There are many complex issues facing anesthesia in ambulatory surgery centers today, and a group of industry experts gathered at the Becker’s ASC 21st Annual Ambulatory Surgery Centers Conference in Chicago on Oct. 23 to discuss key trends.
The session, titled "The Future of Anesthesia in ASCs and Key Issues Facing Anesthesia," featured Steven A. Gunderson, DO, CEO and medical director of Rockford (Ill.) Ambulatory Surgery Center; Stanford Plavin, MD, an anesthesiologist at Ambulatory Anesthesia of Atlanta/Savannah; and Steven Sheinman, MD, chairman of anesthesia and medical director at North Miami Beach Surgery Center and national director of ambulatory anesthesia, Dade County, and regional medical director of Sheridan Health. The panel was moderated by Scott Becker, JD, CPA, publisher of Becker’s Healthcare and chairman of McGuireWoods Healthcare Department.
The panelists discussed issues such as:
"I think contracting with a provider gives you a lot more control over the quality of services you are providing," said Dr. Sheinman. "We found strictly employing medical providers, it was hard to motivate them to do a good job when they lost financial motivation. A contract service helps them work harder for the success of the center."
However, Dr. Gunderson had a different opinion on whether the employment model can be successful; it depends on how the anesthesiologists and physicians work together. The panel also discussed independent physician groups and where the future is headed.
"I don’t see a whole lot changing within the next 10 years where we practice," said Dr. Gunderson. "I think beyond 10 years, we’ll see some changes and more encroachment from the government on our practice."
The HHS Office of the Inspector General has issued opinions on anesthesia models in the recent past, which could continue to impact anesthesia going forward. Healthcare reform is also changing care delivery and anesthesiologists are looking at new opportunities for leadership and guidance in the delivery process.
"We have to take greater ownership in the provision of services and we need to evolve," said Dr. Plavin. "Hospitals are impacting our business and we need to figure out how to move our independent practices forward."
Consolidation is another big issue in healthcare. "I think the ACA is creating a need for smaller practices to align with larger ones and navigate through the environment to support a larger entity," said Dr. Sheinman. "There will be pressure for creative models, bundled payments and arrangements that change the way we do business. It will be an evolutionary change."
The session, titled "The Future of Anesthesia in ASCs and Key Issues Facing Anesthesia," featured Steven A. Gunderson, DO, CEO and medical director of Rockford (Ill.) Ambulatory Surgery Center; Stanford Plavin, MD, an anesthesiologist at Ambulatory Anesthesia of Atlanta/Savannah; and Steven Sheinman, MD, chairman of anesthesia and medical director at North Miami Beach Surgery Center and national director of ambulatory anesthesia, Dade County, and regional medical director of Sheridan Health. The panel was moderated by Scott Becker, JD, CPA, publisher of Becker’s Healthcare and chairman of McGuireWoods Healthcare Department.
The panelists discussed issues such as:
- Payer mix and government payers
- Out-of-network contracting
- Midlevel anesthesia providers
- Anesthesia contracts in ASCs
- Bringing anesthesia in-house
- Patient safety issues
"I think contracting with a provider gives you a lot more control over the quality of services you are providing," said Dr. Sheinman. "We found strictly employing medical providers, it was hard to motivate them to do a good job when they lost financial motivation. A contract service helps them work harder for the success of the center."
However, Dr. Gunderson had a different opinion on whether the employment model can be successful; it depends on how the anesthesiologists and physicians work together. The panel also discussed independent physician groups and where the future is headed.
"I don’t see a whole lot changing within the next 10 years where we practice," said Dr. Gunderson. "I think beyond 10 years, we’ll see some changes and more encroachment from the government on our practice."
The HHS Office of the Inspector General has issued opinions on anesthesia models in the recent past, which could continue to impact anesthesia going forward. Healthcare reform is also changing care delivery and anesthesiologists are looking at new opportunities for leadership and guidance in the delivery process.
"We have to take greater ownership in the provision of services and we need to evolve," said Dr. Plavin. "Hospitals are impacting our business and we need to figure out how to move our independent practices forward."
Consolidation is another big issue in healthcare. "I think the ACA is creating a need for smaller practices to align with larger ones and navigate through the environment to support a larger entity," said Dr. Sheinman. "There will be pressure for creative models, bundled payments and arrangements that change the way we do business. It will be an evolutionary change."