November/December 2021 Issue of Becker's ASC Review
ON THE COVER
First-ever ranking of all 50 states by ASC per capita
The number of ASCs is growing across the U.S. as patients and payers demand more outpatient surgery, and the national population is growing overall while state populations continue to shift.
How USPI is pulling ahead of competitors in the ASC industry
Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare continues to ramp up its surgery center business after its subsidiary United Surgical Partners International announced an agreement to acquire a stake in nine ASCs in North Carolina, Texas and Florida.
CMS finalizes 2022 rules with 255 procedures removed from ASC-payable list
CMS on Nov. 2 finalized the Outpatient Prospective Payment System and ASC Payment System final rule for 2022.
Staffing & supply chain: ASC leader's key winter concerns
Staffing shortages amid COVID-19 surges and supply chain disruptions are two of the biggest upcoming concerns for ASCs.
Will physician shortages threaten independent ASC ownership?
The U.S. is expected to reach a shortage of 37,800 to 124,000 physicians by 2034, and more than 2 of 5 active physicians will be older than 65 in the next decade.
8 largest health insurers by revenue — UnitedHealthcare No. 1 at $257B
Health insurance companies generate revenue through the premiums they charge, the number of policies they write, the services they sell and the number of businesses in which they operate.
18% of healthcare workers have quit jobs during pandemic: Morning Consult
Since February 2020, nearly 1 in 5 healthcare workers, or 18 percent, have quit their jobs, according to new poll results from Morning Consult, a global privately held data intelligence company.
Why a patient traveled 1,300 miles for procedure at Oklahoma ASC
Pennsylvania resident Ruth Clarke traveled 1,300 miles for hip surgery at Surgery Center of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City for an operation with upfront pricing she could better afford, Sunday news program Full Measure reported Oct. 3.
3 key trends driving ASC market growth
The global ASC market is expected to reach $117 billion by 2027, up from $75.7 billion in 2020, primarily driven by an increase in the number of surgical procedures that can be performed at ASCs, according to a September report from Global Market Insights.
New $300M Florida ASC expected to create nearly 600 jobs in 5 years
AdventHealth opened its $300 million Tampa Bay, Fla.-based Taneja Surgery Center on Oct. 12, according to Bay News 9. The ASC is one of the area's largest medical projects ever completed.
Illinois hospital closing ASC cites low volume, COVID-19 strain
Red Bud (Ill.) Regional Hospital intends to close the Monroe County Surgical Center in Waterloo, Ill., citing low volume and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Republic-Times reported Oct. 6.
ASC MANAGEMENT
Stark law clarifies profit allocation for group practices: 5 things to know
The Stark regulations governing group practice rules will change Jan. 1. Business law publication Lexology laid out the new clarifications to group practice profit allocation.
Hawaii CMO sues ASC, hospital over alleged coerced resignation
Elizabeth Groshong, DO, CMO of Kona (Hawaii) Community Hospital, is suing her employer, alleging that secret recordings of her taken without her knowledge were heavily edited and used to force her resignation, the Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported Oct. 8.
Nebraska ASCs consolidating to one location
Two surgery centers under the same ownership in Lincoln, Neb., are consolidating to one site on the Lincoln Surgical Hospital campus, the Lincoln Journal Star reports.
3 key trends driving ASC market growth
The global ASC market is expected to reach $117 billion by 2027, up from $75.7 billion in 2020, primarily driven by an increase in the number of surgical procedures that can be performed at ASCs, according to a September report from Global Market Insights.
New $300M Florida ASC expected to create nearly 600 jobs in 5 years
AdventHealth opened its $300 million Tampa Bay, Fla.-based Taneja Surgery Center on Oct. 12, according to Bay News 9. The ASC is one of the area's largest medical projects ever completed.
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Will physician shortages threaten independent ASC ownership?
The U.S. is expected to reach a shortage of 37,800 to 124,000 physicians by 2034, and more than 2 of 5 active physicians will be older than 65 in the next decade.
Personalities as important as resumes when hiring, say ASC leaders
ASC jobs offer a few advantages when compared to hospital employment. One of them is the often close-knit work relationships ASC employees tend to have with each other, since ASCs are typically smaller than hospitals.
5 ASC administrators on technology essential to ASC success
Technology can be crucial to how an ASC manages everyday operations, such as scheduling and patient communication.
5 CMS changes ASC leaders want to see
While CMS has made some policies directing surgeries to ASCs, it has also developed regulations ASC leaders see as unnecessary obstacles to outpatient procedure migration.
Time for ASCs to be reimbursed the same as hospitals, Prime Surgeons CEO says
Gil Tepper, MD, founder and CEO of Prime Surgeons in Los Angeles, spoke with Becker's ASC Review on changes he feels CMS should implement to give hospital outpatient departments and ASCs equal footing.
JOINT VENTURES
Partners, not competitors: Orthopedic group, hospitals open $19.1M ASC
The Bone & Joint Center, Albany (N.Y.) Medical Center and Saratoga Hospital have opened a $19.1 million surgery center in Malta, N.Y., specializing in spine and orthopedic surgeries, according to the Albany Business Review.
$17M facility with ASC planned in New York
A $17 million multiuse building housing an ASC is planned in Buffalo, N.Y., Buffalo Business First reported Oct. 6.
US Eye enters North Carolina, Virginia with eye chain partnership
Sarasota, Fla.-based multispecialty practice U.S. Eye is partnering with Chesapeake, Va.-based Center for Visual and Surgical Excellence and Elizabeth City, N.C.-based Albemarle Eye Center and Precision Eye Care, the company said Oct. 5.
