COVER STORY Get Involved to Stay Ahead
Political advocacy in 2019 will be paramount to the ASC industry’s health BY ROBERT J. CARRERA
The ASC industry con- tinues to experience a great deal of attention and change. Many of the trends observed over the
last several years will continue and, in some cases, accelerate. Consolida- tion, vertical integration, the migra- tion of cases to lower cost sites of care and the movement of higher acuity cases to ASCs all are trends we have been experiencing for some time. There is no sign these trends will let up in 2019. Meanwhile, new trends within
the ASC and health care industries are beginning to emerge. The ever- evolving national policies surround- ing health care coverage and the delivery of care raise major ques- tions concerning the future of the payment model for providers and sites of care. This, in turn, demands health care industry professionals’ involvement in local and national political discourse and policymak- ing. The upcoming year is sure to present many new challenges for the ASC industry. Those challenges will become opportunities for those who are prepared to effectively respond to the changes ahead.
Data Management Regardless of one’s source for news and information, it was nearly impossible in 2018 to miss the slew of articles and columns addressing the importance of measuring and using data in every aspect of life. Health care and the ASC industry were not left out. In 2019, the need for and importance of collecting data will continue to grow. Individ-
If you don’t have a seat at the table in 2019, you are probably what is for dinner. The best time to prepare for change, is before it occurs. Get involved.”
—Robert J. Carrera, Pinnacle III
ual centers and the industry overall will need to continue to track, utilize and aggregate clean, actionable data. We all need to record accurate and complete information in our infor- mation
systems, effectively navi-
gate those systems and extract use- ful information from those systems to improve patient care and facil- ity performance. We also need our data to assist us in telling the ASC story to consumers, payers, regula- tors and legislators. In the last few years, our ASCs have used data to demonstrate to regulatory and legis- lative bodies that we are improving the patient experience, reducing the cost of care, negotiating more favor- able payer contracts and providing high-quality care in our centers. This
16 ASC FOCUS JANUARY 2019 |
ascfocus.org
was possible only after spending time educating team members about the importance of information input. The ability to track and utilize met- rics such as quality, costs and reim- bursement falls on each member of the ASC team. This is essential for the ASC industry’s success in 2019 and beyond.
Price Transparency The push for price transparency in health care will continue to grow in 2019 either through state issued man- dates or market pressures. True price transparency will provide consumers with more information regarding how to spend their health care dollars. In the realm of health care pro- viders, many ASCs have been at
The advice and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not represent official Ambulatory Surgery Center Association policy or opinion.
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