October 2010 Special Issue of Becker's ASC Review

Future of ASCs in Five Years: 10 Predictions on the Most Common Ownership Model

As of 2006, the most common ownership structure of an ASC was 100 percent physician-owned (61 percent of ASCs), followed by hospital/physician-owned (16 percent of ASCs) and corporation/physician-owned (11 percent of ASCs), according to data provided by VMG Health in the 2009 Intellimarker. Click to continue »

10 Top Concerns for ASC Administrators

With lower reimbursements, stricter regulations and physicians choosing hospital employment, it isn't an easy time for ASCs. Click to continue »

ASC Physicians Identify 14 Stories Which Will Impact the Immediate Future of the Industry

1. Develop a Simple Framework for Strategy. There are several different frameworks that can be used to build a strategy. Click to continue »

Publisher’s Letter: October 2010

2010: A Better Year Than Expected; 8 Key Issues Click to continue »

Healthcare Fraud Investigations Increase; Greater Caution Urged in ASC Share Sales to Physicians; 22 Dos and Don’ts on Selling ASC Shares

The oversight and scrutiny of physician hospital and physician provider transactions and relationships has increased tremendously over the last few years. Click to continue »

Should Your ASC Outsource Coding And Billing?

In today's economy, why should you consider spending additional money to give your most precious asset to an outsider? Click to continue »

Tom Jacobs of MedHQ on Impact of ACOs, Value of Outsourcing

Now more than ever, healthcare providers must consider strategies that will enable them to maximize their ability to provide excellent patient care, while at the same time reducing cost. Click to continue »

Understanding Outsourced Anesthesia: Q&A With Dr. Marc Koch of Somnia Anesthesia Services

Marc Koch, MD, MBA, is an anesthesiologist and president and CEO of Somnia Anesthesia Services. Click to continue »

221 People to Know in the ASC Industry

Sami S. Abbasi. Mr. Abbasi is the chairman and CEO of National Surgical Care. Prior to joining National Surgical Care, he served as president and CEO of Radiologix... Click to continue »

CMS Issues Proposed Rule on Changes to Stark In-Office Ancillary Services Exception

Section 6003 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Public Law 111-148 (H.R. 3590) makes a change to the "in-office ancillary services" exception to the Stark physician self-referral law that impacts physician practices providing certain radiology services in their offices. Click to continue »

3 Common Problems in Underperforming ASCs

Bill Heath, chief development officer at Practice Partners in Healthcare, helps turn around underperforming ASCs. Click to continue »

5 Best Practices for Compensating ASC Administrators

Harlan Schmitt, principal in Schmitt, Griffiths, Smith & Co., an accounting and business consulting firm of in Ogden, Utah, makes five points about compensation of ASC administrators. Click to continue »

Spine and Sports Medicine Surgeons Top List of Highest Paid Orthopedic Specialties

Here are seven statistics on orthopedic surgeon compensation by specialty from 2009 data, according to the MGMAPhysician Compensation and Production Survey: 2010 Report. Click to continue »

Critical ASC Benchmarks Not Routinely Tracked

Susan Kizirian, chief operating officer for ASCOA, identifies three sets of data ASCs often do not routinely track and explains why it is important that they do so. Click to continue »

10 Statistics About ASC Administrator Compensation

Here are 10 statistics about compensation of ASC administrators, based on a 2009 analysis of 174 licensed freestanding ASCs, according to the VMG Health Multi-Specialty ASC Intellimarker 2010. Click to continue »

8 New Taxes Coming From ObamaCare

R. Blake Curd, MD, interim executive director of Surgical Management Professionals in Sioux Falls, S.D., itemizes just a few of the new taxes and fees that will go into effect in the next few years, mostly as a result of the healthcare reform law. Click to continue »

Appeals Court Rules Health Plan Administrator Abused Discretion in Determining Discounted Rate was “Unreasonable,” Case May Have Implications for OON Providers

The United States Fifth Court of Appeals has upheld a district court ruling that a health plan violated the Employee Retirement Income Security Act by refusing payment to a hospital for health services it felt were not "reasonable and customary," according to court documents. Click to continue »

3 Factors That Can Increase the Value of ASCs to a Potential Corporate or Hospital Partner

Jason L. Ruchaber, CFA, ASA, principal with HealthCare Appraisers, discusses three ways an ASC can increase its value when preparing for or considering a sale to a corporate or hospital partner. Click to continue »

Setting Share Price for Prospective Physician-Investors

Greg Koonsman is a senior partner at VMG Health, a valuation and financial advisory firm. Click to continue »

Study: Dramatic Shortage of Anesthesiologists, Surplus of Nurse Anesthetists Projected by 2020

A study by RAND Corp. finds a current shortage of 3,800 anesthesiologists in the United States and projects a possible shortage of 12,500 anesthesiologists by 2020, according a news release from the American Society of Anesthesiologists. Click to continue »

Critical Guidance for Complying With Anesthesia Infection Control Rules

One of the biggest challenges facing the practice of anesthesia are recent changes in infection control rules, according to Clifford Gevirtz, MD, an anesthesiologist with Somnia Anesthesia Services who practices throughout New York and Long Island, N.Y. Click to continue »

5 Trends for GI ASCs From Barry Tanner of Physicians Endoscopy

Barry Tanner is president and CEO of Physicians Endoscopy, which specializes in development and management of freestanding, single-specialty ASCs. He identifies five trends for GI-driven ASCs. Click to continue »

5 Financial Statistics About GI in ASCs

Here are five financial statistics about GI and endoscopy in ASCs, according to VMG Health's 2009 Intellimarker. Click to continue »

6 Things Your ASC May Not Know About Billing and Coding

As president of National Medical Billing Services in St. Louis, Mo., one of the largest ASC billing companies in the country, Lisa Rock is well-versed in the mistakes ASCs make concerning billing and coding. Click to continue »

Fight These Third-Party Payor Contract Clauses

Kevin Dowdy is director of managed care for Meridian Surgical Partners. Click to continue »

Implant Costs: Why ASC-Physician Collaboration Makes Sense

In order to survive and thrive in today's environment, it is essential for ASCs to control the cost of implants in addition to handling more complex cases. Click to continue »

New Jersey DHSS Outlines 3 Key Steps to Comply With Use of Single-Dose Medication Vials Rules

One of the biggest challenges facing the practice of anesthesia are recent changes in infection control rules, according to Clifford Gevirtz, MD, an anesthesiologist with Somnia Anesthesia Services who practices throughout New York and Long Island, N.Y. Click to continue »

Guidance for Proper Peer Review: Insight From Dr. Jack Egnatinsky of AAAHC

Jack Egnatinsky, MD, medical director of the AAAHC and a retired anesthesiologist, provides guidance for what he has seen as a challenge for many ASCs: peer review, which is a sub-chapter in the AAAHC standards manual. Click to continue »