Tag: Hospital outpatient

Spine surgeon shortage deepens as consolidation, site shifts reshape ASC markets

Editor's Note Hiring for spinal procedures are tightening and consolidation is accelerating, reshaping where and how ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) secure talent, Becker’s Spine Review October 3 reports. A mounting orthopedic shortage exceeding 5,000 by year-end is making spine one of the hardest specialties to recruit, with timelines stretching and…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
October 8, 2025
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Study: Outpatient surgery costs hinge on site of care, network status

Editor's Note Patients and insurers pay far less for outpatient surgical procedures performed at in-network ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) than at hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs), the American Journal of Managed Care October 6 reports. This study, led by Xiaoxi Zhao, PhD, Christopher Whaley, PhD, and colleagues, analyzed commercial claims data…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
October 8, 2025
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Private equity is reshaping ASCs, raising cost and antitrust concerns

Editor's Note Private equity is driving a quiet but powerful transformation in the $30 billion ambulatory surgery center (ASC) market, heightening risks of higher costs and reduced competition, an October 2025 research brief from the Private Equity Stakeholder Project (PESP) reports. It warns that Wall-Street-backed consolidation and opaque ownership structures…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
October 8, 2025
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AHA study: HOPD Medicare patients are poorer, sicker, more rural than those seen in physician offices

Editor's Note Medicare patients treated in hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs) present with greater socioeconomic and clinical complexity than peers seen in independent physician offices, including higher prior emergency department (ED) visits and inpatient use. According to an American Hospital Association (AHA) study conducted by KNG Health Consulting and published on…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
September 4, 2025
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Hospital margins improve as outpatient revenue accelerates, but costs loom

Editor's Note Hospital operating margins rose in June as outpatient revenue growth fueled stronger financial performance, though rising bad debt and non-labor expenses continue to pressure stability, according to Kaufman Hall’s latest National Hospital Flash Report. HealthLeaders August 18 covered the findings. As detailed in the article, the median year-to-date…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
August 18, 2025
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CMS payment overhaul could cut specialist pay

Editor's Note A “quiet transformation” in how Medicare pays doctors could reduce payments for specialty care, including rates for billing codes associated with surgery, diagnostic imaging, outpatient care, pain management, and orthopedics, Modern Healthcare July 22 reports. According to the article, The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) 2026…

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By: Matt Danford
July 24, 2025
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Study: Outpatient PCI safety comparable for ASCs, HOPDs

Editor's Note The first study to evaluate percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) in Medicare beneficiaries treated at ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) found similar short-term safety outcomes as hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs). As detailed in an announcement from The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI), the research was presented on May…

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By: Matt Danford
May 8, 2025
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ASCA 2025: Leading lawmaker reflects on surgery center priorities

Editor's Note At the 2025 Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA) conference, discussion of legislative priorities extended beyond educational sessions. Thanks to a visit from the ranking lawmaker of the congressional subcommittee responsible for most healthcare policymaking, attendees also got first-hand insight into the latest negotiations on Capitol Hill. US Representative…

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By: Matt Danford
May 6, 2025
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Study: Shifting imaging to outpatient centers could save billions

Editor's Note Moving radiology services from hospitals to outpatient centers could slash healthcare costs by billions annually while improving patient care, according to a March 3 Radiology Business News report on a study published in the American Journal of Roentgenology (AJR). The study found that shifting just 10% of hospital-based…

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By: Matt Danford
March 4, 2025
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Private Equity fuels growth of hospital-owned ASCs amidst rising demand, regulatory loopholes

Editor's Note Private equity investment in hospital-owned ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) is rising as hospitals seek expansion capital and private equity firms look for profitable partnerships in a growing sector, Modern Healthcare November 4 reports. ASCs have become popular due to their lower costs compared to hospitals, which makes them…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
November 6, 2024
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