Strategies for Ambulatory Surgery Centers in 2014: Think Forward!

Healthcare reform presents some interesting new challenges…and opportunities for many ambulatory surgery centers in the U.S., as more patients opt for treatment at their local ASC as an alternative to pricey hospital outpatient centers. Here are some services your ambulatory surgery center may be required to provide in 2014.

ASC Benefits

Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs) offer same-day care for millions of people who desire quality without the unpleasantness of conventional outpatient hospitals. A well-run ASC can run diagnostic and preventive surgical procedures that yield high patient satisfaction at a much lower cost than large hospitals, and with a higher nurse-patient ratio. For 2014, physicians predict that medical cases involving vascular surgery, spinal correction, and senior citizen joint replacement may find their way into more ambulatory surgical centers than ever before. Today’s ambulatory surgery centers are able to implement more intricate treatments that used to be automatically referred to hospital surgeons. If you run or work in an ambulatory surgery center, then you should consider adding the following services in 2014:

Spine surgery

According to Luke Lambert, CEO of Ambulatory Surgical Centers of America, about 90% of spine surgery cases are still conducted by hospitals, although that number is about to change, noting that about half of spinal surgeries could easily be performed at an ambulatory surgical center. Note to forward-thinking ASC managers- Focus on providing spine surgeries such as foraminotomy, the single level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion, all of which can be conducted safely in an outpatient setting.

23-hour stays

One of the biggest roadblocks to accepting high-profile cases in a smaller ASC setting has involved length of stay by patients. Now, depending on the state, 23-hour outpatient visits are becoming more commonplace in ambulatory surgery centers, allowing patients to receive spine surgeries, joint replacement, or diagnostic surgeries in a quieter, cleaner, more comfortable surroundings.

Total joint replacements

In addition to spine surgeries, we may also see more total joint replacements entering the ASC field of operation. With the addition of 23-hour stays, higher acuity cases involving sophisticated surgical procedures are becoming more available in ambulatory surgery center settings.

Medicare-compliance

Medicare approved treatments for senior citizens such as cataract surgeries and spine procedures are accepted at many ASC’s, especially now that more independent medical centers are able to administer anesthesia for geriatric patients and other people with many comorbid illnesses and high-risk complications. Before performing such geriatric procedures, it’s important to ascertain that your ambulatory surgery center will receive compensation through Medicare.

Vascular surgery

Once deemed too complex for an outpatient setting, vascular surgeries are becoming more common in smaller surgical centers, thanks to advances in medical technology and an increasing need for high quality medical coverage in a more economical environment. Please tell us… Do you operate an ambulatory surgery center? Will you consider providing some of these services for prospective patients? Do you have any questions or suggestions? Please leave your comments below. Share with your friends! If you found this article helpful, then please share with your friends, family, and coworkers by email, twitter, or Facebook. Like this? Read more: