Evansville (Ind.) Surgery Center Administrator Lana Seibert, BSN, shared the top trends and challenges ASCs will face in the next 10 years.
Note: Responses have been edited for style and clarity.
Question: What is the biggest opportunity for growth you see for ASCs in 2019?
Lana Seibert: I believe our biggest opportunity for growth in 2019 lies in the changes to the CMS payments. These changes provide ASCs with opportunities for equal financial footing by allowing additional reimbursement for device-intensive procedures, revised definition of surgery and additional procedures to the ASC payable list.
Q: As an ASC leader, how do you hope to capitalize on growth opportunities?
LS: We plan to capitalize on these opportunities by dedicating a team to analyze them, including the addition of new physicians and specialties, and capturing these available reimbursements. We plan to maintain a patient-centered environment as well as remain adaptive and ready for change.
Q: What are the greatest challenges you expect to face in 2019?
LS: The greatest challenges we will face in 2019 are varied. We are facing the changing demographics of society, therefore, a change in payor mix. We also have a change in cost structure due to new technology that we must bring in to our centers. Lastly, maintaining a skilled workforce in light of competition is a challenge.
Q: How do you see the ASC industry growing in the next five to 10 years?
LS: I believe the growth will be steady. As our society ages, more surgical procedures will be performed, including total joint replacements. As CMS and major payers look for cost savings and note the ability of ASCs to provide safer care in a more cost-efficient manner than most hospitals, ASCs will gain market share. CMS has responded to these events and has begun to move procedures from the inpatient-only list to the outpatient- and ASC-payable list.