Survey: ASC leader satisfaction falls slightly amid compensation reductions
Satisfaction of ambulatory surgery (ASC) leaders with their current jobs/positions has fallen in the past year, according to the 2025 OR Manager Career/Salary Survey. After reaching a 5-year high of 81% in 2024’s survey, the favorable satisfaction rating fell to 72%. However, that percentage aligns with surveys from several years…
CMS launches 6-year model to curb wasteful Medicare spending with AI-driven reviews
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the launch of a new model using artificial intelligence (AI) to target unnecessary Medicare spending, the agency reported in an October 17 update. The voluntary model will run from January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2031, and aims to…
Private equity bets big on outpatient cardiology as CMS boosts reimbursements
Editor's Note Private equity firms are accelerating their push into outpatient cardiology, lured by reimbursement trends and a fragmented market but shadowed by concerns about patient outcomes and financial motives, Modern Healthcare October 16 reports. Investor activity in cardiology has surged alongside the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)…
AI-driven CMS pilot model could slow ASC care despite fraud-fighting goals
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is enlisting artificial intelligence (AI) to combat wasteful spending, but ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) warn the plan could slow care and increase administrative strain, Ambulatory Surgery Center News October 20 reports. The agency’s new Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction (WISeR)…
UnitedHealthcare anesthesia cuts spark backlash over patient access risks
Editor's Note UnitedHealthcare’s 15% cut to certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) reimbursements has ignited strong opposition from anesthesia leaders who warn the policy could endanger patient access to safe, affordable care in rural and underserved areas, Nurse.org October 14 reports. On October 1, UnitedHealthcare implemented the new policy, reducing payments…
Office-based surgery offers new outpatient opportunities
Office-based surgery (OBS) is one of the fastest-growing care settings in the US. From ophthalmology and dermatology to gastroenterology and even orthopedics, more procedures once limited to hospitals or ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) are now being performed in medical office suites. Among many factors, the growth is being fueled by…
The Joint Commission makes nurse staffing a national performance goal for 2026
Editor's Note The Joint Commission has made nurse staffing a national benchmark for hospital accreditation, formally recognizing it as a core measure of patient safety and care quality, Nurse.org October 13 reports. For the first time, hospitals must meet specific staffing standards to earn or maintain accreditation. Under the new…
Telehealth in limbo: Providers split on continuing Medicare services during shutdown
Editor's Note Telehealth providers are divided over whether to continue serving Medicare patients after reimbursement expired alongside the federal government shutdown, Modern Healthcare October 9 reports. The impasse has forced organizations to weigh patient access against financial risk, with many issuing advance beneficiary notices warning patients they may be responsible…
ASCs surge as hospitals and investors chase outpatient growth
Editor's Note Hospitals, physicians, and private equity are accelerating their push into lower-cost outpatient care. According to Colliers US Healthcare Services Research Report Q3 2025, published on September 22, ambulatory surgery center (ASCs) procedure volumes are projected to grow 9% between 2023 and 2028—outpacing hospital outpatient department growth at 7%—and…
Government shutdown squeezes military medicine, halts NIH research, cuts CDC operations
Editor's Note Following yesterday’s update on the impact of the federal government shutdown on telehealth and Affordable Care Act disruptions, the shutdown is also straining military health systems, biomedical research, and disease prevention programs, creating ripple effects for patient care and surgical innovation, Politico October 1 reports. While Medicare, Medicaid,…
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- Session: Automate to elevate—Streamlining pre-, postoperative processes for better outcomes in ASCs
- Transparent oversight is key to safe surgical innovation