Same-Day Surgery – August 1, 2005
August 1, 2005
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ASCs lose thousands with payers’ ‘creative’ reimbursement strategies
A surgery centers procedures go from being reimbursed at 125% of Medicare to 55% of Medicare. -
Follow 3 suggestions to receive proper payments
To avoid seeing your reimbursement drastically reduced by payers, do the following: -
After 500 outpatient lap bands, <1% admissions
With more than 95,000 laparoscopic adjustable gastric band (LAGB) procedures performed since its introduction in 1993,1 this approach to bariatric surgery began moving into the outpatient arena a few years ago. -
Staff education reduces risk of bariatric surgery
In addition to clinical steps necessary to ensure a safe experience for patients electing to undergo outpatient bariatric surgery, it is essential that same-day surgery managers look at staff education, environment, and program marketing to minimize the risk of dissatisfied patients. -
Instruments cleaned with elevator hydraulic fluid
At least 4,000 patients at two North Carolina hospitals underwent surgical procedures that used hydraulic fluid in the sterilization process. The hospitals, part of the Duke University Health System, determined that workers for an elevator company emptied the fluid into several empty detergent drums while performing maintenance in mid-September 2004. The workers capped the soap containers without changing the labels. -
Same-Day Surgery Manager: Answers to outpatient surgery questions
Question: Our surgery center executive committee replaced our retiring administrator last month with a kid right out of (seemingly high) school who has no experience whatsoever in health care or clinical experience. I always thought the administrator must be a registered nurse. -
FASA releases new benchmarking data
According to a survey of ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) financial data, the mean annual profit margin for the 179 ASCs that responded was 28.1%, according to the Federated Ambulatory Surgery Association (FASA), which conducted the survey. -
CMS makes corrections to final rule on ASC list
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued some technical corrections to its interim final rule on Medicares list of procedures approved to be performed in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs).