Here are seven news updates for ambulatory surgery center industry leaders to know for Dec. 11, 2014.
North Carolina CON law may be subject to reform.
North Carolina legislators plan to initiate CON law reform in 2015. The reform is aimed at increasing market competition to help reduce the cost of care. Read the full report on Becker's ASC Review.
Albany Surgical to build $6M ASC.
Albany (Ga.) Surgical has broken ground on a new $6 million ambulatory surgery center and office. The new facility will be approximately 25,000 square feet. The project is expected to take 11 months to reach completion. Six physician partners will perform procedures at the general surgery-focused center.
Northstar Healthcare rebrands as Nobilis Health.
Earlier this month, Northstar Healthcare acquired marketing company Athas Health for $34 million. Following the acquisition, the company rebranded as Nobilis Health. Christopher Lloyd of Athas Health assumed the role CEO for the combined companies.
CMS renews Joint Commission's deeming status.
CMS renewed The Joint Commission's ambulatory surgery center deeming authority from Dec. 20, 2014 through Dec. 20, 2020. The Joint Commission's standards for ASC surveying meet or exceed those required by CMS, leading to the recertification.
Aurora Health Care to build $75M surgery center.
Milwaukee-based Aurora Health Care has received approval from the Burlington City Council to build an outpatient surgery center in Burlington, Wis. The project will cost about $75 million and will be 160,000 square feet. Services at the center will include cancer services, a women's imaging department, physical rehabilitation, laboratory, pharmacy and outpatient surgery services.
Buffalo Surgery Center to add physician owners.
Buffalo Surgery Center in Amherst, N.Y., received state approval to add nine new physician owners. The surgery center also earned approval to increase ownership shares of an existing member to a 49.96 percent stake. The increase was valued at approximately $1.2 million, according to the report.
Physician compensation increases on the decline.
Increases in median total cash compensation for physicians were lower in 2014 than 2013, according to the 2014 Physician Compensation and Productivity Survey from Sullivan, Cotter and Associates. Read the full report on Becker's Hospital Review.