ASC Leader The Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA) has submitted comments to CMS on its proposed 2027 updates to the ASC payment system. ASCA stated its “support for provisions aimed at expanding the range of procedures performed in ASCs, but warned that declining reimbursement will prevent Medicare beneficiaries from fully benefiting from…
Memorial Hospital Miramar, part of South Florida-based Memorial Healthcare System, has opened a new four-story outpatient facility that “brings together a broad range of outpatient services under one roof, including advanced imaging capabilities, laboratory services, infusion care, women's imaging and outpatient surgery.” Among the facility’s features: a 3T MRI and 256-slice…
Touro, a member organization of LCMC Health, last week opened its newly renovated, $7.5 million Touro Outpatient Surgery Center, which it states has doubled in size. The New Orleans facility now features six ORs and 15 pre-op and post-op bays, to accommodate more patients and offer a broader range of…
The American College of Cardiology (ACC) has submitted formal comments to CMS on the 2027 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Payment System proposed rule. The ACC states that its letter includes: Support for increased reimbursement for cardiac PET/CT services Support for maintaining higher reimbursement…
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has finalized a consent order involving Ascension’s proposed $3.9 billion acquisition of AMSURG. The FTC’s final consent order requires Ascension to divest seven AMSURG ASCs across Nashville, Tenn.; Panama City, Fla.; Tulsa, Okla.; Waco, Texas and Wichita, Kan. Six of the centers will be divested…
It’s National ASC Month, and Periop Leader Network is offering ASC leaders a special discount code to attend Periop Leader Week in Savannah, Ga., taking place this October 4 to 7. Register for Periop Leader Week now and use promo code ASCMONTH for 25% off passes to our annual gathering…
Integrated Surgical Center of Arizona (ISCA) has joined the network of ASC developer and operator Regent Surgical. Located in Avondale, Ariz., ISCA is a multispecialty ASC led by three Arizona physician organizations: IMS Care, described as Arizona’s “largest independent multispecialty physician group”; AZ Heart Arrhythmia Associates; and Valley GI Consultants.…
The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) has released its v45 Standards across all accreditation and certification programs. The new standards “introduce a comprehensive governance framework to help ambulatory healthcare organizations adopt and oversee AI responsibly.” AAAHC states that its updated v45 Standards reinforce its commitment to “continuous QI,…
To open up hospital capacity and lower costs, Banner Health is expanding use of its co-owned Phoenix-area ASCs to host lower-acuity electrophysiology (EP) and interventional procedures, according to a new article in Cardiovascular Business. The publication’s interview with Wilber Su, MD, director of cardiac EP at Banner Health and professor…
The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) has launched its 1095 Advance AI Governance Guide, an implementation resource designed to help ASCs “establish practical governance frameworks for the safe, effective, and responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI).” AAAHC states that the guide “helps organizations move beyond AI concepts to…
