Becker's ASC Review

38 ORTHOPEDICS Work progressing on 3-way joint-venture orthopedic surgery center in New York By Eric Oliver S aratoga Springs, N.Y.-based Saratoga Hospital, Albany (N.Y.) Medical Center and Albany-based Capital Region Orthopedics are developing an orthopedic surgery center despite COVID-19 delaying Saratoga Hospital's other projects, the Albany Business Review reported. The surgery center is an $8 million project. Saratoga Hospital, Albany Medical Center and 18 physicians are developing the center. The surgery center will be called Saratoga Partners North, next to Malta Med Emergent Care. In its first year of operation, the center anticipates com- pleting 3,000 surgeries with an expected net income of $754,000. The center will have six operating rooms and will em- ploy about 32 full-time employees. n Los Angeles Chargers doctor punctured lung of quarterback Tyrod Taylor while administering injection By Eric Oliver A Los Angeles Chargers team physician accidentally punctured the lung of quarterback Tyrod Taylor while administering a pain-killing injection, the team told ESPN Sept. 23. Mr. Taylor was receiving the injection to treat his cracked ribs. Head Coach Anthony Lynn said Mr. Taylor's injury is not career-threatening, but several doctors have told Mr. Taylor not to play "indefinitely." Mr. Lynn said the doctor "just made a mistake." After his lung was punctured, Mr. Taylor was rushed to a hospital to fix the puncture. The NFL Players Association is investigat- ing the mistake. Mr. Lynn said Mr. Taylor is harboring no ill-will. "Tyrod's not angry, not upset," he told ESPN. n 21% of surgeons 'likely to' cut administrative staff if CMS finalizes pay cuts — 13 possible consequences By Angie Stewart T he American College of Surgeons surveyed its members to gauge how CMS' proposal to cut payments for some specialty surgeries would affect their practices and patients. Released Aug. 3, the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule would reduce the conversion factor for general and specialty surgeons from $36.09 to $32.26. ACS surveyed 1,324 members from Sept. 8-14 about the proposed rule's potential consequences. Respondents were asked what actions they are likely to take if the rule goes into effect: 1. Limit Medicare patient scheduling: 39 percent 2. Reduce time spent with patients: 37 percent 3. Hire fewer new administrative staff: 27 percent 4. Stop investing in new equipment or tech- nology: 26 percent 5. Hire fewer new nurses: 22 percent 6. Eliminate certain procedures: 21 percent 7. Cut existing administrative staff: 21 percent 8. Reduce total hours worked: 15 percent 9. Cancel a planned expansion: 14 percent 10. Cut existing nurses: 11 percent 11. Leave surgery entirely: 9 percent 12. Close satellite offices that are part of my practice: 8 percent 13. Close my practice entirely: 4 percent n

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