Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/148060
Supply & Materials Management 36 OIG Issues Special Fraud Alert on Physician-Owned Distributorships By Molly Gamble T he HHS Office of Inspector General has issued a special fraud alert focused on specific attributes of physician-owned distributorships the agency believes "produce substantial fraud and abuse risk and pose dangers to patient safety." PODs are physician-owned entities that derive revenue from selling or arranging the sale of implantable medical devices, which are ordered by the entities' physician-owners for use in procedures those physician-owners perform at their hospitals or ambulatory surgery centers. In its alert, the OIG said it is concerned about the proliferation of PODs and views them as "inherently suspect under the antikickback statute." The OIG also listed eight specific "suspect characteristics" of PODs or physician-owners that are likely to attract more scrutiny. n Medical Device Purchases: 3 Points on Physician Influences By Laura Miller D evice costs are a huge portion of surgical bills, and 60 percent of physicians say doctors have the most influence over device purchasing decisions currently, according to the "Deloitte 2013 Survey of U.S. Physicians: Physician perspectives about health care reform and the future of the medical profession." The respondents who feel physicians have the most influence over device purchasing thought it would stay that way for the next three to five years. Additional findings include: 1. Within the bundled payment structure, nearly 50 percent of physicians believe the most important evidence for purchasing medical technology, beyond safety and efficacy, is the "potential reduction in instances of needed care." 2. Around 70 percent of physicians feel physician-led, peer review of new medical technologies is the leading best practice in the selection and purchase of medical technology. 3. The use of evidence-based guidelines was the second leading best practice for choosing and purchasing medical technologies. n HFAP 1051 Final_Layout 1 3/20/13 3:26 PM Page 1 Confirm Your Excellence Ambulatory Surgical Center Accreditation "The HFAP survey process is straightforward. Mackinaw Surgery Center knows exactly what the regulatory expectations are without the guess work. This allows our Center to be consistent in its operations and at the same time challenges our team to strive to be the best at what we do. " -Steve Corl Administrator, Mackinaw Surgery Center, LLC Saginaw, MI www.hfap.org info@hfap.org CLIENT: Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program APPEARANCE: ASC Review, April 2013 AD SIZE: Half page horizontal, color Norcom Incorporated Phone: 847-948-7762 E-Mail: theteam@norcomdesign.com