Mr. Searles will share his expertise as a speaker at the Becker’s ASC Review 28th Annual Meeting: The Business & Operations of ASCs, October 27-29, 2022 in Chicago. To learn more and register, click here.
Question: What are the most important trends you’re seeing in the ASC field today?
Matthew Searles: Continued migration higher acuity cases offset partially by movement of lower acuity cases to OBLs. Margin compression as reimbursement rates generally increase less than annual rates of increase of costs.
Q: What are the key challenges keeping ASC administrators up at night?
MS: This has not changed but the list gets longer. 1. Patient safety/Quality of service 2. Regulatory requirements/compliance and last in the order 3. Financial viability. You cannot have the last without the first 2.
Q: What are the top one or two solutions to the big challenges you’re seeing for ASCs today?
MS: Professional management, alignment with other providers for scale. At some point ASCs will need to be part of a larger ecosystem that will allow them to go “at-risk” with payers, both government and private.
Q: Where is the best opportunity for ASCs to thrive in the future? What do they need to do today to set a solid foundation for success?
MS: Run the facility ethically with a focus on patient safety and cost effectiveness. Don’t just focus on the buck.
Q: How will private equity investment change the physician practice and ASC field?
MS: PE investment will continue the already significant move toward consolidation.
To learn more about Merritt Healthcare Advisors, click here.
