ASC Industry News

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

The rise of the right-sized outpatient setting-A timeline of 25 key events

The traditional, hospital-centric U.S. healthcare delivery system is being replaced with one where acute care is delivered in outpatient settings that better match the problem’s scope and acuity, according to outpatient-focused consulting firm Avanza Healthcare Strategies. This trend — which experts say will only be accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic — began taking root decades ago. Avanza published a timeline of this progression toward a “right-sized” delivery model. Below are some highlights.

Source: Becker’s ASC Review

Survey: Older patients less likely to have elective procedures as COVID-19 spikes

Older patients continue their aversion to elective procedures during the continued onslaught of COVID-19, according to a survey by analysts at investment firm Needham & Company. The study, conducted in November, featured responses from several hundred people with an average age of 61. Only about a quarter (27%) of them are still willing to choose elective procedures. As economies shutter again — notably California and New York — these numbers are likely to continue until the pandemic is under control or effective vaccines reach critical mass.

Source: MultiBriefs: Exclusive

5 ways COVID-19 affected ASCs in 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic made 2020 a tumultuous year for ASCs, from restrictions on non-essential surgery to staffing and supply constraints.

Source: Becker’s ASC Review

Study: Normal lung function remains intact during exercise despite mask wearing

There’s no question that masks are uncomfortable, and they’re more uncomfortable when you exercise. But evidence confirms — the lungs are no worse for wear when healthy people wear a face mask and work out. A study published last month in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society found that “there is little empirical evidence that wearing a facemask significantly diminishes lung function, even when worn during heavy exercise.”

Source: MultiBriefs: Exclusive

Travel nurse demand skyrockets as COVID-19 persists

Traveling nurses continue to be in high demand as COVID-19 spikes during the last two months of 2020. According to the staffing firms that recruit them for hospitals, high demand and short supply nationwide seem to be the order of the day. The tight supply of nurses available drives prices higher, too, in a real lesson of supply and demand. For example, average pay packages for ICU travel nurses in November were about $2,250 per week. That’s about a 28% increase from 2019’s average rates, according to recruiting firm NurseFly.

Source: MultiBriefs: Exclusive

Balancing virtual and in-person health care

The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic has seeded the U.S. healthcare system with innovations across the care spectrum, largely focused on outpatient care delivery through virtual care tools. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services reported over an 11,000% increase in virtual visits (i.e., video- or phone-based visits).

Source: Harvard Business Review