1. Demand for quality measures and reporting. Mr. Principati said that because of the influence and adaptation of more technology, it is necessary to have the right systems in place in order for physicians and centers to be willing to provide information to patients.
2. Flat to slight growth in case volume. Although the last few years have been flat in growth for ASCs, 75% of centers have seen slight uptake in 2011 over 2010, said Mr. Principati. With this slight uptake, centers must focus on center growth and utilization, whether it is partnering with a new group, acquiring an existing center or developing a new center.
3. Increased and ongoing Medicare inspections. An increasing amount of Medicare inspections are present throughout the ASC industry in general, said Mr. Principati. With preparedness, ASCs should set clinical standards equivalent to that of hospital partners.
4. Recruitment challenges. Because of the baby-boomer effect, there are more GI retirements than GIs entering the healthcare market. “This trend is going to continue for some time,” Mr. Coll said. “There must be some adjustments around how services are provided.”
5. Trends in reimbursements. “Changing reimbursement may include bundled payments and hospitals as gatekeepers of the payments,” Mr. Coll said. “In most markets, it is probably going to be the hospitals controlling any new type of reimbursement or bundled payments.”
6. Hospitals interested in ASC joint venture opportunities. A hospital in the ownership structure may help provide the physicians with greater access to patients and put the ASC in a better position to expand. “There has been a movement towards wanting to have some piece of the action,” Mr. Principati said of the relationships between hospitals and ASCs. “There is a market they have lost and are now wiling to get back into. It is not a threat; we look to hospital partnerships as alliances.”
Related Articles on ASCs:
ASC Leaders From OR, GA Meet With Congressional Delegations
How to Sell Your ASC: Thoughts From ASCOA’s Luke Lambert
6 Ways to Improve ASC Efficiency Without Jeopardizing Quality
