The biggest news from 2021 that will affect the anesthesia and ASC industries this year includes policy updates, acquisitions and more.
What to know for 2022:
1. Adam Spiegel, CEO of NorthStar Anesthesia, said the aging physician population will affect the availability of anesthesia providers in inpatient and ASC facilities.
2. Physician-owners of pain management practices partly owned by the physician can profit from an employed certified registered nurse anesthetist providing anesthesia services in offices and ASCs.
3. Opioid-free anesthesia can provide quality pain control, reduce postoperative complications for patients and improve productivity for surgery centers.
4. A Medicare local coverage determination enacted in December reduced the number of conditions under which anesthesia services can be reimbursed for interlaminar and transforaminal epidural steroid injections.
5. Anesthesia partnerships with ASCs and health systems flourished in 2021.
6. CRH Medical had seven acquisitions in 2021.
7. Anesthesia teams must assume leadership roles at ASCs to keep up with growing demand.
8. Zachary Welch, administrator for Wake Orthopaedics in Raleigh, N.C., said the influx of procedures moving from inpatient-only to ASCs will force ASCs to remain innovative and capable of taking on services.
9. Thirty-five percent of anesthesiologists surveyed said they are planning to change jobs within the next year, according to the "2021 Physician and Advanced Practice Salary Report" by locumtenens.com.
10. Supply, demand, changes in reimbursement and changes in marketplace regulations are all contributing to issues in the anesthesia industry.
11. Several ASCs gained new leadership this month.
12. Uninsured or self-pay patients are now entitled to good faith estimates.
13. Darin Rentz, DO, CEO of Ortho Anesthesia Specialists, said he sees the biggest opportunity for growth in anesthesia in joint ventures between anesthesia and surgery center owners.
14. Adam Spiegel, CEO of NorthStar Anesthesia, said robotic surgery in ASCs has a "very significant impact" on anesthesia practices. Many procedures require well-trained anesthesia providers because of factors such as positioning, fluid and electrolyte issues, and pain management.
15. Anesthesiologist was named the best paying healthcare job by U.S. News & World Report with an average annual salary of $208,000.