May/June 2010 Issue of Becker's ASC Review

10 of the Best Paying ASC Procedures
Here is a chart provided by Matt Lau, director of financial analysis for Regent Surgical Health, of 10 of the best paying ASC procedures (offering average ranges of reimbursements) from selected Regent ... Click to continue »


The Buying and Selling of Ambulatory Surgery Centers - A Review of Pricing By Tier in the Current Market – Updated for 2010
This article focuses on the pricing by companies that purchase majority interests in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). Currently, there are three public companies that buy majority interests in ASCs and ... Click to continue »


20 Orthopedic and Spine-Driven ASCs to Know
Houston Orthopedic Surgery Center (Warner Robins, Ga.). Houston Orthopedic Surgery Center is home to four orthopedic and sports medicine specialists and one spine surgeon. The ASC consists of two operating ... Click to continue »


Publisher’s Letter: May/June 2010
Healthcare Reform; Is the AMA the Worst Trade Association Ever?; Orthopedic, Spine and Pain Management Driven Ambulatory Surgery Center Conference: Improving Profitability and Business and Legal Issues ... Click to continue »


Healthcare Reform: A Brief Analysis on How it Impacts ASCs and Physician-Owned Hospitals — 10 Observations
For physician-owned hospitals, the healthcare reform bill and its impact is very clear and very negative. For ASCs, there is much less direct impact and the long-term impact is much less clear. 1. ... Click to continue »


Will the Physician-Owned Surgery Center Remain a Viable Business Model: Q & A With Healthcare Futurist Joe Flower
Joe Flower, a healthcare futurist with 30 years' experience who has worked with clients ranging from World Health Organization to the Global Business Network and numerous hospital associations ... Click to continue »


Becker's ASC Review/Becker's Hospital Review Names 100 Best Places to Work in Healthcare
Becker's ASC Review and Becker's Hospital Review have announced the "100 Best Places to Work in Healthcare." The 2010 list was developed through nominations, recommendations and research, and ... Click to continue »


8 Best Practices for a Profitable ASC Orthopedic Service Line
Orthopedics can be extremely profitable for surgery centers if certain best practices are used to ensure efficient operations and quality care in this service line. Becky Mann, director of Houston Orthopedic ... Click to continue »


9 Reimbursement and Business Concepts for Orthopedics in ASCs
1. New CMS ASC payment system has generally increased orthopedic reimbursements. The transition to the new CMS ASC payment system, which pays centers at a percentage of HOPD rates, has increased the reimbursement ... Click to continue »


6 Reimbursement and Business Concepts for Spine in ASCs
1. Negotiations with payors can be more difficult for spine than orthopedics. Since Medicare does not reimburse spine cases in the outpatient setting, negotiating ASC rates for spine cases with private ... Click to continue »


50 Great ASC Administrators to Know
Note: Administrators are listed in alphabetical order. Margaret Acker (Blake Woods Medical Park Surgery Center, Jackson, Mich.) Ms. Acker is CEO of Blake Woods Medical Park Surgery Center, a three-OR, ... Click to continue »


5 Steps to Creating a Balanced Pain Management Surgery Center
Pain management can be a profitable addition to a surgery center. However, due to the nature of the specialty, balance is essential to the success of pain management. Mike Heifferon, Ph.D, MBA, chief ... Click to continue »


What Health Reform Will Mean for Physicians and Hospitals
For physicians: 1. Increased demand for physicians. With 32 million more Americans expected to enter the health insurance market, demand should rise, especially for primary care physicians, the Philadelphia ... Click to continue »


National Medical Billing Services Encourages Growth, Teamwork Among Staff
National Medical Billing Services in Wildwood, Mo., specializes in providing billing and coding services to freestanding ASCs across the country. The company's over 50 employees, led by Lisa Rock, president ... Click to continue »


Regent Surgical Health’s RISE System Fosters Values-Based Achievement
An effort to establish corporate values and recruit excellent leadership in 2007 has blossomed into a companywide culture, satisfaction enhancement and performance measurement tool for surgery center developer Regent Surgical Health ... Click to continue »


Q & A: Reimbursement and Volume Impacts of Moving From Out-of-Network to In-Network
Q: When an ASC goes in-network after being out-of-network, what's the typical decline in reimbursement per procedure? What is the typical bump in number of cases? Eric Woollen, vice president managed ... Click to continue »