Five Evolving Trends for Health Systems; Uwe Reinhardt to Keynote 15th Annual Ambulatory Surgery Center Conference

There are several interesting trends evolving in the healthcare and hospital system area. These include the following issues:

1. Evolving towards employee models. We are seeing a substantial increase in systems establishing part time and full time employment models with physicians. This is focused as much towards specialists as it is towards internists and primary care physicians.
2. Growing divide between the haves and have nots. In the hospital area, it is becoming clear that 20 percent to 25 percent of the nation's hospitals are thriving tremendously. At the same time, there is a great balance of hospitals that are struggling significantly. It continues to be a great split and divide amongst hospitals.
3. Joint ventures can help, but not a panacea. Over the last five years, the strategy of joint venturing with physicians has remained a solid method for developing alliances with physicians. At the same time, many hospitals are finding that it is not a strategy that fits all problems and all issues. This, in part, explains the movement towards employment models. In essence, systems find that they can use joint ventures to solve a part of their physician and capital problems but find that it is also necessary to engage and focus efforts around employment and other models.
4. Exponential uncrease in electronic health records and information systems integration. Over the past 12 to 18 months, we have witnessed tremendous growth in the implementation of models between physicians and hospitals relating to integration of medical records. We expect this to continue for the next 24 to 36 months. Our next issue will include a significant article on nine things you should know about the Stark Act rules related to electronic health records donations to physician practices.
5. Recovery audit contractors are here to stay. Recovery audit contractors continue to demonstrate significant results in returning funds to the Medicare/Medicaid programs. Notwithstanding their lack of popularity, we expect this to continue as a strategy to help recover costs in the healthcare sector.

The last quarter of the year should be a very exciting one. The election results, together with continued pressure on healthcare costs, should make the next several months and next year an interesting one in the healthcare sector.

For more information and updates on the hospital sector, please visit www.hospitalreviewmagazine.com.

Uwe Reinhardt to Keynote 15th Annual ASC Conference.
For those interested in ambulatory surgery centers, we have the 15th Annual Ambulatory Surgery Center Conference scheduled for October 23rd to 25th at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers in Chicago. There, we will have Uwe Reinhardt giving the keynote address. We also have a great list of topics and issues up for discussion.

Here are some of the sample topics that are being discussed at that meeting. Overall, there will be more than 75 presentations. We expect an outstanding turnout.

• Successful Structuring of Physician-Hospital ASC Joint Ventures — Joe Zasa, CEO, Woodrum ASD; Deanne Manchester, USPI; Amber Walsh, and Elissa Moore, McGuireWoods
• Orthopedics in ASCs: What Can You Expect in the Next Five Years — John Cherf, MD, Dept. of Orthopedics, The Neurological & Orthopedic Hospital of Chicago
• The State of the Union for ASCs — Kathy Bryant, President, ASC Association
• Can Two Centers Thrive by Merging? — Tom Yerden, CEO and Founder, TRY Health Care Solutions
• Gastroenterology, ENT, Ophthalmology, Pain Management and Bariatrics in ASC: What Works and What Doesn't — Anne Roberts,Surgery Center of Reno; Steve Blom, San Antonio Surgery Center; John Poisson, Executive VP, Physicians Endoscopy; Dr. Douglas Hoisington
• Practical Case-Costing and Benchmarking for ASCs — Alsie Sydness-Fitzgerald
• The Future of ASCs — Dr. Mark Koch, Somnia, Inc.; Tom Mallon, CEO and Founder, Regent Surgical Health; Tony Taparo, Symbion, Inc.
• Assessing the Profitability of Different Specialties in ASCs — Luke Lambert, CEO, ASCOA
• From ASC to Hospital: What are the Pros and Cons of a Conversion to a Hospital? — Brett Gosney, CEO, Animas Surgical Hospital
• Will the Stark Laws Close Down ASCs? — Amber Walsh and Melissa Szabad, McGuireWoods
• Safe Harbor, OIG Work Plan and Out-of-Network Issues — Scott Becker and Scott Downing, McGuireWoods