More spinal surgery is moving to ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) as spine surgeons look for the same control, efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and patient satisfaction that the outpatient setting has offered other specialties. As spine surgery migrates, hospitals are seeking ways to partner with surgeons to keep from losing the revenue from…

Read More

For the first time since issuing the original ambulatory surgery center (ASC) rules 25 years ago, Medicare is proposing to update its conditions for coverage, or CfCs. The rules apply to ASCs that participate in Medicare and Medicaid. The rules primarily affect ASCs not accredited by a private body such…

Read More

Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) see pluses and minuses in Medicare's final rule for a revised ASC payment system, released July 16. The new system, mandated by Congress to take effect by Jan 1, 2008, will for the first time base ASC payments on the hospital outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS).…

Read More

OR nurse leaders in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) have fewer open positions and lower turnover rates than hospitals, but recruitment of experienced OR staff remains a challenge. Those are some findings from the 2007 annual OR Manager Salary/Career Survey. The survey was mailed in May to 1,000 nurse managers of…

Read More

Four letters that strike fear into the heart of any administrator of an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) are T-A-S-S, or toxic anterior segment syndrome. This complication of cataract surgery has been around for years, but news of an outbreak in 2006 brought it to the forefront. A new report of…

Read More

No cost is too small to escape the eyes of managers at Evansville Surgery Center in Evansville, Indiana, which shaved about $100,000 from its supply budget in the past year as part of an overall $417,000 reduction in variable costs. Evansville has 2 multispecialty surgery centers that perform about 9,900…

Read More

Timing will be everything for ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) getting ready for Medicare's new ASC payment system. The biggest payment overhaul in 20 years is slated to take effect Jan 1, 2008. But the final rule is not expected until this month or later, giving ASCs a short time to…

Read More

At the FASA meeting in New Orleans in May, speakers from outside the health care field struck a common chord: ASCs have a great story to tell, one that combines cost-effective care with excellent outcomes. Speakers encouraged attendees to tell their story to politicians, legislatures, and the general public. One…

Read More

Third in a series of articles on improving revenue. You've made sure you're doing all you can at the front end to line up your procedures for correct reimbursement—your staff is clued in to ask the right questions during scheduling and is meticulous about insurance verification and precertification, which were…

Read More

Second in a series of articles on improving revenue. Being paid the right amount for your services starts before a procedure is even performed. Scheduling, insurance verification, and precertification are all crucial to making sure your ambulatory surgery center (ASC) receives the proper reimbursement. Your surgery scheduler and insurance verification…

Read More