ADVOCACY SPOTLIGHT Q How easy/hard was it to get paid for the procedures


you performed through the HWOW program? AH: The first reimbursement took about three months. Submitting claims for HWOW is through Medicare Part A, which we are not used to doing as an ASC. We reached out to our MAC, Pal- metto GBA, for guidance. We had chal- lenges, for example, modifiers can only be placed on one line for bilateral pro- cedures, not two lines. Pre-certification was required for cases we normally did not have to get pre-certification for, such as septoplasty. The key was to remain in contact and develop a rapport. Remem- ber that your MAC is there to help. It was jumping through hoops and learn- ing something new. We are lucky to have an amazing director of patient accounts who checked every detail and has finally found a little normalization in our reim- bursements for HWOW.


Q Were there any downsides to participation?


AH: It looks like the public health emergency will be extended through 2021. That will give us more time to keep ASCs in the spotlight and show CMS and our community what we do best: provide safe, high-quality care. At first, the downside was the unknown, but as ASCs, we are not afraid to try something new. We are good at what we do.


Q What are the long-term benefits of participating


in the HWOW program? AH: This is our chance to advocate for change. We successfully perform procedures for commercial payers, and we can perform the same pro- cedures for Medicare beneficiaries. Why not take the opportunity to show CMS what we can do?


Sahely Mukerji is the editor of ASC Focus magazine. Write her at smukerji@ ascassociation.org.


MEMBER PROFILE


BARBARA DRAVES, CASC Title: President and Administrator


Facility Name: Ohio Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers and The Surgery Center


City: Middleburg Heights State: Ohio


Q What strategies do you use to handle conflict management and employee problems?


A Conflict and employee issues are exacerbated right now with the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic. When people are stressed, they nitpick.


Every little thing is making people agitated now. My nurse parents are having a tough time managing with their children being virtually schooled at home. It has been rough. The best way to handle employee conflict is to address it immediately, the


minute you hear it. If there is something brewing, we need to stomp it out as soon as possible. When someone brings a complaint to me, I get everybody involved in the same room and discuss. That way, you eliminate the he-says- she-says and use collaboration and creative thinking to solve the issue. Management by walking around is my other favorite strategy to nip employee


conflicts in the bud. I come in in the morning, put scrubs on, walk around, talk to people, and let them know that I am here to help. Circulate in clinical areas and do not forget your non-clinical areas. Try to protect everyone, but make sure that everyone is able to stand behind their words. People should treat each other with respect, and no one should cover up for


anyone. Nurses are typically women and women are, in some instances, more complicated than men. When there is a conflict, we sometimes talk behind another person’s back instead of addressing it with the person concerned. I have an open-door policy. The sign on my door says, “Don’t think I won’t find out.” If you do not tell me, someone else will and I will come to know one way or another. When you have a problem that you cannot handle, do not avoid and think it will go away. Bring your problem to me right away so we can sit around the table, treat each other with respect, compromise, accommodate and come up with a solution that works for all parties concerned.


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