Ambulatory Surgery
ASCs lobby on Medicare pay plan
Ambulatory surgery center (ASC) leaders sent a message to Washington in recent weeks that they want the government to revisit the formula it is considering as part of its plan to change the ASC reimbursement system. The new system is scheduled to take effect in 2008. Under the proposal issued…
Getting patients home quickly--and safely
Time is valuable in ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs). Patients need to be moved through the facility as quickly-and safely-as possible. How can you balance time with safety to achieve success in your ASC? Simply be sure your policies and procedures reflect evidence-based practice guidelines for addressing common factors that contribute…
Bonus plans reward peak performance
Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) employ a variety of bonus and profit-sharing strategies to retain and reward staff. Many centers award bonuses based on a percentage of net profits. Some ASCs require the center to hit financial targets for a profit-sharing payout. Others give bonuses if employees meet a percentage of…
Risk management: Is your ASC vulnerable?
During a preoperative screening, a nurse learns that a patient scheduled for a hernia operation in your ambulatory surgery center (ASC) has several comorbidities, including cardiac disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The history and physical are sketchy. In another case, a patient seems confused about the procedure she is…
Financial benchmarking for your ASC
How many staff members should we have per case? Are our supply costs per case on target? How many employees do we need in our business office? Ambulatory surgery center (ASC) managers looking for answers can turn to financial benchmarking reports. Benchmarking can be useful in seeing how your ASC…
GAO agrees with CMS on basing ASC pay on hospital outpatient pay
Medicare is on the right track in planning to base ambulatory surgery center (ASC) payments on the system used to pay hospitals for their outpatient procedures, says a new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Congress called for the report in 2003 to see how accurately hospital outpatient payment…
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