As the migration of procedures from hospitals to ASCs increases, anesthesia providers are left with questions about how they fit in, Tony Mira, Anesthesia Business Consultants' president and CEO, wrote in a recent blog post.
Understanding ASC ownership is critical, Mr. Mira wrote, considering anesthesia group profitability could be "increasingly tied to the rising star of surgery centers."
ASCs are a profitable investment, Mr. Mira wrote, and anesthesia groups can include ASCs in their business strategy by both moving cases to them and securing an ownership interest.
Ownership interest, however, comes with questions about the extent to which a physician can refer patients to the center without running afoul of the Anti-Kickback Statute, which prohibits the exchange of anything of value, such as discounts, with physician referrals.
A pain management practice that employs a certified registered nurse anesthetist to provide anesthesia services in an ASC that is partially owned by the anesthesia group can retain profits. Thus, there are situations in which a group that provides anesthesia services can have an ownership interest in an ASC while still being able to bill for services at that facility.
Ownership interest also comes with benefits. It often leads to more dedication to the job, a more thoughtful use of resources, and above all, more money. Facility owners receive a facility fee and a professional fee since they are also providing physician services.
Read more about Mr. Mira's thoughts on ASC ownership here.