ASC Leader SGMC Health has acquired Valdosta Foot & Ankle Clinic in South Georgia, and will rename the practice, which includes an Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC)-accredited ASC, as SGMC Podiatry. The practice will continue to be run by Michael Wallace, DPM, and Devin Daugherty, DPM. SGMC Health states that…
A new review in the journal Current Opinion in Anesthesiology examines the use of ketamine in ambulatory anesthesia, particularly its dose-dependent effects on breathing and cortical function. Noting that low-dose ketamine can be used in ambulatory surgery following an assessment of risks and benefits, the researchers state that ketamine “decreases…
A new analysis from BCC Research dives into how artificial intelligence (AI) is impacting outpatient surgical procedures. The research, AI Impact on Outpatient Surgical Procedures — BCC Pulse Report, can be accessed here. The report, which is mainly aimed at investors, nevertheless presents some informative findings for perioperative leaders: “Significant…
The American Hospital Association (AHA) “shared concerns” with CMS regarding the calendar year 2027 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment System proposed rule. AHA wrote that the proposed net payment update of 2.4% is “not adequate given the financial challenges hospitals and health systems face.” In…
Mount Sinai Health System announced that it will open Peakpoint Central Nassau Surgery Center in Carle Place, N.Y., on Long Island this month. The 20,400-square-foot multispecialty ASC will offer gastroenterology, gynecology, ophthalmology, orthopedic and spine surgery, otolaryngology, pain management, plastic surgery, podiatry, and urology procedures. A joint venture among Mount…
A new single-center, double-blind, prospective, superiority randomized controlled trial published in Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine compares continuous femoral nerve blocks (CFNB) and continuous adductor canal blocks (CACB) for outpatient anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery. The researchers, noting that the “comparative opioid-sparing and functional outcomes” of the two approaches are…
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…
