As employee and clinician shortages persist in healthcare, ASCs might be in luck. The ASC environment is becoming increasingly appealing for many, as it offers more opportunities for ownership, independence and work-life balance than traditional large health systems.
Janet Carlson, MSN, RN, the executive director of ASCs for Louisville, Ky.-based Commonwealth Pain and Spine, told Becker's the ASC employment trend she is keeping an eye on right now.
Question: What are the top two trends you are watching as an ASC leader right now?
Janet Carlson: The first trend I am watching closely is the site neutrality for payer reimbursements in the ambulatory site of service. Our reimbursement being tied to the consumer price index does not compare to how the large health systems are paid (much more) based on the hospital market basket, even with our excellent surgical outcomes that are consistently better than hospitals.
The second trend I am watching is the increased interest for clinicians — surgeons, registered nurses, anesthesiologists and CRNAs — to elect to work in the ambulatory setting. We offer the best work-life integration in healthcare. Additionally, with physician noncompete contracts being challenged, I'm having many conversations with health system-employed surgeons looking to regain their autonomy and return to private practice and ASC ownership.