Becker's ASC Review

6 ASC MANAGEMENT Mark Barabas. Former Accreditation Surveyor for ASCs and Hospitals: I can't tell you how many times I have gone into a facility with a survey team to do an accreditation survey where I've met people in supervisory positions who have no formal training in the healthcare management modalities of human behavior in organizations, human resources, quality, financial management, healthcare ethics and healthcare leadership. Frequently I've seen the best workers promoted to manager positions without the benefit of training or leadership development in these key areas to help prepare them to do their jobs. at is not always the best choice. e next generation of administrators will need to complete certification programs in their area of specialty just to contend with the rapidly changing healthcare environment and have the educational background and confidence to make decisions. Leadership development must be a mix of practical and theoretical experiences. If a candidate doesn't have both, it will be more difficult for them to be successful. n UnitedHealthcare cut to CRNA services goes into effect By Francesca Mathewes O n Oct. 1, a new UnitedHealthcare policy went into effect, cutting reimbursements to certified registered nurse anesthetists by 15%. The policy update was issued on July 1 and applies to claims for anesthesia services rendered by CRNAs practicing independently. For claims billed under the QZ modifier — those rendered by CRNAs — the provider will now receive 85% of the allowable. CRNAs in Arkansas, California, Ohio, Colorado, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Wyoming are exempt from the new reduction. The update has drawn criticism from the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology, who told Becker's in an Oct. 1 email that the policy "threatens patient care" and could lead to delayed procedures and strained access to care, particularly in rural and underserved communities where CRNAs are more heavily utilized for anesthesia services. The AANA also claims the policy is in violation of a provider nondiscrimination provision outlined in the ACA. The organization has also written a coalition letter urging the secretaries at the Department of Labor, HHS and Department of Treasury to investigate and prohibit commercial payers from violating this nondiscrimination provision. n 10 numbers making ASCs nervous By Patsy Newitt From ballooning staffing budgets to physician burnout, here are 10 statistics weighing heavily on ASC leaders: 1. Nearly half (49%) of ASCs not using an electronic health record cite cost as the main barrier. Of those still on paper charts, 68% plan to stay put until required to switch — up from 59% in 2023, according to the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association's July 2025 60-Second Survey. 2. More than three-quarters of physicians feel health systems aren't doing enough to address "quiet quitting," according to a Sermo survey of 600 physicians. 3. In 2023, 43% of ASCs reported operating budgets of $3 million or more, up from 32% in 2022, according to a survey from OR Manager. 4. Nurse turnover was reported by 35% of ASCs in 2023, up from 15% in 2014 but down from a COVID-19 pandemic peak of 49% in 2021. 5. Nearly half of physicians say they work with an incompletely staffed team at least 25% of the time, according to a May 2025 JAMA Internal Medicine report. 6. More than 40% are considering leaving their roles within two years, citing long hours, administrative burden and pay concerns, according to an August report from the American Medical Association. 7. ASCs spent 26.3% of operating revenue on drugs and supplies last year. at averages $634 per procedure, according to data from EDM Medical Solutions. 8. Becker's has reported on four ASC closures so far this year. 9. Sixty-seven percent of hospitals and health systems now prefer to own at least 50% of their ASC joint ventures, up from 64% in 2023, according to Avanza's Intelligence Hospital Leadership ASC Survey. 10. Drug expenses were up 9% year over year in February, according to Kaufman Hall's "National Hospital Flash Report" released April 8. Compared to 2022 year to date, drug expenses per calendar day grew 15%. n

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