Oregon Representative Bill Kennemer (R-39) toured Happy Valley, Ore.-based EyeHealth Eastside Surgery Center where the surgery center's staff discussed various issues in the industry, according to Oregon Live.
EyeHealth Northwest operates EyeHealth Eastside Surgery Center and another ASC.
Here are four notes:
1. During the tour, various ASC personnel including Shane K. Kim, MD, Ann Hulett, CEO of EyeHealth Northwest, Cherie Shevlin, RN, ASC director, and Doug Riggs, lobbyist with NW Grassroots & Communications, discussed the many benefits surgery centers offer as well as the barriers centers face, such as costly medication.
2. In Oregon, legislators are considering legislation, HB 2570, which would extend how long patients can stay in an ASC. Currently, patients can only stay for a maximum of 24 hours. With the new legislation, visits could be extended at a limited number of ASCs to an extra 48 hours if there is medical necessity.
3. Rep. Kennemer was also briefed on how Fire Marshal inspection and reviews are costly for surgery centers as well as issues in the payer world for ASCs.
4. In 2004, 12 physicians opened EyeHealth Eastside Surgery Center with providers performing more than 5,700 cases at the surgery center last year.
More articles on surgery centers:
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7 things for ASC leaders to know for Monday - Sept. 17, 2016