPILED BY SAHELY MUKERJI | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016
The federal government has initiated broad adoption of bundled payment methodologies in inpatient settings including the Bundled Payment for Care Improvement (BPCI) initiative and, more recently, the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) regulations. According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) more than 500 hospitals now participate in these programs.
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Prevention and backups are the best defense
BY ROBERT KURTZ | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016
Steven Sanchez, network administrator and facilities manager for Pend Oreille Surgery Center in Ponderay, Idaho, says ransomware is an issue of growing concern for his ASC. He points to the increasing number of organizations affected by this cybersecurity threat.
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Train, monitor and audit
BY ROBERT KURTZ | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016
Rancho Bernardo Surgery Center makes medication preparation a constant area of focus, says Stephanie McIntosh, RN, administrator for the San Diego, California-based ASC. “Keeping it at the forefront of everyone’s mind is what keeps us vigilant with following regulations and proper practices.”
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Avoid eight common mistakes
BY ROBERT KURTZ | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016
Social media usage has jumped nearly tenfold from 7 percent in 2005 when the Pew Research Center began tracking social media usage to 65 percent in 2015, according to an October 2015 Pew Research report. Consequently, there is increasing pressure on ASCs to develop an online presence, says Charlie Leonard, a public affairs adviser based in Santa Barbara, California.
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