Expert lessons on building successful total joints programs in ASCs
By 2022, orthopedic procedures performed in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) were already outpacing expectations. For years, total hip and knee replacements were considered too complex for same-day surgery. Yet, total joints replacement volumes jumped nearly 200% between 2020 and 2022—outpatient total knee arthroplasty surged nearly 194%, while total hip arthroplasty climbed 61%—as ASCs have embraced total joints programs at accelerating rates. Same-day discharges for these procedures exceeded 30% by 2021, up from under 1% just 4 years prior.
Mind the gap: Why Medicare pays ASCs less than HOPDs—and what that means
For decades, ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) have shown their ability to deliver high-quality surgical care at substantially lower cost than hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs). ASCs achieve these savings through leaner operations, streamlined staffing models, and specialty-focused efficiencies, not by compromising safety or outcomes. Studies consistently highlight procedures performed in ASCs are less expensive to both Medicare and commercial payers. An example: the median cost of a colonoscopy in Texas is 38% lower in an ASC compared with an HOPD, while…
ASC management is a skill: A day in the administrator role
The administrator of an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) wears many hats, doing every odd job in the book to keep their free-standing center safe, compliant, and operational. But what does “wearing many hats” mean exactly? OR Manager spoke with Nyleen Flores, CPMSM, CPCS, CPCO, CASC, chief administrative officer at Lake Oconee Orthopedics, LLC in Greensboro, Georgia, to get to the bottom of the complex role of an ASC administrator. “Putting it simply, I would break the ASC administrator role into…
Built to grow: Key elements of planning a new ASC
Are you part of the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) construction boom? Approximately 116 new facilities opened in 2023, according to Becker’s ASC Review, and more are planned for and underway in 2024. The upward trend shows no signs of slowing. Fortune Business Insights projects the US ambulatory surgery center market to grow from $46.62 billion in 2023 to $75.20 billion by 2030—a compound annual growth rate of 7.1%. According to the American Ambulatory Surgery Association (ASCA), ASCs perform 23 million…
Ambulatory endoscopy management strategies keep patients, finances healthy
Gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy is one of the most common procedures in the US. Performed more than 17.1 million times per year in inpatient and outpatient hospital settings as well as ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), GI procedures account for 68% of all endoscopies, according to a May 2022 article in Digestive Diseases and Sciences. Among Medicare-certified, single-specialty ASCs, endoscopy is the most common focus, and 37% of certified multi-specialty facilities have an endoscopy service line. Lauri Santy, MSN, BS, RN, characterizes…
Nurse leader key to ASC success
In the May issue of OR Manager, an article from us at the Competency & Credentialing Institute (CCI) covered the definition of the nurse leader in the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) space, and what that role may look like depending upon the structural organization of the ASC. We covered that ASCs exist in a variety of settings, environments, and business structures, as well as the impact of state, local, and national requirements on how ASCs are governed. Regardless of these…
ASC nurse leaders can wear many hats
The role of a nurse leader in an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) can take many forms depending on the ASC’s size, structure, and governing environment. Larger ASCs can support a number of leaders and roles. Factors that influence this number are whether the ASC is part of a network, the ownership model, and local and state regulations. Titles and roles can include ASC executive, materials manager, surgical technologist lead, business manager, charge nurse, nurse manager, and head of human resources.…
Optimizing productivity measurement in the ASC
Takeaways Clinical hours per case is a simple, yet effective, productivity metric. Analysis of productivity measures can include benchmarking against external and internal data. A positive work culture will improve staff productivity. Productivity is a foundational concept for leaders of ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). “Measuring productivity is essential to be successful,” says Beverly Kirchner, BSN, RN, CNOR, CASC, chief compliance officer for SurgeryDirect, LLC, Salt Lake City, Utah. “When you’re measuring productivity, you’re looking at efficiency, which affects the types…
Keeping up with ASC credentialing
Staying on top of credentialing and privileging requirements in an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) is a daunting task. Credentialing applications need to be tracked; licensure, education, and other qualifications verified; databases checked for suspensions and any other adverse actions; and reappointments followed up. ASC leaders know accreditation surveyors expect all files to be complete and up-to-date. The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Healthcare (AAAHC) and the Joint Commission have extensive credentialing and privileging requirements. The standards are not easy to meet.…
