March/April 2023 Issue of Becker's ASC Review
ON THE COVER
CMS updates Stark Law self-referral rules: 4 things to know
CMS updated its voluntary self-referral disclosure laws Jan. 23, according to law firm Nexsen Pruet in a Feb. 15 article on JDSupra.
Physician falls to 6th on list of best healthcare jobs
Physician dropped to the sixth-best healthcare job, with a median salary of $208,000 and 19,400 projected jobs between 2021 and 2031, according to a U.S. News & World Report list.
Optum to add LHC Group in $5.4B deal: 4 notes
UnitedHealth Group closed the multimillion-dollar deal to acquire home health and hospice company LHC Group Feb. 22, according to an SEC filing.
Which ASC chain has the most surgery centers?
United Surgical Partners International, the largest ASC chain in the U.S., has 410 surgery centers.
22 of the largest orthopedic groups in the US by number of physicians
Here are more than 20 of the largest orthopedic practices in the U.S., listed by the number of physicians on the staff.
Senator argues for physicianowned hospital
Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., teamed with Brian Miller, MD, an assistant professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, to pen a column for The Wall Street Journal calling for an end to the ban on physician-owned hospitals.
Physicians see income drop — what happens next?
From skyrocketing inflation to CMS pay cuts, physicians are facing compensation declines affecting their practices and livelihoods
Private equity is driving cases to ASCs — and cardiology could be primed for growth
Private equity's interest in ASCs and physicians over the last decade has helped spur a migration of procedures to the outpatient setting, and cardiology could be the next target.
ASC MANAGEMENT
The ASC trend that defined 2022
High-acuity procedures shifting to the ASC setting continued in 2022, according to VMG Health's "ASCs in 2022: A Year in Review" report released Jan. 26.
Physician falls to 6th on list of best healthcare jobs
Physician dropped to the sixth-best healthcare job, with a median salary of $208,000 and 19,400 projected jobs between 2021 and 2031, according to a U.S. News & World Report list.
UnitedHealthcare’s 2023 outpatient procedure code changes
UnitedHealthcare made changes to its outpatient procedure group mapping that went into effect Jan. 1.
Physicians see income drop — what happens next?
From skyrocketing inflation to CMS pay cuts, physicians are facing compensation declines affecting their practices and livelihoods.
Which ASC chain has the most surgery centers?
United Surgical Partners International, the largest ASC chain in the U.S., has 410 surgery centers.
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
The healthcare trends making ASC leaders nervous
From robotic procedures to government regulations, nine industry leaders recently connected with Becker's to discuss the healthcare trends they are wary of.
Oregon’s ASC loss: Here’s what happened
Since 2020, the state of Oregon saw a decline in the number of ASCs in the state, according to data from the National ASC Association.
Private equity is a mainstay in orthopedics. This group aims to change that.
Durham, N.C.-based EmergeOrtho, Indianapolis-based OrthoIndy and Seattle-based Proliance Surgeons banded together to form an orthopedic group free of private equity, and its leaders hope others will follow their lead.
‘We are in for continued disruption’: Pay trends a physician leader is eyeing
Physicians are seeing continued pay cuts in 2023, and many leaders are worried about the sustainability of small practices as the healthcare industry consolidates.
ORTHOPEDICS
Lawsuit targets Michigan orthopedic practice, alleges monopoly
Trinity Health and four surgeons have sued Grand Rapids-based Orthopaedic Associates of Michigan, accusing the practice of holding a monopoly in Kent County.
22 of the largest orthopedic groups in the US by number of physicians
Here are more than 20 of the largest orthopedic practices in the U.S., listed by the number of physicians on the staff.
Aetna revises lumbar disc replacement policy
Aetna updated its Clinical Policy Bulletin Feb. 8 following a class-action settlement related to its lumbar disc replacement coverage.
Stryker has ambitious robotics plans. Here’s how 2 competitors are responding
In its fourth quarter earnings call, Stryker laid out its timeline for new Mako robot applications. Since, executives at other medtech companies have addressed those plans.
GASTROENTROLOGY
How colonoscopy reimbursement is expected to change for ASCs in 2023
Medicare ASC payments for colonoscopies with lesion removals and colonoscopies and biopsies are expected to increase in 2023, according to VMG Health's "ASCs in 2022: A Year in Review" report released Jan. 26.
UnitedHealthcare changes prior authorization requirements for GI care
UnitedHealthcare, an insurer of approximately 45 million people worldwide, has announced changes to its prior authorization rules for gastroenterology care that will take effect June 1.
Why gastroenterologists are leaving the field
Whether due to COVID-19 induced changes or a shift in approach to care, many gastroenterologists have chosen not to stick around as the gastroenterology landscape continues to evolve.
Intermountain physician weighs in on the future of colon polyp detection
As artificial intelligence becomes more common in gastroenterology, industry leaders are hopeful about its potential for polyp detection during colonoscopies.
ASCs should prepare for a drop in this procedure’s volume
As gastroenterology technology develops, some healthcare leaders are concerned about how the updates will affect procedure volume.
TRANSACTIONS
Senator argues for physician-owned hospitals
Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., teamed with Brian Miller, MD, an assistant professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, to pen a column for The Wall Street Journal calling for an end to the ban on physician-owned hospitals.
Optum to add LHC Group in $5.4B deal: 4 notes
UnitedHealth Group closed the multimillion-dollar deal to acquire home health and hospice company LHC Group Feb. 22, according to an SEC filing.
USPI to inject $250M into ASC acquisitions
Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare, parent company of ASC chain United Surgical Partners International, will pump $250 million into ASC mergers and acquisitions, the company said Feb. 9 during its fourth-quarter earnings call transcribed by Seeking Alpha.
How Walgreens is setting the pace with physician acquisitions
In the last few years, Walgreens Boots Alliance has shifted its focus from retail pharmacies to physicians.
HCA ‘excited’ about ambulatory investments: 3 notes
Although the number of outpatient surgery cases performed at facilities run by Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare decreased in the fourth quarter of 2022 compared to 2021, the company is optimistic about its ambulatory network.
HEALTHCARE NEWS
We don’t have 27 hours in a day, physicians remind guideline-makers
It may not come as a surprise that in today's healthcare landscape, there's simply not enough time in the day for physicians to provide guideline-recommended care. As a result, many physicians want time and usefulness to be considered in the creation of guidelines, The New York Times reported Feb. 14.
Cuban’s pharmacy may save US $1.2B annually with 9 drugs: Vanderbilt study
Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Co. has the potential to save some patients $1.29 billion a year, according to a study led by Vanderbilt University Medical Center researchers that evaluated 2020 Medicare Part D expenses for the nine most popular urological drugs.
More hospitals, health systems begin to walk back mask mandates
Ahead of the ending COVID-19 emergency, several hospitals and health systems have begun to walk back their mask rules.
AdventHealth leans into virtual nursing
Reducing workload for bedside nurses can play a crucial role in retaining these workers and ensuring they are able to provide optimum patient care. That is the premise of AdventHealth adding virtual nurses at its hospitals.
Billionaire CEO donates $25M to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital
Miami-based Nicklaus Children's Hospital has received a $25 million gift from Kenneth Griffin, founder and CEO of investment firm Citadel.