Becker's Spine Review

30 OUTPATIENT SURGERY Medicare to save $73.4B with surgery in ASCs through 2028: 5 things to know By Laura Dyrda A new report from the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association shows performing surgery on Medi- care patients in ASCs instead of hospital outpatient departments saved $4.2 billion in 2018, and the savings are expected to climb significantly in the next decade. KNG Health Consulting conducted an analysis of Medicare payment data from 2011 to 2018 on outpatient surgical pro- cedures in ASCs and hospital outpatient departments. e analysis estimated historical and potential savings with a focus on total knee replacements. Five key points: 1. Medicare saved $28.7 billion from 2011 to 2018 from sur- geries performed in ASCs instead of hospital outpatient de- partments. e report projects Medicare will save $73.4 bil- lion from 2019 to 2028, with $12 billion saved in 2028 alone. 2. e percentage of total knee replacement and knee mo- saicplasty is expected to grow from 13.4 percent of all pro- cedures in ASCs in 2020 to 18 percent in 2028, a 3.7 percent annual growth. Based on that projection, ASC savings for Medicare total knee replacements would be $2.95 billion from 2020 to 2028. 3. Most of the savings in the last decade are attributed to high-volume procedures, including cataract surgeries and colonoscopies, but the report estimates procedures such as endocrine, cardiovascular and orthopedic surgery will drive most of the $73.4 billion savings through 2028. 4. e following five specialties are expected to save Medi- care $1 billion per year by being performed in the ASC: • Eye and ocular adnexa • Cardiovascular • Nervous system • Digestive system surgery • Musculoskeletal surgery 5. ere are more than 5,800 Medicare-certified ASCs in the U.S., with the most common procedures today being cata- ract surgery, colonoscopy, upper GI endoscopies and pain management procedures. n AmSurg taps cardiology leader as next president — 3 details By Angie Stewart J eff Snodgrass was named the new president of AmSurg, one of the country's largest ASC operators and the ambulatory division of Nashville, Tenn.-based Envision Healthcare. What you should know: 1. Mr. Snodgrass was installed as president in early September. Interim president Chan Chuang, MD, returned to his role as Envi- sion's chief medical officer. 2. Mr. Snodgrass most recently served as president and CEO of Azura Vascular Care and National Cardiology Partners, guiding the vascular and cardiology outpatient, interventional and surgi- cal business units at Fresenius Medical Care North America. 3. Also joining Envision is Jay Martus, who assumed the new role of chief revenue officer in early September. Mr. Martus is focusing on managed care, malpractice risk and hospital contracting. n Where Walmart plans to open 10 health centers By Laura Dyrda W almart Health said it is opening several new loca- tions in the coming months in Georgia, Chicago and Florida. Walmart Health has five locations in Georgia and one in Arkan- sas. The company recently said it plans to open seven more lo- cations in Georgia and two in Chicago this year. It also plans to add one location in Jacksonville, Fla., next year and has begun conversations in the Orlando, Fla., and Tampa, Fla., markets. The company said it has partnered with BLOX, a company fo- cused on medical modules to standardize manufacturing pro- cesses, make healthcare delivery faster and more efficient while using fewer resources. "This innovative collaboration allows us to tailor Walmart Health design to meet the unique needs of the communities we serve, while also providing the necessary infrastructure to efficiently scale the model," Walmart stated in a news release. Four more points about Walmart Health: 1. More than 50 percent of booked visits are by returning patients. 2. Ninety-six percent of patients reported they "felt cared for" and had their needs met by the visit. 3. The health centers provide primary care, urgent care, labs, X-ray, diagnostics, counseling and dental services in one location. 4. The health centers are open on weekends and evenings. n

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