Editor's Note As aesthetic procedures continue to migrate into freestanding ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), a new Canadian study argues that routine laboratory tests and electrocardiograms—often labeled “low‑value” in hospitals—remain a critical safety net when emergency back‑up is miles away. The manuscript was published by the Aesthetic Surgery Journal on April…

Read More

Editor's Note Intermountain Health researchers have uncovered a practical solution for reducing the risk of opioid-induced respiratory depression (OIRD) in same-day surgery patients, showing that a basic monitoring device—specifically, a pulse oximeter—can save lives, News Channel Nebraska March 27 reports. The study, published in the Respiratory Care Journal, focused on…

Read More

Editor’s Note A growing body of research is shedding new light on the long-running debate about spinal anesthesia (SA) and general anesthesia (GA) in outpatient surgical settings, Outpatient Surgery Magazine March 12 reports. Recent studies suggest both approaches can be considered safe and effective, with the “best” choice often hinging…

Read More

Editor’s Note US News & World Report announced on March 18 its 2025 Best Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs) ratings after evaluating 4,357 ASCs across four key specialty areas—Colonoscopy & Endoscopy, Ophthalmology, Orthopedics & Spine, and Urology. This marks the second annual edition of the publication’s effort to help consumers make…

Read More

Ensuring safe, quality care requires precise alignment among inventory levels, delivery schedules, storage solutions, and every other element of the supply chain. A single missing piece of this puzzle—say, a delayed shipment or a storage issue—can disrupt the entire picture. Making the pieces fit can be difficult for any healthcare…

Read More

Editor's Note Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) on the part of hospitals and health systems are expected to increase in 2025, rebounding from a 13% dip over the past year, Modern Healthcare January 7 reports. However, newly empowered state oversight laws are likely to temper the scale and pace of activity,…

Read More

Editor's Note Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield recently reversed its controversial plan to impose time limits on anesthesia coverage after intense backlash from the medical community, including anesthesiologists and patient advocates. The policy, aimed at curbing alleged overbilling, would have restricted payments based on average surgery times, a move critics…

Read More

Editor's Note Certain medical bills reclassifying minor procedures as “surgery” are driving up costs and causing confusion among patients, KFF Health News December 13 reports. Cases such as a $414 charge for a splinter removal with tweezers and a $469 charge for freezing a skin tag highlight how CPT codes…

Read More

Editor's Note With the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) market projected to reach $130.6 billion by 2031—a compound annual growth rate of 3.9%—ASC leaders pointed Becker’s ASC Review to key trends and opportunities fueling this growth. Outpatient care continues to expand across various specialties, and several factors are driving this shift,…

Read More

Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued its final rule for the 2025 calendar year, updating payment systems and quality reporting requirements across healthcare settings, JD Supra November 19 reports. Effective January 1, 2025, the rule outlines significant changes to Medicare payments and conditions for participation…

Read More