But some say that payer reimbursement policies are holding ASCs back from acquiring and implementing technology for procedures.
William Chey, MD, president-elect of American College of Gastroenterology and chief of the GI division at Ann Arbor-based Michigan Medicine, told Becker’s that reimbursement policies are hampering the adoption of new technologies in his specialty.
“Providers are forced to work with payers individually for any reimbursement, and payers will often deem new technology as ’emerging’ or ‘experimental,'” he said. “Then, they use it as rationale for denying coverage or providing an inadequate reimbursement for the practice’s expense and investment.”
He said that artificial intelligence is a prime example of how GI practices may struggle to invest in technology that could enhance patient care. While AI is demonstrating benefits in diagnosis and treatment, many gastroenterologists cannot integrate these advancements due to reimbursement challenges and a lack of clarity on what payers will cover, he said.
“We must come together to find a better solution to help bring innovative technologies to our patients,” he said. “In the long run, AI has the potential to reduce healthcare costs, but we must first develop strategies to ensure that there is a pathway for physicians who use these technologies to be paid.”
