How would you like to go from receiving no payment increases from one of your payers to receiving rate increases of 3% to 11% four years in a row? Sound impossible? Not for ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) in Ohio, which became proactive in educating their workers compensation board after receiving no payment increases for three years in a row.
Read More
Many insurance companies that arent paying the full patient bills sent to them from ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) seem to have taken the stance, let em sue us, says Thomas J. Pliura, MD, JD, physician and attorney at law in Le Roy, IL. So thats exactly what some surgery centers are doing, he says.
Read More
Never let up. That is what Greenville (SC) Hospital System learned about reducing sharps injuries in the operating room. It takes a sustained effort to keep rates down.
Read More
Getting surgeons to operate out of your ORs shouldnt be an issue. Surgery is up everywhere, and while 200 new surgery centers are under construction right now, there is not a glut of places where surgeons can operate.
Read More
Imagine managing your household budget with paychecks that were two, three, or four months late. How would you pay your mortgage, buy your groceries, or feed your family?
Read More
Surgery centers performing 5,000 or more cases per year showed operating costs of $582.65 per case in 2004, compared with operating costs of $985.03 per case for centers that performed 1,999 or fewer cases per year, according to a new report from the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) in Englewood, CO.
Read More
Two of your surgeons want you to purchase an expensive piece of technology, but youre wary because youre unsure how much they will use it. What should you do?
Read More
The fifth in a series of Cataract Extraction with Lens Insertion best practices studies recently released by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care Institute for Quality Improvement (AAAHC Institute) shows that more intensive staffing and patient education can reduce the amount of time patients spend in the facility.
Read More
Although AORN does not recommended home laundering, AORN is aware that some facilities require personnel to home launder surgical attire. If health care workers are required to home launder attire, steps should be taken to protect the home environment from possible contamination. Laundering practices similar to the commercial guidelines are recommended.
Read More
Even though surgical-fire prevention is discussed by staff, sometimes, it takes a fire to make you realize how little you and your staff understand the risks of fire in an operating room.
Read More
Although it is important to focus upon fire prevention in the operating room, dont forget to look at your staffs readiness to fight fire and treat a patient if a fire does occur, recommends Leanne Bales, RN, CNOR, administrator of Effingham (IL) Surgery Center.
Read More
The 2005 standards revisions for The American Association for the Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAAASF) in Gurnee, IL, simplify the requirements for the increasing number of office-based surgery practices seeking accreditation.
Read More
The Wilmette, IL-based Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Cares (AAAHC) 2005 Achieving Accreditation conferences will focus on 2005 standards changes, including the completely revised Chapter 5: Quality Management and Improvement.
Read More
