ASC News

By the end of 2024, the U.S. is predicted to see a physician shortage of 64,000, according to research from McKinsey & Company, published Sept. 10. 

Here are five controversies involving ASC closures, lawsuits or false claims allegations that Becker's has reported on since Aug. 23:

Keith Dunleavy, MD, is the youngest physician billionaire, according to Forbes' 2024 World's Billionaires list.

Chicago-based Oak Street Health, owned by CVS Health since 2023, agreed to pay $60 million to settle allegations that it was involved in a kickback scheme that violated the False Claims Act. 

The quarterly "ASC Quality Collaboration Report" highlights safety benchmarks at ASCs nationwide, tracking patient safety metrics such as fall rates, burn rates and more. 

Rhode Island was ranked as the top state for healthcare in 2024, earning a score of 100 from MoneyGeek.

HHS is expected to issue a final rule amending aspects of HIPAA later this year, and Bellinger Moody, chief compliance officer of Coronis Health, laid out the key aspects to know in a Sept. 4 blog post.

Physician-owned hospitals have garnered growing attention as rural healthcare access faces worsening shortages and critical gaps in services.

CommonSpirit Vascular Surgery Penrose, a clinic located inside Penrose Hospital in Colorado Springs, Colo., was forced to close after an "abrupt departure of all medical providers," The Denver Gazette reported Sept. 18. 

Medical education debt is growing, and some physician leaders feel physician pay isn't growing fast enough to account for rising debt paired with rising practice costs.