Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1475204
18 THOUGHT LEADERSHIP The competitive edge of independent ASCs By Patsy Newitt I ndependent ASCs have an edge in the market as pro- cedures increasingly migrate to the outpatient setting, according to Doug Geinzer, founder and president of Las Vegas-based High Performance Providers. High Performance Providers works with self-funded health plans, third-party administrators and consultants on bun- dled case rates. Mr. Geinzer "spoke to Becker's about where ASCs stand in the healthcare industry and which ASCs will win in their market. Editor's note: This interview was edited lightly for length and clarity. Question: Which ASCs will win in their market in the next 5 years? Doug Geinzer: Independently owned, single-specialty [ASCs] will have a competitive edge as more institu- tional buyers of healthcare realize the cost savings of moving cases out of the hospital setting and into ASCs. The quality gains will become apparent from the staffing models provided by these specialty surgery centers, of- fering surgeons more autonomy and the ability to devel- op a true team environment, not one assigned to them by hospital administration. Q: Describe ASCs' role in the healthcare landscape DG: ASCs will continue to play a larger role in the delivery of healthcare. As health plans realize the savings found in [not having to pay a hospital] facility fee and the fact that most surgeries do not need to be done in a hospital, more care will be delivered in the ASC. Healthcare lead- ers will continue to realize the value the operating room team plays in the overall quality, and surgeons will realize the increase in not only their quality scores, but patient satisfaction scores due to the quality and tenure of the ASC OR team. n ASCs can win with this major trend By Patsy Newitt With the trends in healthcare moving toward value-based care mod- els, ASCs could be in the perfect position for growth. "ASCs continue to grow year aer year as more cases are migrated to the setting," Tina DiMarino, DNP, RN, administrator of Mid- Atlantic Surgery Pavilion in Aberdeen, Md., told Becker's. "ASCs have an important role in the shi to a value-based model of healthcare. ASCs also provide positive outcomes for the patient for a more reasonable cost." CMS and payers are seeing opportunities in bundled payments over traditional fee-for-service models. Plus, in a market that is becoming increasingly consumerized, ASC partnerships that boost value-based care could come out on top. "To be honest, I believe all ASCs in their respective markets serve a value-based purpose and therefore will win," Dr. DiMarino said. As healthcare consumers, physicians understand the patients have choices for where they would like to receive their care. With this in mind, ASCs tend to cater to the patient by providing a safe and friendly environment that is truly patient-centric." Value-based care arrangements require digital sophistication for data gathering and analyzing infrastructure, so consolidation and part- nerships can help ASCs and physician groups secure these contracts. Consolidation does not have to hurt care delivery, Dr. DiMarino said. Hospital-owned joint ventures can provide state-of-the-art facilities while maintaining physician control, and ASC management companies can offer patient-focused care. Many ASC companies and physician practices have recently secured partnerships to bolster value-based care and leverage these contracts. For example, Brentwood, Tenn.-based Surgery Partners is collabo- rating with ValueHealth to expand access to surgical care, aiming to build new ASCs and deploy ValueHealth's value-based surgical programs across Surgery Partners' locations. Meanwhile, Philadelphia-based Premier Orthopedics teamed with Healthcare Outcomes Performance Co. to integrate value-based partnerships with orthopedic practices, physicians, health systems and payers in the region. And Raleigh, N.C.-based Compass Surgical Partners snagged a private equity investment to support its expan- sion into new markets. Compass aims to use the influx of capital to invest in data and analytics and value-based partnerships. Although only 15 percent of physicians participate in value-based payment models, according to Medscape's "Physician Compensa- tion Report 2022," it is a growing trend. Some orthopedic surgeons believe ASCs are saving orthopedics amid high consolidation and the movement to value-based care. "Physicians should focus on value-based care initiatives, orient to- ward collaborative relationships with patients, be driven by guide- line-directed medical therapy and shi services to the outpatient environment through reliance on ASCs and office-based Centers of Excellence," said Andrew Kaplan, MD, director of electrophysiol- ogy and clinical research at Southwest Cardiovascular Associates in Mesa, Ariz. n