Three leaders shared their predictions for cardiology in ASCs over the next 12 months with Becker's ASC Review.
Note: Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
Lynne Mercadante, administrator at The Cardiac and Vascular Institute Ambulatory Surgery Center (Gainesville, Fla.): The Cardiac and Vascular Institute is in the final building phase of a space that will split time between functioning as an ASC and an [office-based lab]. This is a win-win-win situation for hospitals, patients, payers and physicians.
We expect that as quality data demonstrates that we are achieving desired outcomes and high patient satisfaction, we will see more procedures approved for the ASC. We trust and hope that future additions will include [fractional flow reserve], as even with simple lesions, this can be a very important part of care. For now, however, we understand and support the careful baby steps that are being taken into the cardiac intervention space.
We feel our extensive experience with our high-volume OBL will facilitate the transition to the ASC model, as in the state of Florida OBLs are surveyed, monitored and licensed by the Board of Medicine.
Meredith Warf, administrator at Mississippi Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center (Jackson): If the migration of cardiology ASC patient care models that of the joints and spine sector, buckle your seatbelt. The ASC has the opportunity and ability to bring about not only drastic cost savings, but quality of care, evidenced by data and patient-reported outcomes that propel the continued shift to the ASC with simple reputation and word-of-mouth. The practices and centers who best adapt to continual change will see the biggest and earliest gains even though the runway is quite long and ready.
Raghu Reddy, administrator at SurgCenter of Western Maryland (Cumberland): We're noticing a trend in the rapid migration of cardiovascular procedures in the ASC space. The CMS' addition of cardiovascular CPTs to the list of Medicare-covered ASC surgical procedures over the past few years is the key driver for increased development activity in this space. Patient selection continues to be the key even in the space, and cardiology will continue to grow in the ASC space with either co-management or hybrid models.