Three industry leaders joined Becker's to discuss what the ASC industry will look like for the next decade.
Question: What will the ASC industry look like in the next 10 years?
Editor's note: These responses were edited lightly for brevity and clarity.
Leslie Jebson. Regional Administrator at Prisma Health (Greenville, S.C.): Continued evolution in surgical technique and anesthetics will continue to allow for higher-acuity, more complex procedures to migrate toward the outpatient arena. Cost containment pressures from payers will continue to encourage the movement to outpatient or one-day surgical/procedural interventions.
Additionally, staffing and lifestyle considerations will continue to make the ASC environment one of the most desirable from a clinical and clerical support staffing perspective. Underutilized ASCs will introduce more cardiology and cardiovascular procedures. Some legislative changes at state-specific levels will influence the site of care.
Anthony Kalloo, MD. Gastroenterologist and Chair of Maimonides Medical Center's Department of Medicine (New York City): More advanced providers performing endoscopic procedures like screening colonoscopy under the supervision of gastroenterologists similar to the model of CRNAs who perform anesthesia under the supervision of anesthesiologists.
Erika Wilcox, BSN, RN. CEO and Administrator of Surgery Center of Boerne (Texas): The ASC industry is limitless. We have seen this through the last several years of higher-acuity cases being performed in these settings with arguably better outcomes and satisfaction than inpatient stays. Total joint replacements, spine cases and cardiovascular service lines are prime examples. While patient selection is key, candidates who would have been an immediate "no" for an ASC setting are having their health barriers addressed and becoming great candidates.