Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/640044
11 ASC Management T here is no shortage of advice and avenues to take in healthcare, but sorting out the advantageous steps from the tactical er- rors can be tricky. Here are three solid strategies for ASC leaders to invest in and three missteps to avoid this year. Winning strategies 1. Considering transparency. Demand for price transparency is ramping up as consumer fi- nancial responsibility grows, and the healthcare industry is beginning to respond to the demand. Some states have legislation mandating prices be posted, while some facilities are taking the initiative on their own. In any case, hiding from price trans- parency is becoming less and less of an option. Proactively taking on price transparency pres- ents ASCs an opportunity to demonstrate value. Additionally, ASCs can consider introducing an element of transparency into quality issues. Pa- tients are increasingly shopping for care, and readily available quality data coupled with pric- ing is an appealing package. 2. Focusing on quality and value. ASCs know their centers provide high-quality, low-cost care, but it is no longer enough to just know; value has to be quantified and demonstrated. "Establish benchmarks and quality measures," says John Newman, general counsel and senior vice president with Constitution Surgery Cen- ters. "Understanding and reporting the quality dynamic becomes important when contracting with employers and payers. You want to show your center is raising the bar." 3. Analyzing OON strategy. e viability of out-of-network reimbursement in the ASC environment is still hotly debated. Given the wide variance in markets across the country, there is no one answer to whether OON is still an option. Rather than outright dismissing or stubbornly clinging to OON, evaluate your ASC's position in relation to OON contracts and understand the issues associated with this strategy. "A lot of facilities are finding the com- pliance burden to be a headache," says Mr. Newman. Be aware payers have an increasing tendency to turn to litigation for OON mat- ters. Additionally, OON stance can affect an ASC's future prospects. If a hospital partner is an appealing option, OON volume will affect an ASC's ability to forge such an alliance. Mistakes to avoid 1. Taking on contracting alone. Managed care contracting is a critical ASC function that can be underestimated. Administrators and the business office team may try to keep the en- tire process in-house, but more oen than not the task becomes too much. "If people try to be penny-wise and pound-foolish by trying to contract on their own without sophisticated ex- pertise, they will get burned and leave money on the table," says Mr. Newman. While a third-party can effectively handle managed care contracting, the selection process of an outside consultant should be carefully considered. "Some ASC [leaders] look to go out and quickly contract with a third party," he says. "I would be very reti- cent to look at some of these silver bullet fixes of- fered by advisors that don't have a good grounding in the industry. is can lead to bad contracts and even anti-trust exposure." Managed care contract- ing is a fulltime job that requires expertise in the ASC industry. Do your homework before entrust- ing the process to an outside party. 2. Avoiding IT investment. Surgery centers have tight budgets, but thriving in healthcare with- out IT is becoming impractical. e need to gath- er, report and pull meaningful conclusions from cost and quality data is growing; this can only be accomplished with a solid IT system. "e data in many instances is there, you just need the business intelligence to define the measures and populate your reports," says Mr. Newman. Some centers are experimenting with developing proprietary sys- tems, while others turn to vendors. 3. Allowing disorganization in the leader- ship ranks. It can be easy to slip into the daily routine at an ASC without considering the long- term vision for the center. Leadership should be clearly defined and on the same page when it comes to the facility's future. "Unruly democracies don't fare well," says Mr. Newman. Take the time to assign leadership roles and form a cohesive team. Strong physician leadership and governance will constantly seek opportunities to grow a center, whether through new physician recruitment or strategic partnerships. "Develop your own plan. ose are the successful facilities, the ones that win," says Mr. Newman. n 6 Strategic Do's & Don'ts for ASC Leaders in 2016 By Carrie Pallardy John Newman 10 Statistics on RN Salary & Bonus By Anuja Vaidya Here are 10 statistics on salaries and bonuses for registered nurses, according to Salary.com. National average annual salary plus bonus • Bottom 10 percent: $55,458 • 25th percentile: $62,634 • 50th percentile: $70,516 • 75th percentile: $79,725 • Top 10 percent: $88,108 National average salary only • Bottom 10 percent: $55,237 • 25th percentile: $62,378 • 50th percentile: $70,221 • 75th percentile: $79,360 • Top 10 percent: $87,682 n