Here are seven healthcare updates for ASC leaders to note:
HealthEast to acquire minority interest in Summit Orthopedics' ASC
St. Paul, Minn.-based HealthEast and Minnesota-based Summit Orthopedics formed a deal that gives HealthEast a minority interest in Summit's Vadnais Heights (Minn.) Surgery Center. The surgery center has The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval for Advanced Certification for Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement.
These 5 places will be hardest hit by payers leaving the ACA
As the deadline for payers to enroll into the ACA approaches, The Hill reports payers leaving the ACA will mostly impact these five places. These places include Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Knoxville, Tenn. and rural areas.
Wills Eye Hospital possibly 1 step closer to getting designation changed from ASC to hospital
CMS administrator Seema Verma sent a letter to Philadelphia-based Wills Eye Hospital saying the agency is reviewing their hospital surveyor guidance to assess whether Wills Eye should have a hospital or ASC designation. Under Medicare, Wills Eye is classified as an ASC and has had that designation since July 2006 when it sold its inpatient business. Wills Eyes has sought a hospital designation since 2013 when it finished a renovation including a four-bed inpatient unit.
Physicians Endoscopy buys into Great South Bay Endoscopy
Physicians Endoscopy purchased a minority stake in East Patchogue, N.Y.-based Great South Bay Endoscopy. Great South Bay Endoscopy is a two-room ASC. It opened in 2014 and performs more than 5,000 annual cases. The center has five physicians.
ASCA Healthcare Asset Network to create online shopping portal
Ambulatory Surgery Center Association and Healthcare Asset Network partnered to create ASCA Asset Network, a secure online portal allowing ASCs to buy and sell healthcare supplies and equipment. The network is streamlined and vetted for new and refurbished equipment.
Physicians largely paid based on volume
Despite the industry emphasizing the need to tie payments to value, fee-for-service is still the name of the game, according to a Merritt Hawkins survey. In 2016 to 2017, quality scores comprised 4 percent of overall physician compensation, begging the question as to whether this figure was enough to improve physician performance.
UCHealth expanding in Denver through new ASC
UCHealth is building a new five-story building which includes an ASC. In addition to the surgery center, providers will offer cancer care, women's care as well as primary and advanced care.