November/December 2010 Issue of Becker's ASC Review
18 Top ASC Stories for 2010 — A Look at the Biggest Issues Shaping the Industry
1. Mature market. The ASC industry hit a watershed this year. "The number of ASCs will decline this year for the first time in the history of our industry," says Andrew Hayek, president and CEO of Surgical Care Affiliates. Click to continue »
10 Statistics From the ASC Association's 2010 ASC Employee Salary & Benefits Survey
The ASC Association has released the results of its 2010 ASC Employee Salary & Benefits Survey. 1,260 ASCs participated in this year's survey. Click to continue »
CMS Issues Stark Act Voluntary Self-Referral Disclosure Protocol — 9 Key Concepts
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) requires the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, with the Office of the Inspector General of HHS, to establish a protocol for healthcare providers and suppliers to disclose actual or potential violations of Section 1877 of the Social Security Act (the "Stark Act"). Click to continue »
Publisher’s Letter: November/December 2010
Accountable Care Organizations – 9 Observations; Increased Integration Efforts; Increased Mergers and Acquisition Efforts; Call for Speakers: 9th Annual Orthopedic, Spine and Pain Management Driven ASC Conference & 2nd Annual Hospital Conference — Improving Profits, ACOs, Physician Hospital Integration and Key Specialties Click to continue »
Illinois Court Orders Blue Cross to Pay Almost $3M to Surgery Center in Out-of-Network Case
Becker's ASC Review has learned of a recent decision in the Illinois courts regarded as an important step forward in ASCs' efforts to achieve reasonable out-of-network payments. Click to continue »
106 Physician Leaders in the ASC Industry
Here is a list of 106 physician leaders who have made significant contributions to the ASC industry. Click to continue »
3 Most Important ASC Specialties Resisting the Trend of Movement to Employment by Hospitals: A Quick Look at Orthopedics, Ophthalmology and Gastroenterology
The three most important specialties to ASCs are orthopedics, ophthalmology and gastroenterology, based on case volume and revenue statistics. Click to continue »
12 Sound ASC Financial Practices
ASCs run lean operations and typically can afford to employ only a small office staff to conduct its business office operations. Click to continue »
ASC Transactions & Valuation Issues
Distribution of Facility Profits to Owners & Should Same Corporation Own ASC and Practice: Q&A With Scott Becker
Q: What are the most common ways ASCs determine and distribute the ASC facility profits among owners — do owners buy/have shares and are profits distributed by percentage of ownership?Click to continue »
Critical ASC Mistake: Accepting Highest Bidder but Not Best Long-Term Partner
Kevin McDonough, senior manager at the Dallas office of VMG Health, discusses why an ASC looking for a partner shouldn't base its decision solely on who is offering the most upfront money. Click to continue »
Anesthesia and Anesthesia-Related Issues
10 Ways to Improve Anesthesia in Your ASC
Here are 10 tips on using your ASC's anesthesiologists to help save money, promote efficiency and build a great relationship among your staff. Click to continue »
Impact of November Elections on ASCs: Q&A With Andrew Hayek of the Ambulatory Surgery Center Advocacy Committee
Andrew Hayek is chair of the Ambulatory Surgery Center Advocacy Committee and president and CEO of Surgical Care Affiliates. Click to continue »
GI & Endoscopy-Driven ASCs
6 Ways Healthcare Reform and ARRA Will Impact Gastroenterology
The realm of healthcare has changed dramatically in recent years with the signing of the new healthcare reform law and American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, and more drastic changes are forecasted to change the nature of healthcare. Click to continue »
ASC GI $100,000 Question: Are You Billing for Second Maneuvers?
A significant number of ASCs are overlooking a potential billing opportunity that may be leaving hundreds of thousands of dollars on the table, says John Poisson, executive vice president and strategic partnerships officer at Physicians Endoscopy. Click to continue »
ASC Coding, Billing & Collections
7 Ways to Ensure Payment Without Damaging Patient Relationships
In the current economy, patients are finding it more and more difficult to pay their bills — so much so that they often put off non-elective procedures because their high-deductible insurance plans require a hefty financial contribution. Click to continue »
Truth Behind A/R Days: Why It’s the Most Important ASC Business Statistic and Why Most ASCs Have it Wrong
Accounts receivable is easily the most misquoted ASC statistic, says Joe Zasa, co-founder and managing partner of ASD Management, and this is very bad news for ASCs as A/R days is also the most important business statistic. Click to continue »
What to Audit When You Audit Your ASC’s Billing Process
Caryl Serbin, president and founder of Serbin Surgery Center Billing, recommends ASCs focus on the following areas when auditing different components of their billing process. Click to continue »
8 Ways ACOs Could Impact Surgery Centers With Healthcare Futurist Joe Flower
At first glance, surgery centers might appear to be an obvious fit for accountable care organizations. ASCs are the low-cost, high-quality provider, which is exactly what ACOs are looking for. Click to continue »
ASC Supply Chain & Materials Management
5 Strategies for Saving Your ASC Money by Streamlining Equipment Costs
Mike Kintner, service contracts manager at TriMedx, shares five strategies ASCs should adopt to achieve significant, sustainable equipment savings. Click to continue »
8 Ways to Save More Money on ASC Supplies
Supplies are one of the biggest costs to an ASC, and according to experts, many centers lose money unnecessarily by failing to negotiate good prices, letting supplies expire and making impulsive purchases. Click to continue »
ASC Accreditation, Licensure & Medicare Certification
6 Best Practices for Implementing an Effective Infection Control Program
Infection control is gaining widespread attention in all healthcare settings, including ASCs. Incorporating an infection control program is essential to minimizing the incidence of infection and patient revisits. Click to continue »
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