Many physicians who entered into ownership contracts with ASCs in the late 80s — when the facilities finally gained eligibility for CMS reimbursement — are now retiring. This workforce shift is causing more sales and consolidation of ASCs, says Mr. Zasa. At the same time, hospitals and health systems see outpatient facilities as an cost-effective setting to diversify their care offerings and improve population health management.
However, many young physicians who bought ASCs want to stay independent and grow their facilities, following the footsteps of the first generation of physicians in the ASC realm. Many of these physicians resist the idea of selling their practices, but show greater willingness to affiliate with hospitals or health systems, according to Mr. Zasa.
In January, Mr. Zasa will return to his alma mater, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, to attend UAB’s Ambulatory Care and Non-Acute Care Summit and discuss these integration trends. The new conference, nicknamed Beyond the H, will explore all aspects of the healthcare beyond the hospital setting, including ambulatory care, physician practice management, post-acute care and long-term care.
Here are six things to know about the conference.
1. U.S. News & World Report ranked UAB’s graduate program of health services administration No. 2 in the country for 2016. The program contains a very diversified curriculum, offering 30 to 40 different residencies, according to Mr. Zasa. While some graduates go into hospital administration, countless others step into roles at non-acute facilities like surgery centers, dialysis centers and group practice administrations.
2. Many of these health systems, outpatient facilities and group practices are integrating, but few are effectively communicating, says Mr. Zasa. Beyond the H aims to break down this communication barrier and boost integration between different areas of healthcare.
“The purpose of the conference is to gather different people in ambulatory care to talk to one another about the future of care, how health systems can stay independent or merge with a large group practice, and the best models for integration,” says Mr. Zasa.
4. Speakers include Bill Prentice, JD, executive director and CEO of the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association in Washington, D.C., and Andrew Hayek, chairman and CEO of Deerfield, Ill.-based Surgical Care Affiliates. Scott Becker, CPA, JD, partner with McGuireWoods and publisher of Becker’s Healthcare, will conduct a lunch keynote session.
5. Registration includes breakfast, lunch, a cocktail reception, networking opportunities and up to 8.5 approved continuing education credits from American College of Healthcare Executives and Alabama Board of Examiners for Nursing Home Administrators.
6. While this is the inaugural year for Beyond the H, Mr. Zasa expects the conference to grow in both scope and scale in the coming years.
To learn more about the conference, click here.
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