Nearly 600k Americans have more than $50k in medication costs
In 2014, there were approximately 576,000 Americans who had more than $50,000 in medication costs in the space of the year, up 63 percent from the number of Americans with medication costs greater than $50,000 in 2013. The number of patients who have more than $100,000 in annual medical costs grew from 47,000 in 2013 to 139,000 in 2014. Read the full report at Becker’s ASC Review.
Nobilis Health acquires Victory Healthcare Plano Hospital
Nobilis Health has agreed to acquire Victory Healthcare Plano (Texas) Hospital. No cash will be exchanged in the transaction. Nobilis will fully acquire the surgical hospital for the assumption of $5.5 million in equipment leases and $7 million in bank debt. The acquisition was motivated by Nobilis’ desire to grow its in-network revenue.
Andrews Institute ASC picks Regent RCM
Regent RCM will provide billings and collections, process automation and performance measurement to Andrews Institute ASC. The Regent RCM team of experts will help Andrews Institute ASC develop a strategy to deploy the new ICD-10 coding system and was selected for its success focusing on the ASC community, according to administrator Terri Gatton, RN, CNOR, CASC.
US patient satisfaction for ASCs drops 3%
The American Customer Satisfaction Index, produced by the University of Michigan, shows patient satisfaction for healthcare services hit a national nine-year low. The overall healthcare score was 75.1 for 2015. The score for 2014 was 77.6 and a hit a record high of 80 in 2013. ASCs scored 76 for 2015, down from 79 in 2014.
Frost & Sullivan honors Blue Belt’s computer-guidance system
Navio is a computer-guided assistance system for orthopedic surgery with a robust technology platform designed to improve operative environment visualization and better surgical planning and execution. Blue Belt was awarded with the 2014 Global Frost & Sullivan Award for Enabling Technology Leadership.
Who actually knows what a malpractice settlement consists of?
An academic health system with a stated commitment to patient safety and transparency used nondisclosure agreements in most malpractice settlements with very little standardization or consistency, according to a JAMA Internal Medicine study. Researchers say in cases where the harm could occur again, confidentiality agreements “can be contrary to the public interest.”
Deuk Spine Institute, Surgery Center of Viera offers spine surgery warranty
Deuk Spine Institute in Melbourne, Fla., is now offering a warranty program for spine care, according to a Becker’s Spine Review report. Ara Deukmedjian, MD, founder of Deuk Spine Institute and Surgery Center of Viera, worked with Millennium Medical Management, as well as a group of advisers, to create the warranty program and it covers the region of the spine undergoing surgery, either the cervical or lumbar but not both. The program covers services rendered either at Deuk Spine Institute or Surgery Center of Viera.
More articles on ASC issues:
Brokering peace: How to handle conflict among ASC employees
Nap Gary – A few thoughts
Saving on merchant services: 4 questions for ASCs to ask themselves
