7 Things for ASC Leaders to Know for Thursday

Carrie Pallardy -

Here are seven news updates for ambulatory surgery center leaders to know for June 26, 2014.

Outpatient stocks have an edge.
In a post from a Zacks Investment Research blog, the firm is supporting outpatient facility stock. The post also promoted AmSurg as a stock with a "good Zacks rank," potential to grow in the current healthcare environment and as a "good addition" to your portfolio.

54% of insured consumers confused by medical bills.
A recent survey by TransUnion Healthcare has found the majority (54 percent) of insured consumers are either sometimes or always confused by their medical bills. The survey found 63 percent of survey respondents want to know the full cost of care, including their insurance company's portion, while 35 percent said they only cared about their direct medical costs. Read the full report on Becker's Hospital Review.

Medical cost trend to be 6.8% in 2015.
PwC's Health Research Institute projects a medical cost trend of 6.8 percent in 2015, up slightly from 6.5 percent for 2014. The medical cost trend is the projected percentage increase in per capita costs of medical services that affect commercial insurers and large, self-insured businesses. Read the full report on Becker's Hospital Review.

Frontier Healthcare opens New York endoscopy center.
Frontier Healthcare Holdings partnered with the physicians of Long Island Digestive Disease Consultants to open the Long Island Digestive Endoscopy Center in Suffolk County, N.Y. The endoscopy center saw its first patients on June 9. The center is Frontier's first in Suffolk County and the ninth in the state.

Center for Spine Interventions to open ASC.
The Center for Spine Interventions plans to open a physician-owned, single-specialty ambulatory surgery center in Douglasville, Ga. Construction on the project is expected to cost $900,000 and begin in the first quarter of 2015.

Medline enters foot and ankle market.
Medical supply manufacturer and distributor Medline entered the orthopedic foot and ankle device market in March with the introduction of the Medline Unite Cannulated Screw System. The system was launched at the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association annual meeting.

Medivators launches new endoscopic flushing device.
Medical device manufacturer launched the JET PREP Endoscopic Flushing Device. The novel irrigation and suction device is designed to clear and remove debris during a colonoscopy, thus improving visualization and polyp detection.

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