ASC Industry News

Check out these articles for some of the latest hot topics in ASC Industry News:

Leading Healthcare Organizations Urge Congress to Reform Prior Authorizations

In a show of solidarity, a conglomerate of leading healthcare organizations sent a letter to Congress earlier this week urging passage of a bill that would protect Medicare Advantages beneficiaries from prior authorization requirements. The letter is in support of the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2019 and was signed 370 organizations including the American Medical Association.

Source: ASCA/MD Magazine

Set Up for Success in Total Knees

Some total joint outcomes are too good. “I once replaced the knee of a guy who was hiking almost 15 miles a day 3 weeks after surgery,” laughs Joseph Nessler, MD, a surgeon at St. Could (Minn.) Orthopedics. “Now, he was a competitive athlete, but that’s unusual. I feel like I need to add a disclaimer to the end of my clinic appointments with prospective patients — results may vary.”

Source: Outpatient Surgery

Colorectal Cancer Becoming More Common at Younger Ages

Rates of early-onset colon cancer are rising in many high-income countries even as rates among older adults hold steady or decline, a new study shows. The trend toward more colon cancer in younger adults began in the mid-1990s, according to the report published in Gut.

Source: ASCA/Reuters

Price Transparency and the Surgery Center Patient Experience

When Ronald Dys was born in Berkeley, California in 1947, the total charge for his birth at Alta Bates Hospital was $108.36. It’s hard to know what’s more remarkable — the absurdly low cost, the scant itemization, or that his parents paid in cash. It was a straightforward process that today’s ASCs would hardly recognize.

Source: Simplify ASC

5 Steps to Better Patient Engagement and No More No-Shows

 Healthcare providers who need to connect with patients have more competition than ever in grabbing their attention. Consumers are bombarded with calls and emails—particularly in this era of rampant robocalls—not to mention all the distractions from ads and social media.

Source: ASCA/Fierce Healthcare