Becker's Spine Review

18 ASC ASC execs are bullish on growth. Here are 5 strategies on their radar By Patsy Newitt e year 2024 is around the corner and ASCs are employing several strategies to prepare for growth. Here are five ways ASCs are looking to grow: 1. Adding service lines Many ASC leaders are looking to add high-acuity, high-reimbursement procedures to their centers to spur growth. In particular, ASCs are eyeing total shoulder arthroscopy aer CMS added it to the ASC- covered list in its final rule. "With CMS' sudden unexpected release of total shoulder arthroscopy to the ASC-covered procedures list, I find myself scrambling to meet with our surgeons and staff to begin planning for the first of the year," Alfonso del Granado, administrator and CEO of Lubbock, Texas- based Covenant High Plains Surgery Centers, told Becker's. "is is an exciting time, and I haven't felt this bullish about the future since before the COVID pandemic." Leaders are also continuing to focus on other orthopedic and cardiology procedures. "As we have plans to kick off our total joint program in the beginning of 2024 with total knee arthroplasties, I would like to see that service line grow into shoulders and hips as the year goes on," Erin Vitale, RN, director of nursing at Hoffman Estates (Ill.) Surgery Center, told Becker's. "We also have a general service line that has a great opportunity to expand its services." 2. Recruiting and retaining staff ASCs faced many challenges in recruiting and retaining staff in 2023. Staffing costs are a huge burden on many ASCs, and some centers spend one-fourth or more of their net operating revenue on employees to stay ahead of shortages, according to a report from VMG Health. Many leaders are focusing on staff recruitment to drive growth in 2024. Andrew Lovewell, CEO at Columbia (Mo.) Orthopaedic Group, told Becker's that "attracting and retaining top talent is essential" to continue its growth strategy. "In an extremely competitive labor environment, getting the right people in the door is important," he said. "We have overhauled our benefits package recently and are continually working to provide the best benefits to our staff. We are still facing critical shortages in anesthesia providers and diligently working to assure we are in the best position to recruit the top talent in the market in this field as well as all others." Other leaders are focused on retaining and investing in existing staff. "In 2024, my primary focus is on nurturing and retaining our exceptional team," Andrey Ibragimov, BSN, RN, director at the Chicago-based Ingalls ASC, told Becker's. "We understand that the quality of care we provide is directly linked to the dedication and expertise of our staff." Ms. Ibragimov said she is enhancing her team's strategies and policies and trying to collaborate with other groups to "create an environment where outstanding healthcare and fulfilling career paths flourish together." 3. Partnering with other providers ASCs are looking to hospital and management company partnerships to access economies of scale amid skyrocketing operating costs. For some, that means abandoning independence. Jayesh Dayal, MD, anesthesiologist at Rockville, Md.-based White Flint Surgery, told Becker's that "remaining independent is becoming impossible." "We have absolutely dismal rates, no scope of negotiating anything at our scale — with the insurers or the vendors — and the personnel costs are out of control," he said. "For 2024, we have started talking to national chains, private equity firms and hospital systems to partner with so that the rates get better, the cost of disposables and implants get better, and the day-to-day operations and RCM are optimized. " ASC market expected to hit $53B+ by 2028: 5 notes By Riz Hatton T he U.S. ASC market is expected to reach $53.67 billion by 2028, according to the "U.S Ambulatory Surgical Centers Market — Focused Insights 2023- 2028" report released Dec. 11. Here are five things to know from the report: 1. There are more than 6,000 Medicare-certified ASCs in the U.S. 2. More than 5% of gastroenterology surgeries shifted from hospitals to ASCs from 2016 to 2022. 3. ASCs are shifting to the single specialty model as they allow the center to offer highly skilled staff and obtain specialized technology. This also attracts patients with specialty-related issues. 4. In 2019, there were fewer than 100 ophthalmology ASCs, In 2022, there were more than 1,000, which shows that the ophthalmology ASC segment is steadily growing. 5. The key players in the ASC industry are USPI, AmSurg, SCA Health, HCA and Surgery Partners. n

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