Becker's ASC Review

7 ASC MANAGEMENT optimized. " Some leaders have been able to ensure practice growth in 2023 with these partnerships. Grant Booher, MD, neurosurgeon at Fort Worth, Texas-based Longhorn Brain and Spine, told Becker's he was able to build out an ASC by partnering with a management group and several local surgeons. "e days of in-house billing, long- term relationships with one's team, the independence to run your own outfit, are sadly gone," Dr. Dayal said. "It was fun while it lasted, but it's time to bring in the suits — like the hospital days of yore. " 4. Focusing on payer contracts ASCs are also focusing on reevaluating payer contracts to stay ahead of potential reimbursement declines. "With the inflationary curve on the rise and another looming cut to the physician fee schedule, it is imperative that we reexamine our payer contracts with all other payers in our market," Mr. Lovewell said. "Many of the Medicare Advantage plans in our market are trying to pay below the Medicare physician fee schedule, and none of them are accounting for the implant costs associated with doing surgery in our ASC." Leaders also are focusing on providing risk- based contracts to reduce costs for ASCs and patients. Reuben Gobezie, MD, director of the Gobezie Shoulder Institute in Cleveland, told Becker's his growth strategy includes incorporating ASCs to his organization's "overall practice strategy to provide risk-based contracts to payers and employers in order to reduce their total cost of musculoskeletal spend." 5. Investing in technology Because ASCs are largely independent, leaders in many markets do not operate on high enough margins to invest in costly technology. In 2024, however, ASC leaders are sure to keep an eye on the technology they need to grow. For some ASCs, this comes into fruition with EHRs and EMRs. "My priority is building our new EMR system to ensure more efficient workflows within the system to better care for our patients and to be able to communicate more efficiently with other healthcare systems," Heather Liester, RN, director of pain management at York, Pa.-based OSS Health Pain Center, told Becker's. Other ASC leaders and physicians are eyeing artificial intelligence and how it can affect care provision. "My priority for 2024 is to see the impact of AI in the field of gastroenterology," Pankaj Vashi, MD, department head of gastroenterology and nutrition at City of Hope Chicago in Zion, Ill., told Becker's. "Artificial intelligence is in its infancy, and we are already seeing it being used for screening for colon cancer and surveillance for Barrett's esophagus. New applications of AI will change how we practice in the near future." n 10 states with the most new ASCs By Laura Dyrda California had the most new surgery centers in 2023, followed by Florida, Texas and Wisconsin. Surgery centers growth has accelerated as more procedures move to the outpatient setting and healthcare transitions to value-based care. Insurers are pushing surgeries into the outpatient setting and hospitals are expanding their ambulatory strategies. Here are the states with the most new surgery centers opened or announced: 1. California: 10 2. Florida: 7 3. Texas: 7 4. Wisconsin: 7 5. Colorado: 6 6. New York: 6 7. Utah: 6 8. Alabama: 5 9. New Jersey: 5 10. Tennessee: 5 n ASC leader average pay by region By Laura Dyrda ASC leaders on average report a $120,000 salary, while vice presidents and chief nurse executives are earning more, according to an OR Manager survey. ASC leaders on average saw a slight pay boost in 2023 with around 68% receiving a salary of $120,000. On the high end, about 12% of ASC leaders said their total compensation packages exceed $200,000 for the year. Below is a breakdown of leadership salary by region: South $60,000-$69,999: 0% $70,000-$79,999: 6% $80,000-$89,999: 3% $90,000-$99,999: 16% $100,000-$119,999: 52% $120,000-$149,999: 23% $150,000+: 0% Midwest $60,000-$69,999: 3% $70,000-$79,999: 5% $80,000-$89,999: 13% $90,000-$99,999: 10% $100,000-$119,999: 21% $120,000-$149,999: 31% $150,000+: 18% Northeast $60,000-$69,999: 0% $70,000-$79,999: 0% $80,000-$89,999: 0% $90,000-$99,999: 0% $100,000-$119,999: 44% $120,000-$149,999: 38% $150,000+: 19% West $60,000-$69,999: 4% $70,000-$79,999: 0% $80,000-$89,999: 4% $90,000-$99,999: 9% $100,000-$119,999: 22% $120,000-$149,999: 26% $150,000+: 35% n

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