Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1492611
10 THOUGHT LEADERSHIP 7 things ASC leaders are excited about By Patsy Newitt Nine ASC leaders joined Becker's to discuss what they're most excited about in 2023. Editor's note: ese responses were edited lightly for brevity and clarity. 1. Data advancements Andrew Lovewell. CEO of Columbia Orthopaedic Group (Columbia, Mo.): What excites me about 2023 is the growing demand for healthcare data and the continued push to value-based care. As an organization that has rooted itself in data analytics, patient reported outcomes, and being able to account for everything that touches a patient, we are excited to leverage our data intelligence and analytics to improve patient care. 2. Individual ASC growth Tracy Hoe-Hoffman, RN. Administrator of Heartland Surgery Center (Kearney, Neb.): What I am most excited about for 2023 is the completion of our 8,800-square-foot addition. It will include two additional ORs, three recovery rooms, and four 23-hour stay rooms. is gives us the opportunity to grow, especially our total joint program, spine, ENT and urology. Adam Bruggeman, MD. CEO of Texas Spine Care Center (San Antonio): On a personal note, we are opening a new ASC this year. e focus will be on orthopedic joints and spine procedures. We intend to do some direct-to-consumer marketing aer we open, which will be interesting to track over time. 3. Healthcare innovation Joshua Rosenow, MD. Director of Functional Neurosurgery and Professor of Neurosurgery at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine (Chicago): I am excited about all of the innovation in the neuromodulation space. We have an unprecedented number of new companies developing and/or launching neuromodulation technologies and the established companies are introducing new capabilities as well. Moreover, research into new indications for neuromodulation interventions continues to progress with numerous studies either being launched or coming to fruition in 2023. ose of us who specialize in neuromodulation have a bright year ahead of us as we demonstrate the far reaching possibilities of our field. Carmen Quatman, MD, PhD. Orthopedic Surgeon at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center (Columbus): I am most excited about the healthcare innovations and technology that 2023 will bring for patient care! I am most nervous about the growing barriers of payers and insurance for patient care — the growing denials for critical needs for patient care impacts the entire healthcare ecosystem. Longer lengths of stay, unnecessary burdens on healthcare teams and patients, potential dangerous "misses" due to denials of necessary imaging and families needing to "hoop jump" to get patients the necessary care. 4. Outpatient migration Ramy Elias, MD. Orthopedic Surgeon at the Center for Advanced Orthopedics & Sports Medicine (Cerritos, Calif.): I'm excited by the continued trend of doing more cases in the ASC versus the hospital. 5. Technological advancements Harel Deutsch, MD. Co-director of the Rush Spine Center (Chicago): I am most excited about new technologies, including navigation/robotics, that will improve outcomes for patients. We were also involved in a new lumbar motion preservation device FDA trial, which should become commercially available in 2023. 6. High-acuity procedures Geoffrey Van iel, MD. Orthopedic Surgeon at Ortho Illinois (Chicago): I am excited about the growth in ASC consolidation and the complexity of case mix. We are continuing to evolve with regard to both volume and case complexity in a safe and effective outpatient setting. Growth and consolidation in the ASC marketplace should allow better alignment with surgeons, ASCs and payers; resulting in rapid development of value-based care creation. 7. Improving patient experience Daniel Mulconrey, MD. Orthopedic Surgeon at Midwest Orthopaedic Center (Peoria, Ill.): I am excited to expand and improve upon the patient experience in 2023. Patient satisfaction will be critical for independent practices in the next few years. Improving patient satisfaction, optimizing patient outcomes, and maintaining access to care should be an exciting focus in 2023. n ASC reimbursement rates shouldn't be based on ownership, leader says By Patsy Newitt A ccording to Dennis Fliegelman, principal consultant at West Lake Village, Calif.-based ARA Financial Services, outpatient reimbursement should be based on clinical rationale rather than ownership structure. Dr. Fliegelman, who is also a former hospital administrator, joined Becker's to discuss the most controversial trends in the ASC industry. Editor's note: This response was edited lightly for clarity and brevity. Question: What are the most controversial trends in the ASC industry? Dennis Fliegelman: The outpatient reimbursement of facilities should not be one of ownership but of clinical rationales e.g. a hospital-based outpatient surgicenter with immediate access to the hospital's back-up should have more procedures on an approved list and should have a higher rate than an off-campus or independent one. Other facilities and factors should also be considered, such as extended post-surgical facilities and coverage. They are not all equal and need to be put into categories for reimbursement in addition to outcome, satisfaction and cost-efficiency factors. n