Becker's Spine Review

55 OUTPATIENT SURGERY ASC market share in top 50 largest US markets jumped 10% in 1 year — Here's why By Laura Dyrda A SC surgical volume grew in 46 of the 50 largest markets while hospitals lost share of the outpatient procedures, according to a report from Franklin Trust Ratings out- lining the top 50 largest U.S. markets. e overall ASC surgical procedure volume increased 22.9 percent nationally. ere are 35.8 million outpatient surgical procedures performed every year in hospital-based outpatient departments and ASCs nationwide. "Migrating routine care from hospitals can allow hospital opera- tors to focus on more complex and severe case-lads, eliminating inefficiencies for when more serious care interrupts operating room priorities and better manage throughput costs associated with patient flow and surgical suite turnaround logistics," said Managing Director of Franklin Trust Ratings John Morrow. "Ul- timately, patient ambulation and recovery benefits from the most efficient process." From 2015 to 2016, ASC growth more than doubled in 20 of the top 50 markets. "We're seeing the symptoms of a changing marketplace nation- ally," said Mr. Morrow. "As payment reforms collide with con- sumer sentiment, and technology pushes outpatient care to new limits, lower priced settings are disrupting traditional care mod- els. Hospitals and ASC operators need to understand the market stage and transitions taking place in their service line markets as they mature." e average ASC market share of the top 50 markets increased from 53 percent to 63 percent in one year. Early- and mid-stage markets, where ASCs have less than 60 percent market share, ac- count for 38 percent of the top 50 markets. Markets where ASCs have more than 60 percent market share account for 62 percent of the top 50 markets. As the transition occurs, hospital operators are investing in ASCs through joint ventures are transitioning market volumes from HOPDs to ASCs without losing patient loyalty. "e majority of care that can be moved to a lower cost setting is routine and poses little risk of harm or safety to patients in that setting," said Mr. Morrow. "In fact, some of the earliest clin- ical studies pointed to the efficiencies and improved outcomes in centers of excellence…and we see the same potential in these outpatient service lines." n New York health system eliminating outpatient surgery due to freestanding surgery center proliferation — 5 insights By Eric Oliver U tica, N.Y.-based Mohawk Valley Health System will no longer perform outpatient surgery at its Faxton campus, WIBX 950 reports. Here's what you should know. 1. The campus is no longer offering outpatient surgeries due to an increased number of freestanding surgery centers in the area. 2. MVHS will still provide outpatient surgery services at its St. Luke's and St. Elizabeth campuses, both in Utica. 3. The health system will stop accepting new outpatients and anticipates all outpatient surgery activity at its Faxton campus will cease between three months and six months from March. 4. The Faxton campus performed nearly 1,800 outpatient surgeries in 2017. 5. MVHS will transition the 44 employees associated with its outpatient surgery department to other roles. n Dr. Mark Giovanini performs his 1st spine surgery with coflex in an ASC By Laura Dyrda M ark Giovanini, MD, performed his first spine surgery in an ASC with the coflex device from Paradigm Spine. In March, Dr. Giovanini performed the coflex procedure in an ASC. The coflex Interlaminar Stabilization device is indi- cated for use at one or two levels for lumbar stenosis from L1-L5 and can be an alternative to spinal fusion. Dr. Giovanini is a neurospine specialist with NeuroMicro- Spine in Pensacola, Fla. He focuses on minimally invasive spine surgery and has been a consultant for many major spine companies. Dr. Giovanini completed his neurosurgical training at the University of Florida at Shands Hospital; he also trained under Richard Fessler, MD, during his residency training. n

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