Mergers and acquisitions of ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) have increased recently, as organizations perceive the opportunities provided by growth markets, and ASCs realize the benefits of having access to a larger provider network, such as a pipeline of patients and more power in negotiating with insurers. Those transactions can have…

On November 1, 2017, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released its final rule for the 2018 Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System/ASC Payment System and Quality Reporting Programs. In summary, several ambulatory surgery center (ASC) measures (ASC-1 to ASC-14) are unaffected, except that three measures (ASC-5, -6,…

Peer review is a hot topic in the quality arena as many ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) strive to create meaningful and sustainable evaluation of their providers. “As a surveyor, I can tell you peer review trips everybody up,” says Ann Geier, MS, RN, CNOR, CASC, chief nursing officer of Surgical…

Each day seems to bring new tasks for leaders of ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), adding to their already overflowing plate. One task that can easily fall off that plate is collecting and analyzing metrics, yet failing to do so can have serious financial consequences. OR Manager recently asked ASC leaders…

Every week Ann Shimek, MSN, BSN, RN, CASC, hits the road to communicate about communicating. Shimek is senior vice president of clinical operations at United Surgical Partners International (USPI) in Addison, Texas. She and her team of six clinical nurses travel among USPI’s 21 hospitals and 260 ambulatory surgery centers…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…