Subscriber Content ASC leaders like their jobs despite stagnant salaries
Despite the turmoil in healthcare, leaders of ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) are a highly satisfied group, with 83% having a favorable view of their current position, according to the OR Manager 2017 Salary/Career Survey. But ASC leaders are markedly less satisfied when it comes to their compensation, with 60% viewing…
Subscriber Content CMS proposes delay for mandatory implementation of OAS CAHPS Survey
Responding to industry concerns, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed a delay in the mandatory implementation of the patient experience of care satisfaction survey requirement known as the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Outpatient and Ambulatory Surgery Survey® (OAS CAHPS). CMS announced the proposed…
Subscriber Content ASCs struggle to match staffing to demand
Hiring experienced staff remains a challenge for leaders in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) even as many organizations increase case volume and specialties, according to the 2017 annual OR Manager Salary/Career Survey. More than two-thirds (67%) of respondents said that recruiting experienced RNs had become more difficult in the past 12…
Subscriber Content Do Medicare's latest code changes help or hurt ASCs?
Medicare is increasing approval of higher-acuity procedures performed in the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) setting, creating meaningful opportunities for ASCs. At the same time, however, a number of outpatient procedure codes have been deleted, reduced, or are packaged and considered all-inclusive in a case, without additional payment. “Key changes occurred…
Subscriber Content Efforts to improve FCOTS may reduce overutilized OR time
Ccommon cost-saving strategies in the OR include increasing workflow efficiency, reducing turnover times, implementing standardized preoperative protocols, and improving surgical case scheduling and first case on-time starts (FCOTS). These interventions aim to decrease under- and overutilized time in the OR, but there is conflicting evidence about their economic value. Many…
Subscriber Content The microhospital trend: ASC friend or foe?
Among the changes occurring in healthcare delivery is an emerging trend that suggests ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) may find themselves with a new type of business partner—or possible competition. That would be the microhospital, which occupies a fraction of the space of a standard inpatient hospital, with some, but not…
Subscriber Content Choose the right linen service to match supply with demand
Linens and textiles may not be as exciting as the latest spinal device or miracle drug, but they are a mainstay of every healthcare setting. Quality matters, and costs associated with these high-use items can make a difference in a facility’s overall expenses. It’s essential to evaluate the best way…
Subscriber Content ASC reaps rewards of recycling and reprocessing
What began as an employee request to reduce waste and create a “greener” workplace has resulted in an international award for TRIA Orthopedic Center, Bloomington, Minnesota. By conserving materials and energy, the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) not only reduced its environmental impact, but also saved money. The initiative started with…
Subscriber Content Adding new business to the ASC, one procedure at a time—Part 3
Total joint procedures are gradually moving to ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) as technology, medical expertise, and cost pressures combine to make the ASC an increasingly attractive alternative to an acute care hospital. The key to success for these and other complex procedures, experts say, is a combination of careful planning,…
Subscriber Content Adding new business to the ASC, one procedure at a time—Part 2
Aging and active Americans are refusing to let back problems slow them down—the number of these patients is increasing, and they prefer the less invasive outpatient methods offered in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). So do their physicians. As a result, ASCs seeking to adopt new procedures are looking more closely…
- AHA study: HOPD Medicare patients are poorer, sicker, more rural than those seen in physician offices
- Survey: Perioperative leaders adapt to supply strain, staffing pressure, ASC growth
- Endoscopy case highlights risks of complex patients in ASCs
- Robotics and AI are redefining precision in cataract surgery
- CMS plan to phase out inpatient only list sparks debate over safety for vulnerable patients
- Surgical robotics market accelerates as new players challenge industry giants
- Nurse leaders weigh in on NCLEX pass rate decline, impact on workforce readiness
- CMS’s plan to phase out inpatient-only list could bolster rural ASCs
- AAAHC unveils v44 standards to sharpen focus on patient-centered ambulatory care
- Medicare Advantage patients see lower perioperative costs than traditional Medicare peers