MESSAGE FROM THE CEO Be an ASCA Member in 2016


ASCA, the only national membership organization committed to providing all ASCs with the advocacy support and resources they need, offers its members a host of benefits that can’t be matched anywhere else. For example, ASCA continuously provides invaluable news and information to you, ensuring that you are the first to know about government or market actions that can impact your ASC. Our weekly newsletters focus on trends, best practices, industry updates, federal and state government relations and up-to-date information on important ASC developments. In addition, you receive ASC Focus magazine, which contains articles and opinion


directed at running efficient, high-quality ASCs, 10 times a year. Other valuable resources that ASCA offers its members: Professional development: At various live programs, such as ASCA’s Annual Meeting,


Fall Seminar and Winter Coding Seminar, ASCA offers its members the opportunity to learn how to improve business operations and patient care. We also provide more than 20 webinars throughout the year on various hot topics that ASC staff need to know; go to www.ascassociation.org/webinars to see our current offerings. Recently, we released an ASC-specific regulatory training series that can help your ASC’s staff earn continuing education credits for under $3 per credit; go to www.ascassociation.org/trainingseries to learn more. Benchmarking: ASCA’s web-based clinical and operational benchmarking tool,


www.ascassociation.org/benchmarking, allows ASCs to evaluate their performance and quality of care with data captured from close to 1,000 ASCs quarterly. ASCs also can participate in ASCA’s new online Salary and Benefits Survey, www.ascassociation.org/ salarysurvey. This survey attracted nearly 850 participants in its first year. Networking: ASCA’s members-only online networking community, ASCA Connect,


gives members an opportunity to get answers to their questions in real time from more than 16,000 ASC professionals and colleagues around the country. As the only voice representing ASCs of all specialties in Washington, DC, ASCA


works on multiple fronts each day to improve the operating environment for your ASC. So far in 2015, ASCA has succeeded in securing passage of House and Senate versions of legislation that would protect physicians practicing in ASCs from meaningful use penalties in the Medicare program. We hope to have a single version on the President’s desk by the end of the year. ASCA also successfully advocated for an extension of the deadline for submitting web- based data for the Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR) Program until September 30. In addition, we have developed free resources to help Medicare-certified ASCs comply and avoid penalties; go to www.ascassociation.org/qualityreporting to ensure you are up to speed on this critical program. In 2016, your ASCA membership is more important than ever. For example, with


Download your free 2015 quality reporting tip sheet at www.ascassociation.org/ 2015QualityReportingRequirements.


Seeking Authors


ASC Focus is seeking the contribution of articles by guest authors. If you have the expertise and time to write for us, we’d be interested in hearing from you. Please see our editorial guidelines at www.ascassociation.org/Focus and submit your story proposal to smukerji@ascassociation.org.


6 ASC FOCUS OCTOBER 2015


new documentation requirements mandated by the 10th revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10) taking effect this month, your membership will ensure that you have the information and guidance you need to stay in compliance. ASCA has compiled an ICD-10 resource page for it members to help prepare for these changes; go to www.ascassociation.org/preparingforicd-10. Make certain that ASCA can continue to fight on your behalf in 2016 and provide


you with the resources you need to ensure your ASC’s continued success; look for your membership renewal information later this month and return it promptly. If you are not a member, I encourage you to join now and get access to the benefits and information you and your staff require to grow your business. For more information about joining ASCA, visit www.ascassociation.org/membership or call Mykal Cox at 703.836.8808 ext. 114.


Bill Prentice Chief Executive Officer


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