Tag: Cost savings

Medicare Advantage patients see lower perioperative costs than traditional Medicare peers

Editor's Note Surgical episodes for Medicare Advantage (MA) patients cost less and used fewer resources than those for traditional Medicare (TM) beneficiaries, according to a JAMA Health Forum study published August 1. Researchers analyzed 1.18 million procedures performed on 1.11 million beneficiaries and found 30-day episode costs were 3.1% lower…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
August 25, 2025
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Standardized pathways cut costs, hospital days in pediatric surgery without raising complication rates

Editor's Note Standardized perioperative protocols can reduce hospital stays and costs for children undergoing surgery without affecting complication rates, JAMA Surgery August 20 reports. As detailed in this original investigation, the researchers evaluated the Minimizing Variance in Pediatric Surgery (MViPS) program, a fellow-led initiative launched in 2013 across two academic…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
August 20, 2025
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Artificial disc replacement proves safe, efficient, cost-saving in outpatient spine surgery

Editor's Note Artificial disc replacement (ADR) in the cervical spine can be performed safely, efficiently, and cost-effectively in outpatient/ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), Ortho Spine News July 31 reports. The article details research from Steven J. Girdler, MD, of DISC Surgery Center, who reviewed 6 years of data from 1,043 patients…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
August 20, 2025
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Hospital-affiliated doctors drive highest costs by avoiding lower-cost sites

Editor's Note Patients treated by hospital-affiliated physicians are far less likely to receive specialty procedures in lower-cost settings, while private-equity–affiliated doctors are the most likely to steer patients toward these options, Ambulatory Surgery Center News August 12 reports. The findings come from a Mount Sinai study that examined physician affiliation,…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
August 20, 2025
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Mind the gap: Why Medicare pays ASCs less than HOPDs—and what that means

For decades, ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) have shown their ability to deliver high-quality surgical care at substantially lower cost than hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs). ASCs achieve these savings through leaner operations, streamlined staffing models, and specialty-focused efficiencies, not by compromising safety or outcomes. Studies consistently highlight procedures performed in ASCs…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
August 19, 2025
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Centralized sterile processing cuts costs, complexity for four ASCs

Once limited to hospital inpatient settings, total joint surgery is increasingly common at ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) across the US. What is not so common is performing these complex procedures without the benefit of an onsite sterile processing department (SPD). And yet, that is exactly what we have accomplished at…

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By: Emily Arce and Lacey Dyer
August 13, 2025
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Centralized sterile processing: An ASC's journey to offsite sterilization

Editor’s Note: This page is a companion piece to the main article, Centralized sterile processing cuts costs, complexity for four ASCs.    Implementing offsite sterilization is a major project. At Total Joint Specialists, our journey began gradually, growing in scope over time as the team became comfortable with the process…

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By: Emily Arce, Lacey Dyer
August 13, 2025
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Study: Medicare Advantage surgical episodes cost less, achieve similar quality as traditional Medicare

Editor's Note Medicare Advantage (MA) patients undergoing elective surgery incurred lower costs than comparable patients in traditional Medicare (TM) without higher readmission rates and with no significant difference in mortality rates, according to a study published August 1 in JAMA Health Forum. The findings suggest that MA plans reduce surgical…

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By: Matt Danford
August 6, 2025
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Navigating OR construction design, compliance, approval in a booming ASC market

Editor’s Note: This page is a companion piece to the main article, Proper planning prevents OR construction, renovation cost creep. It brings together four focused updates on OR and ambulatory surgery center (ASC) construction and renovation: Regulatory shifts: The Joint Commission's updated safety and sustainability requirements for hospitals and ASCs, including new…

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By: Uyen Vo
July 23, 2025
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Five underreported health changes in 'big beautiful bill'

Editor's Note Although the newly enacted One Big Beautiful Bill Act is best known for major Medicaid cuts and a temporary Medicare Physician Fee Schedule increase, it also carries significant policy changes that could affect providers, patients, and the physician workforce, MedPage Today reported July 11. The article lists five…

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By: Matt Danford
July 16, 2025
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