Editor’s note: This interview was edited lightly for clarity and length.
Question: What will disrupt the ASC industry next?
Thomas Feldman: The increase in wages necessary to retain and recruit to skilled professional positions continues to well outpace any real or even projected rise in reimbursements. The availability of anesthesia providers is a limiting factor to flexibility and hampers the opportunity for sustained increased volume in the near term.
Q: What’s driving growth in the ASC market at the moment?
TF: Market realization of appreciable cost savings for all parties (including patients and insurance carriers/CMS), for identical procedures. Ability of surgeons to perform more complicated surgeries in a setting that lends itself to greater efficiency.
At the Becker’s 32nd Annual Meeting: The Business and Operations of ASCs, taking place October 29-31 in Chicago, ASC leaders, surgeons and healthcare executives will explore strategies to drive growth, enhance operational performance, navigate reimbursement challenges and prepare for the future of ambulatory surgery. Apply for complimentary registration now.