May/June 2013 Issue of Becker's ASC Review

10 Tips to Make Efficient ASCs Even Better
Jeff Bernhardt, Clinical Director at Main Street Specialty Surgery Center, discusses 10 ways ambulatory surgery centers can improve their efficiency and become an even stronger business as a result. Click to continue »



50 ASCs Performing 10,000+ Annual Procedures
Here are 51 ambulatory surgery centers that perform 10,000 surgical procedures or more each year. Click to continue »



When ACOs Come to Town: Q&A on Strategies for ASCs With Jon Friesen of Nueterra
Accountable care organizations are appearing in communities across the nation. Jon Friesen, chief financial officer, U.S. Operations, of Nueterra discusses how ACO formation impacts ASCs, whether it's smart to participate and how ASCs can leverage their position in the market when an ACO comes to town. Click to continue »



Publisher's Letter: May/June 2013
Dashboard Observations on 17 Niches and Specialties; 7 Reasons to Worry About the Healthcare Economy; Is a Large Combined System Better? Click to continue »



11 ASC Leaders on Making Their Centers Stand Out
Here 11 ambulatory surgery center administrators and leaders from across the country explain how their centers distinguish themselves. Click to continue »



6 Ways for ASCs to Adopt & Benefit From Flexible Employee Schedules
Flexible surgery centers can adapt to meet the changing needs of patients, surgeons and staff members. They can also become more efficient to maximize profits and minimize overhead costs. Click to continue »



5 Steps to Turn Your ASC Into a Destination Setting
As patient-consumers have assumed more responsibility for the cost of healthcare, they are taking greater interest in where to receive surgical care. Click to continue »



10 Top Ambulatory Care Procedures & Unexpected Denial Rates
Here are the top 10 procedures performed at ambulatory care facilities by total billed amounts from Nov. 15, 2012 to Feb. 11, 2013, and the denial rates for each procedure based on data collected by RemitDATA, an independent source of comparative analytics for reimbursement, utilization and productivity data. Click to continue »



HIPAA Compliance: 5 Key Considerations for ASCs, Physician Practices and Small Providers
On January 17, 2013, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) released the long-awaited omnibus final rule (Final Rule) pursuant to the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH Act) and the Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act of 2008 (GINA). Click to continue »



Expect an Increase in New ASC Development: Q&A With Rob Carrera of Pinnacle III
Rob Carrera, President and CEO of Pinnacle III, discusses his outlook on the de novo ambulatory surgery center market and where we can expect new development in the future. Click to continue »



10 Essential Elements for Excellence in ASC Infection Control Programs
Healthcare associated infections have long been considered a hospital problem, but with 75 percent of surgical procedures in the United States being performed on an outpatient basis, ASCs need to address the issue of HAIs as well. Click to continue »



4 Challenges ASCs Face in Standardizing Infection Control & How to Overcome Them
TK Miller, MD, and Chuck Peck, MD, discussed the urgent need to create and implement a standardized infection prevention program in ASCs. Click to continue »



6 Considerations for ASC & Hospital Joint Ventures
The ownership landscape of ambulatory surgery centers continues to evolve, and many centers may be looking for financial partners to improve or expand business. Click to continue »



12 Recent ASC Openings & Announcements
Fairview in Hibbing and board-certified ophthalmologist Bridget Sundell, MD, have announced they will open the joint venture Northwoods Surgery Center in Virginia, Minn. Click to continue »



5 Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Trends for ASCs to Know
Thus far minimally invasive spinal procedures have promised better results for patients and healthcare providers. Two spine device industry experts take a look at the future of minimally invasive markets and technology. Click to continue »



Why Spine is Coming to ASCs: 3 Big Reasons
Hallett Mathews, MD, MBA, is the Executive Vice President and Chief Medical officer of New York City-based Paradigm Spine, LLC, a non-fusion spinal implant and device technology manufacturer. Click to continue »



6 Effective Steps to Lower ASC Materials Costs
Amy Gagliardi, Vice President, Supply Chain for Regent Surgical Health, discusses six steps to lower materials costs at ambulatory surgery centers. Click to continue »



OIG Issues Special Fraud Alert on Physician-Owned Distributorships
The HHS Office of Inspector General has issued a special fraud alert focused on specific attributes of physician-owned distributorships the agency believes "produce substantial fraud and abuse risk and pose dangers to patient safety."  Click to continue »



Medical Device Purchases: 3 Statistics on How Physicians Are Influenced
Device costs are a huge portion of surgical bills, and 60 percent of physicians say doctors have the most influence over device purchasing decisions currently, according to the "Deloitte 2013 Survey of U.S. Physicians: Physician perspectives about health care reform and the future of the medical profession." Click to continue »



5 Steps to Cut Supply Costs at GI/Endoscopy-Driven ASCs
Here are five steps to cut supply costs in gastroenterology and endoscopy centers from Daren Smith, director of clinical services for Surgical Management Professionals. Click to continue »



4 Points on How ASCs Can Make Out-of-Network Contracting Work
In a recent webinar Kelly Webb, MediGain vice president and general manager of the ASC Billing Division, discussed how ASCs can grow revenue through analyzing payor mix and using both out-of-network and preferred provider organization insurance contracts. Click to continue »



The 2% Medicare Reimbursement Reduction: Q&A on How it Impacts ASCs
Angela Talton, MBA, RHIA, CCS, CPC, CPC-H, Sr. Vice President of Coding at National Medical Billing Services, answers the most frequently asked questions about the recent Medicare reimbursement reduction and how it will affect ambulatory surgery centers. Click to continue »



100 Great Places to Work in Healthcare
Becker's Hospital Review and Becker's ASC Review have announced their annual list of "100 Great Places to Work in Healthcare." Click to continue »