Latest News & Analysis
|
1. 4 Issues ASCs Should Know About -- Under-Arrangements, Leasing Equipment From Physician-Investors, Non-Productive Partners and Bariatrics. 
2. Practical Guidance to Overcome Four Reimbursement Challenges.
3. Report: Surgeons Least-Satisfied Physicians in Hospitals; OR Problems Highlighted.
4. Health Net to Pay $255 Million to Settle Out-of-Network Underpayment Allegations.
5. Few spots remain for Case Costing and Advanced Benchmarking for ASCs audio conference (Aug. 6). Hear from Ann Geier, vice president of operations for ASCOA, and Susan Kizirian, COO of ASCOA. Complimentary registration available for ASC Review subscribers. Limit 50 registrants.
6. House Committee Approves Health IT Bill Aimed at Universal EHR.
7. Healthcare in Cincinnati Seeing Significant Outpatient Surgery Influence.
8. McShane Reaches Landmark 1 Million Square Feet of Healthcare Construction.
9. The Sept./Oct. issue of the ASC Review will mail in late August, to land on people's desks Sept 1. The issue includes 34 tips for dealing with Medicare and third-party payors, 45 things to know about ASCs, and current issues in construction and real estate development. Subscribe today:
10. We are seeking nominations for two lists: "Women Leaders in ASCs" and "Top Adminstrators Who Exemplify Use of IT in ASCs." To submit a nomination, e-mail Rob Kurtz (rob@beckersasc.com):
|
Practical Guidance for Handling Surgical Cancellations
|
Q: What do you do to decrease high surgical cancellation rates? How do you approach the physician? The patient?
Featured answer: "When there are cancellations, we typically ask the physician's offices to try to backfill those cancellations. We have also developed a cancellation form in which we fax to the physician's offices. This tool not only assists us with making them aware of a cancellation but it also encourages them to reschedule those cases as soon as possible.
"If a patient cancels, we ask them the reason why and we direct them to the physician's office to reschedule their procedure. We send the cancellation form to the physician's office and ask that they provide us with a rescheduled date.
I think that the key is having good communication with the patient and the physician's offices.
-- Alex Reyes, administrator, Treasure Coast Center for Surgery, Stuart, Fla.
For more selected reader answers to this question, click here. To submit a question of your own, e-mail Rob Kurtz.
|
|
How Important Are Relations With Primary Care Physicians? Does it Make Sense for Hospitals to Employ Them?
|
How important are relations between your surgeons, the surgery center and primary care physicians to the success of your center?
Does the strategy of hospitals employing primary care physicians make sense?
E-mail your thoughts to this question to Rob Kurtz at rob@beckersasc.com. Be sure to include your name, title and business name for confirmation purposes (you may request that we publish your answer anonymously). Shortly, we will publish a selection of the responses we receive and choose one response as our "featured answer."
|
|
| Register Now for ASC Communications & Ambulatory Surgery Foundation Fall Conference
|
15th Annual Improving Profits and Business and Legal Issues for ASCs
presented by ASC Communications and the Ambulatory Surgery Foundation
Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Chicago
Oct. 23 to 25
Five great sample topics:
1. Making Urology a Success in Your ASC -- Bill Mobley, MD, Urological Associates; Herb Riemenschneider, MD, Knightsbridge Surgery Center2. Using Benchmarking to Measure Risks and the Real Value of Physician Shares in an ASC -- Jon O'Sullivan, Principal, VMG Health3. Which Back-Office Services Can you Effectively Outsource? - What Works; What Doesn't Work - What Are the Costs and Benefits? -- Steve Dobias, Principal, Somerset CPAs; Tom Jacobs, President and CEO, MedHQ4. General Surgery in ASCs - Why More General Surgeons Are Moving to ASCs; Are General Surgeons Worth Pursuing as Partners? -- Tom Galouzis, MD, President, Lake Park Surgicare5. Primary Care Physicians as Procedurists in ASCs -- Steve Lloyd, MD, Medical Endoscopy of South CarolinaTo see the entire agenda, download the conference brochure (PDF).
There are four ways to register:
1. Fill out and mail or fax the registration form in the conference brochure.
2. Call (703) 836-5904 or (800) 417-2035.
3. Register online by clicking here.
4. E-mail registration@ascassociation.org.
|
|
|
|
|
Contact us toll-free: (800) 417-2035
|
Thank You to 15th Annual Fall ASC Conference Sponsors
|
1. Serbin Surgery Center Billing. SCB concentrates on the unique needs of surgery centers and provides expert and accurate coding, billing, collections, and managed care negotiations solely to the ASC industry. The company is the exclusive ASC billing sponsor and tote bag sponsor at the fall conference. Learn more about SCB.
2. Affiliated Credit Services. Affiliated Credit Services is a Colo.-based professional account receivables management firm which focuses on increasing businesses cash flow by providing superior collection services. The company will sponsor the water bottles at the fall conference. Read more about Affiliated Credit.
3. Symbion. Head- quartered in Nashville, Tenn., Symbion is a leading provider of high quality surgical services across many specialties. The company will co- sponsor the Friday night cocktail party at the fall conference. Learn more about Symbion.
4. VMG Health. VMG Health is recognized by leading healthcare providers as one of the most trusted valuation and transaction advisors in the United States. The company will sponsor the keynote speaker at the fall conference. Read more about VMG Health.
5. Erdman (A Cogdell Spencer Company). As an integrated provider, Erdman offers service from facility conception to completion, including advance planning, development, design and construction. The company is the fall conference's exclusive sponsor for construction, design and build. Learn more about Erdman.
6. QSE Technologies. QSE Technologies is a premiere IT systems integrator serving the ambulatory healthcare industry for more than five years. The company will sponsor the cyber café at the fall conference. Learn more about QSE.
7. National Surgical Care. National Surgical Care, a nationwide owner and operator of ASCs, focuses on addressing the needs and problems confronting surgery centers. The company will co-sponsor the conference at-a-glance. Read more about NSC.
8. Eveia. Health Consulting & Management Company. Eveia is comprised of a team of seasoned professionals who are experts in reimbursement management, managed care contracting, and business management with a specialization in ASCs and surgical practices. The company will co-sponsor the conference at-a-glance. Read more about Eveia.
|
Upcoming ASC Events
|
15th Improving Profitability, and Business, Strategic, Clinical and Legal Issues for ASCs
Oct. 23 to 25, 2008
Chicago
ASC Benchmarking and Case-Costing
Aug. 6, 2008
Audio Conference
Physician/Hospital Integration Efforts
Sept. 25, 2008
Audio Conference
For a complete list of upcoming events, click here
|
|
Becker's ASC Review Subscriber Benefits
|
As a Becker's ASC Review subscriber, you are entitled to the following benefits: 1. Becker's ASC Review delivered to your door; 2. subscriber discounts on the audio conference registrations; 3. $100 off registration for the June conference; 4. $50 off registration for both the October conference; and 5. a free copy of the VMG Health Intellimarker benchmarking survey. To subscribe to the Becker's ASC Review, go to www.BeckersASC.com. |
|
Editorial Contacts
|
For more information about print and online stories, please contact editorial.
Stephanie Wasek
Co-Editor-in-Chief
(484) 866-1292
e-mail Stephanie
Rob Kurtz
Director of Communications
(410) 874-7681
e-mail Rob
|
|
|
>
