Both payers and CMS have noticed opportunities in value-based care to lower costs and strengthen patient care.
Peter Young, president of HealthCare Strategic Issues in Fort Myers, Fla., spoke with Becker's about how CMS and artificial intelligence are the two biggest opportunities for growth for ASCs.
Editor's note: This answer was edited lightly for brevity and clarity.
Question: Where are ASCs biggest opportunities for growth in 2022?
Peter Young: The two most significant opportunities in the ASC sector fall into two different arenas — operational structure and technology or artificial intelligence/smart tools. The first, less recognized, is the CMS approval of the value-based enterprises, allowing for broader business relationships between physicians, vendor enablers and continuum vendors. CMS also relaxed Stark Laws, and this contributes additional flexibility to value-based enterprises and physician relationships in general. New opportunities in entity structure are now possible.
The continuing evolution of artificial intelligence/smart tools for orthopedics, spine and now cardiology via CMS-approved procedure codes will hasten the migration from hospitals to ASC and, in the cardiology sector, to office locations as well.
The continuing integration of evolving AI/smart tools, starting with advanced procedure navigation to actual procedure, will contribute to the pace of migration to ASCs.