Becker's ASC Review

23 ASC MANAGEMENT Who gets Walmart, CVS and Amazon specialist referrals? By Laura Dyrda L arge retail and big tech companies are developing healthcare clinics across the U.S. Where do their employed physicians and clinicians refer patients who need specialists or surgery? It oen depends on patient preference and corporate relationships. Walmart has 20 clinics and could expand to include thousands more over the next decade. "If someone in Walmart Health needs to be referred for care, we ask them if they have a doctor they would like to see," said Carla Landon, senior manager of global communications and corporate affairs for Walmart. "If not, we provide a list of options, and our community health workers can help connect them to the services they need, as well as make sure their needs are being met." e Walmart community health workers also follow up with their patients to make sure they're connected with specialists. is is a clear opportunity for surgery centers and independent physicians to develop relationships with the local clinics that could lead to a referral boost. On the national level, partnerships between large retail companies and ASC chains may also shi cases to the high-quality, low-cost ASC setting. CVS MinuteClinics also make referrals to outside physicians for patients with more complex care needs. e company's clinics made 4 million referrals to primary care providers in 2019, according to the CVS executive presentation at the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference. Chad Mulvany, director of healthcare finance policy, perspectives and analysis for the Healthcare Financial Management Association, esti- mated 400,000 of those patients were eventually referred to specialists. Partnering health systems and organizations could capture some of those referrals, Mr. Mulvany suggested. e share of patients beginning their care journeys at retail clinics is increasing. In its September 2020 report, PwC found the number of Americans who reported using a retail clinic increased 40 percent dur- ing the pandemic. e number who went to retail urgent care clinics grew 18 percent, and 75 percent of those patients said they would use retail clinics again, according to the report. Amazon launched virtual healthcare clinics for its employees in 2019. The platform includes telehealth visits with physicians, nurse practitioners or other medical professionals seeking treatment and specialist referrals. The company's platform includes preventive care, chronic care management and joint care. Patients also can use the platform for virtual care and to schedule in-home visits with their practitioners. If patients need a higher level of care, Amazon's care coordinators work with them to connect with an appropriate specialist. e company is expanding its platform across the U.S. n USPI added 1,100 physicians in 2021 so far; total joints up 120% By Laura Dyrda D allas-based United Surgical Partners Inter- national, part of Tenet Healthcare, contin- ued its steep growth trajectory in the first half of 2021. USPI welcomed more than 570 physicians to the medical staff in the second quarter, bringing the total number of physicians added this year to 1,100. Ron Rittenmeyer, executive chair of Tenet, said the integration of 45 ASCs from SurgCenter Development is going well and the company added four other facilities to USPI in the second quarter. "We have a healthy and strong pipeline that we're working to deploy," said Mr. Rittenmeyer, as transcribed by Seeking Alpha. "That includes USPI's traditional three-way model, as well as great two-way opportunities, both of which fos- ter direct collaboration between USPI and local physicians." Mr. Rittenmeyer said organic growth opportunities are still plentiful and the company is developing centers with physicians at its normal pace. USPI also added 25 new service lines across its network during the second quarter. Many of the added service lines were in total joints and spine. USPI reported 120 percent growth in its total joint business and 21 percent growth in the spine businesses for the second quarter. The bariatric service line was up 100 percent and otolaryngology services jumped 1,000 percent. Overall, USPI reported an 80.4 percent jump in year-over-year net operating revenue to $664 million, and same-facility ASC volume was up 68.2 percent. The company ended the quarter June 30 with 317 ASCs and 24 surgical hospitals. "The second quarter and the first half of 2021 have been better than expected on many fronts," said Mr. Rittenmeyer. "This was largely driven by the continued commitment of our strategy, our extensive use of data and analysis, which have al- lowed us to trace deviations quickly, take action as needed and thus ensured a focus on execution at every level." n

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