Surgery/Specialties

Latest Issue of OR Manager
September 2025
Home Surgery/Specialties

Establishing service lines in ambulatory surgery centers

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the healthcare industry could fill an entire academic curriculum at this point, let alone a single article. But one potential silver lining among the storms of bad news is the increasing migration of elective procedures from hospitals to ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). Although…

Read More

By: Shawn Sefton, MBA, BSN, RN
March 25, 2022
Share

Key items for cardiovascular, peripheral vascular service lines

Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) are ramping up cardiovascular and peripheral vascular service lines, as Medicare offers payment for a growing number of cardiac procedures and accrediting bodies offer support for this methodology. In 2021, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission reported that the number of ASCs billing Medicare for cardiology procedures…

Read More

By: Jennifer Lubell
March 25, 2022
Share

A systemic approach to cardiac service line safety

Among Surgical Care Affiliates’ (SCA) 260-plus facilities in the US, at least 10% have added cardiovascular/peripheral vascular service capabilities. SCA experts anticipate more growth in this area. However, any successful launch starts with an organizational focus on patient safety, says Ezra Erb, vice president for clinical quality at SCA, which…

Read More

By: Jennifer Lubell
March 25, 2022
Share

Research shows orthopedic procedures cost less in ASCs

Editor's Note According to ASC Focus, the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association journal, new research was recently published that supports older data pointing to the cost savings of orthopedic procedures being done in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) compared to hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs). Past research cited by ASC Focus included an…

Read More

By: Tarsilla Moura
March 15, 2022
Share

Sponsored Message

ASA: Best practices to manage acute pain in surgical patients developed at pain summit

Editor's Note The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) announced on March 8 that it had joined with 14 leading medical specialty organizations to establish seven guiding principles to address the treatment of acute perioperative pain in complex surgical patients. The new principles were developed during a second landmark pain summit…

Read More

By: Judy Mathias
March 14, 2022
Share

Survey: Concerns older adults have when considering elective surgery

Editor's Note New findings from the University of Michigan's "National Poll on Healthy Aging" show that while most adults between the ages of 50 and 80 express concerns when opting to have elective surgery, 2 in 3 are “very satisfied with the outcome” post-procedure, according to a March 9 American…

Read More

By: Tarsilla Moura
March 10, 2022
Share

Sponsored Message

Report: Cardiology is fastest growing ASC specialty

Editor's Note According to the 2022 Key ASC Benchmarks and Industry Figures report published by Avanza Healthcare Strategies, an ASC consulting firm, cardiology is the fastest growing ASC specialty, Becker’s ASC Review March 10 reports. The Avanza report was released on March 8 and is a “compilation of recently [as…

Read More

By: Tarsilla Moura
March 10, 2022
Share

2-year outcomes of TAVR vs surgical AVR in low-risk patients

Editor's Note In this study, researchers report the 2-year outcomes for patients enrolled in the Evolut Low Risk Trial (Medtronic Evolut Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Low Risk Patients), which show that transcather aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with a supra-annular, self-expanding valve is noninferior to surgical aortic valve replacement (AVR).…

Read More

By: Judy Mathias
March 8, 2022
Share

ASCs adopt ‘Super Saturday’ strategy to clear surgery backlogs

Editor's Note Surgical backlog is still a challenge that many ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) are currently working through. According to Becker’s ASC Review March 3, this backlog “could take years for some centers to recover from depending on the specialty and site of care” and has led some ASCs to…

Read More

By: Tarsilla Moura
March 7, 2022
Share

Study: Weight loss achieved through metabolic surgery associated with less severe COVID-19

Editor's Note In a study published by JAMA Surgery in December 2021, the association between weight loss resulting from a metabolic surgical procedure performed pre-pandemic and less severe COVID-19 infection was analyzed in patients with obesity. Patients who underwent a procedure pre-pandemic, lost weight, and then contracted COVID-19 saw better…

Read More

By: Tarsilla Moura
March 3, 2022
Share

Join our community

Learn More
Video Spotlight
Live chat by BoldChat