Here are seven news updates for ambulatory surgery center leaders to know for Jan. 15, 2015.
Yorkville Endoscopy to lose federal accreditation.
New York-based Yorkville Endoscopy, the site of Joan Rivers' fatal procedure, will lose its federal accreditation at the end of the month. Following three unannounced inspections over the last month, CMS has ascertained Yorkville Endoscopy "no longer meets the conditions for coverage for a supplier of ambulatory surgical center services," according to an ABC News report. The center is now no longer eligible to be reimbursed by Medicare and Medicaid.
Washington State Senator tours 2 Colorado ASCs.
Proliance Surgeons and the Colorado Ambulatory Surgery Center Association recently arranged for Washington State Senator David Frockt to visit the Orthopaedic & Spine Center of the Rockies and Harmony Surgery Center in Fort Collins. Sen. Frockt is a member of the Washington State Senate Health Care Committee. The meetings included a tour and briefing with administrators, physicians and other healthcare professionals. They compared Colorado ASC operations to Washington State ASCs.
Laser Spine Institute opens Missouri ASC.
Laser Spine Institute opened a new ambulatory surgery center in Creve Coeur, Missouri. This is the second Laser Spine Institute facility opened in the Midwest, and a third is planned. Laser Spine Institute made 30 local hires so far to open the center.
Regent Surgical Health promotes Matt Lau to CFO.
Regent Surgical Health promoted Matt Lau to Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Lau was previously controller at Regent Surgical Health. He has been with the company for seven years, and will now take the place of Mike Karnes as CFO. Mr. Karnes will continue to serve on the Regent Surgical Health board, and a representative of the Regent board to Midland Surgical Health.
Washington Attorney General visits ASC.
Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson recently paid a visit to Seattle Surgery Center in an effort to focus attention on the role of ASCs in healthcare reform. Seattle Surgery Center is owned by Proliance Surgeons, a physician-owned medical group that owns and operates 18 other ambulatory surgery centers throughout the Puget Sound region.
Physician author features fictional ASC in thriller.
Glenn Shepard, MD, authored a second novel. Dr. Shepard's new book, "The Missile Game," centers on the fictional Dr. Scott James, a renowned plastic surgeon who is charged with murder after two bodies are found at his ambulatory surgery center.
Sioux Falls Specialty Hospital names Dr. Blake Curd CEO.
The Sioux Falls Specialty Hospital Management Committee elected R. Blake Curd, MD, as the new CEO. He succeeds Donald Schellpfeffer, MD, who will be retiring as CEO at the end of February.