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12 Interesting Statistics From the VMG Health Endo Centers Financial and Operational Benchmark Study

Written by Scott Becker
Monday, 05 May 2008
This article briefly outlines 12 findings from the VMG Health Endo Centers Benchmarking Study. The study, together with the IMA Health Multi-Specialty Center Study, is an outstanding resource for ASCs.
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Key Clinical and Business Developments in ASC Anesthesia

Written by Dana Kulvin, MPH, JD
Monday, 28 April 2008
"The best surgical outcomes, highest profits and greatest patient satisfaction are found at well-managed ASCs that have an awareness of how areas such as anesthesia affect ASCs’ general operations,” says Susan Kizirian, RN, MBA, the chief operating officer at Ambulatory Surgery Centers of America.
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Five Practical Tips to Becoming a Top Spine and Orthopedic Hospital

Written by Rob Kurtz
Monday, 28 April 2008
The Neurologic & Orthopedic Hospital of Chicago (NOHC) was ranked the top hospital in Illinois and among the top 5 percent in the country for spine surgery in 2008, according to the latest HealthGrades Hospital Quality in America study, released earlier this year. The study is an annual assessment of mortality and complication rates in nearly 5,000 hospitals nationwide performed by HealthGrades, a for-profit healthcare ratings organization.
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New Financing Opportunities for Common ASC Challenges

Written by Doug Lewis and Shannon LeRoy
Monday, 28 April 2008
In this period of economic challenges, there may be many reasons a physician might want to cash out some of his investment in an ASC. Further, given the credit crunch, younger physicians who want to take the opportunity to buy into an ASC might have a hard time raising the capital.
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7 Accounting Tips to Help Your Practice Be More Efficient

Written by Angela Burger and Sheila Wanjiru
Monday, 28 April 2008
It’s easy to get caught up in focusing on the clinical side of your ASC; after all, bringing in procedures and performing them efficiently and at a high level of quality are the foremost keys to producing revenue. But when the cases are done and the patient files turned over to the business office, what can your back office staff do to ensure they, too, perform efficiently and at a high level of quality to complete the revenue puzzle? Here’s a look at seven best practices offered by our experts.
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State Alleges Long Island ASC Received $1 Million in Overpayments

Written by Rob Kurtz
Monday, 28 April 2008
An ongoing investigation into out-of-network billing practices by the New York state comptroller has resulted in allegations against a surgery center on Long Island that it inflated bills which cost the state $1 million, according to an audit report from Thomas DiNapoli, the state’s comptroller. This type of investigation reminds ASCs how cautious they must remain as it relates to out-of-network billing practices.
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HealthMark Partners Acquires Alliance Surgery

Written by Staff
Friday, 25 April 2008
Nashville's HealthMark Partners (HMP) has announced that it and Atlanta-based Alliance Surgery (ASI) have combined their companies through a stock-for-stock exchange.
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CMS Issues Quarterly Update to ASC Payment System

Written by Rob Kurtz
Tuesday, 22 April 2008
CMS has issued updated payment rates for selected separately payable drugs and biologicals and provided rates and descriptors for newly created Level II HCPCS codes for drugs and biologicals in its first quarterly update to the ASC payment system.
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4 Quality Benchmarks for ASCs

Written by Stephanie Wasek
Monday, 21 April 2008
The Colorado Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (CASCA) released the results of the nation's first Quality Research Initiative stat survey of ASC activities, including procedures performed, nurse to patient ratios, infection rates and patient satisfaction.
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