The first of two articles. With the biggest change in payment methodology in 2 decades, ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) are facing a pivotal year. The new year brought the beginning of the new Medicare payment system for ASCs and the addition of more than 800 Medicare-approved procedures to the ASC…

As president and CEO of MedSynergies, Inc, Irving, Texas, John R. Thomas knows insurance benefits. After all, his company offers management and billing solutions to health care providers and facilities. So when Thomas opened an envelope to find his insurance company had sent him a higher-than-expected bill for spinal surgery…

Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) have a new set of 5 standard measures to use in quality reporting and benchmarking. The measures, endorsed by the National Quality Forum (NQF), were developed by ASC experts. The measures include: 4 patient outcome measures: —patient burn —patient fall in the ASC —wrong site, side,…

For 2008, ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) generally will be paid at 65% of hospital outpatient department (HOPD) payments, under a final rule issued Nov 1 by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The rule, effective Jan 1, 2008, sets rates for the first year of the new ASC…

The temporary staffing agency you use for your ASC assures you it conducts thorough background checks. You decide to hire the accounts receivable clerk sent from the agency. Your prehire background check reveals the clerk spent time in prison for embezzlement. You escort the clerk out the door. Most managers…

ACalifornia neurosurgeon has set up an advanced spine center other surgeons might envy. Robert S. Bray, Jr, MD, spent $12 million to renovate an empty office building in Marina del Rey, California, and stocked it with state-of-the-art technology, opening the DISC (Diagnostic and Interventional Spine Care) integrated surgical center in…

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…

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…

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…

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).…