Texas ASC, gastroenterology clinic break ground in southern Texas
Developers broke ground Sept. 30 on a two-building medical office campus that will include an Austin Gastroenterology clinic and surgery center in Leander, Texas.
HCA acquires its 10th ASC in Utah
HCA Healthcare, in Nashville, Tenn., partnered with 50 physicians to acquire Provo-based Central Utah Surgical Center, the company said Oct. 6 in a news release.
PATIENT SATISFACTION
He 'dramatically increased team morale': An ASC administrator to know
Since becoming the managing director of North Hollywood, Calif.-based Universal Care Surgery Center in 2016, Boris Tripolski has transformed the center's work environment, according to colleagues.
Dr. Zarina Ali creates program to reduce opioid use post-spine surgery
Neurosurgeon Zarina Ali, MD, of Philadelphia-based Penn Medicine has developed a program that helps decrease opioid use and length of stay after elective spine and peripheral nerve surgery.
Quality, stability and patient satisfaction: Why one CEO stays independent
For Gregg Florentin, maintaining independence is key to maintaining financial stability.
New recovery protocol, robot expand spine care at Marcus Neuroscience Institute
Neurosurgeons at Marcus Neuroscience Institute in Boca Raton, Fla., completed the center's first spine surgery using the enhanced recovery after surgery protocol.
Medicare Advantage plans don't significantly improve care, experiences: study
A recent Commonwealth Fund study found that Medicare Advantage and traditional Medicare enrollees have comparable healthcare experiences and concerns about costs.
ORTHOPEDICS
The changes spine surgeons are advocating for in healthcare today
From fighting to maintain access to innovative technologies to pushing back against reimbursement cuts and increasing payer hurdles, the concerns of spine surgeons are many.
Why a patient traveled 1,300 miles for procedure at Oklahoma ASC
Pennsylvania resident Ruth Clarke traveled 1,300 miles for hip surgery at Surgery Center of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City for an operation with upfront pricing she could better afford, Sunday news program Full Measure reported Oct. 3.
What smarter joint replacement care could look like in 5 years
Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City performed a landmark joint replacement in October using Zimmer Biomet's Persona IQ smart implant. The implant, which tracks patient movement data, is one of many recent advances that could transform joint replacement care.
Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson undergoes procedure at ASC
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson underwent surgery on an injured middle finger at the Cedars-Sinai Kerlan Jobe Surgery Center in Los Angeles Oct. 8.
Humana to expand partnership enabling digital prior authorizations in 95% of orthopedic cases
Humana and Boston-based Cohere Health are expanding their partnership enabling a digitized prior authorization process nationwide, according to an Oct. 13 news release.
GASTROENTROLOGY
When will the backlog of colon cancer screenings subside?
Steep declines in colorectal cancer screening after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic have gastroenterologists concerned about missed opportunities for early detection of colorectal cancer.
United Digestive adds Florida practice
Atlanta-based United Digestive expanded its Florida presence through a new affiliation with Associates in Digestive Health, the company said Oct. 12.
Physician awarded $1.9M grant to study short bowel syndrome
A researcher from Saint Louis University School of Medicine received a roughly $1.9 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to study short bowel syndrome, the university said Oct. 8.
Gastroenterology's biggest threats
Many gastroenterologists are worried about a physician shortage and colonoscopy backlogs in the coming years.
15 gastroenterology companies ASC leaders should know
Here are 15 gastroenterology and endoscopy companies ASC leaders should keep on their radar:
TRANSACTIONS
USPI to buy stake in 9 ASCs
Dallas-based United Surgical Partners International has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Compass Surgical Partners' ownership and management interests in nine ASCs.
Private equity firm acquires Texas medical building, ASC
Private equity firm IRA Capital acquired the property housing Beaumont, Texas-based Digestive Disease Institute, RE Journals reported Oct. 8.
Tennessee dermatology chain acquires Minneapolis plastic surgery center
Brentwood, Tenn.-based Pinnacle Dermatology has acquired Minneapolis-area plastic surgery center Omni Cosmetic, Pinnacle said Oct. 5.
CRH Medical acquires 2 Florida anesthesia practices
CRH Medical Corp. acquired a majority stake in two Florida anesthesia practices, the company said Oct. 7.
Arizona medical office building sold for $31.75M
Physicians Realty Trust, a healthcare real estate company, has purchased HonorHealth's newly built medical office building in Phoenix for $31.75 million, according to the Phoenix Business Journal.
HEALTHCARE NEWS
Judge tosses lawsuit alleging New York orthopedic surgeon set former office manager up for arrest
A civil lawsuit that alleged a NYU Langone orthopedic surgeon set his office manager up for a charge of grand larceny has been thrown out by a Manhattan judge, The Madison Leader Gazette reported Oct. 2.
California ASC owner faces insurance fraud allegations
Insurance fraud charges will stand against a pain management physician and ASC owner in California for allegedly bilking a workers compensation insurer, according to court documents provided on Justia.
18% of healthcare workers have quit jobs during pandemic: Morning Consult
Since February 2020, nearly 1 in 5 healthcare workers, or 18 percent, have quit their jobs, according to new poll results from Morning Consult, a global privately held data intelligence company.
15 people in healthcare among Forbes' 400 richest people in America
Fifteen people in healthcare made Forbes' 2021 ranking of the 400 richest people in America.
Optum, SSM Health announce broad collaboration targeting care, affordability
Optum and St. Louis-Mo.-based SSM Health are partnering on a range of functions to improve accessible, affordable healthcare across the Midwest.