Becker's ASC Review

23 GI Practice Management ADVERTISING INDEX Note: Ad page number(s) given in parentheses ADVERTISER Cologuard. www.cologuardtest.com/hcp / (844) 870-8870 (pg. 2) Exact Sciences. www.exactsciences.com / (608) 284-5700 (pg. 2) Fujifilm. www.fujifilmendoscopy.com / (800) 385-4666 (pgs. 8, 10, 24) Lialda. medinfoglobal@shire.com / www.lialdapro.com / (800) 828-2845 (pgs. 14-16) Medivators. www.medivators.com / (800) 328-3340 (pg. 3) Miraca Life Sciences. www.miracalifesciences.com / (800) 979-8292 (pg. 7) Omnicare Specialty Care Group. contactus@acs-rx.com / www.acs-rx.com / (877) 985-6337 (pg. 13) ProVation Medical. www.provationmedical.com/md / (612) 313-1500 (pg. 19) 1. Improve practice efficiency. The marriage of efficiency and qual- ity is king in healthcare. "Whether in an office or ASC, we have had to over the course of the past few years streamline and improve all efficiencies," says Shivan Mehta, MD, MBA, assistant professor of medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. But, the job is never done. Dawn L. Francis, MD, AGA RUC Advisor and associate chair of the quality department at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla., recommends: • Honing in on revenue cycle management functions • Doubling down on payer contract negotiations • Revisiting and optimizing supplier contracts • Maintaining and growing your referral base • Reviewing all service lines and understanding how payment is received All of these courses of action, though labor intensive, are expedient steps to insulating a practice from a sudden, significant drop in revenue. 2. Demonstrate value to payers. GI is one specialty amongst many, all clamoring for a piece of the precious, and finite, healthcare dollar. Payers, just like providers, are under pressure to allocate those dollars in the most ef- ficient manner; cuts are inevitable, though where and to what degree are un- certain. "We must show the value of what we are providing," says Dr. Mehta. "Think about patient outcomes and experience. Find ways to demonstrate this to your payers." Colonoscopy has undeniably been asserted as a life-saving tool in the battle against colorectal cancer. "Now is not the time to panic, Medicare does see that colonoscopy has value for its beneficiaries," says Dr. Francis. But, gastro- enterologists can continue to improve on the quality of colonoscopies deliv- ered by consistently meeting and exceeding established benchmarks. Patients and payers will respond to a proven track record of quality, and therefore valuable, care. 3. Look to society support. The review of lower GI/endoscopy was de- layed in large part by efforts spearheaded by the sister GI societies. "The AGA and other GI societies are involved in helping practices maximize their value and answering questions about how to maintain viability," says Dr. Francis. Turn to the resources these groups offer and use this support to best prepare your practice for the uncertain future. n Preparing for Potential Payment Cuts in GI: 3 Quick Tips (continued from cover) H ow did the Patient Protection and Af- fordable Care Act impact physician practices? Here are six key points based on a report from Jackson Healthcare, which is based on physi- cians who experienced compensation increases or decreases from 2013 to 2014: 1. 35 percent of physicians who reported their income decreased said they lost patients who lost their insurance or had their policies can- celed; 13 percent who reported their income increased said the same. 2. 27 percent of physicians with decreased income said they are not planning to participate as pro- viders on the health insurance exchanges; 19 per- cent of physicians who reported income increased said the same. 3. 9 percent of physicians who had their income increase report losing patients as the PPACA was implemented because they no longer accept the pa- tient's insurance; 21 percent of physicians who had their income decrease said the same. 4. 59 percent of physicians who reported an in- come increase plan to participate in the health in- surance exchanges; 49 percent of physicians who had their income decrease said the same. 5. 26 percent of physicians with increased income said they have had patients who obtained insur- ance through the exchanges; 16 percent of phy- sicians who reported income decreased said the same. 6. 45 percent of physicians who saw their income decrease said they have had no changes to their patient panels since healthcare reform was imple- mented; 59 percent of physicians who had their income increase reported the same. n 6 Key Points on How Healthcare Reform Impacts Patient Volume By Laura Dyrda 13th Annual Spine, Orthopedic and Pain Management-Driven ASC Conference + The Future of Spine June 11-13, 2015 Westin Michigan Avenue Hotel Chicago, IL For more information, visit www.beckersspine.com or call (800) 417-2035.

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