ASCs are currently in limbo regarding quality reporting and information technology. While changes through healthcare reform suggest that ASCs, like hospitals, will be required to report quality measures and track data through an electronic system, the future is still murky and financial challenges have yet to be addressed. Sarah Martin, regional vice president of operations for Meridian Surgical Partners, discusses two ways reporting and IT will change for ASCs over the next few years.
1. ASC advocates need to work with Medicare to develop reporting mechanisms. As the healthcare industry as a whole becomes more focused on quality measures, ASCs are likely going to be required to track and report quality measures, Ms. Martin says. While hospitals have been held to quality benchmarking for some time now, the transition may be a shock to ASCs who have not developed sophisticated data management systems or trained their staff to follow strict government protocols.
Ms. Martin, who sits on the board of the ASC Association, feels strongly that ASC advocates should work with the government to develop reporting mechanisms. "Rather than wait to be told, it would be better to be participating," she says. "We all say ASCs have a great story to tell. We have great customer satisfaction for both patients and physicians, low infection rates and positive outcomes. I think those kinds of things are the direction we need to go in as far as quality."
She says that while the ASC Association and ASC Quality Collaboration will probably drive those efforts, there is also room for small, single-specialty ASCs who aren't involved with corporations to become involved. "We want to provide tools and information to make it as appealing as possible for them to join the ASC Association," she says. "[Small surgery centers] input is important as well."
2. ASCs are unsure of how reporting will take place without sophisticated and integrated data management systems. Unlike hospitals, who started the move toward EMR and data management several years ago, many ASCs still do most of their work on paper and rely on manual data management to track quality measures. Ms. Martin says this will likely have to change as the government increasingly requires ASCs to submit quality outcomes for reimbursement.
"It's definitely a burden for surgery centers, and as a company, none of the current EMR systems we have looked at will work across the board," Ms. Martin says. "We have different software packages at each of our centers because when we acquire a center, we don't make them change over to a different system. That's a problem." She says the question going forward is: How will vendors produce a package that will integrate many different software packages across ASCs? "That's a bigger challenge than even the cost," she says.
But there may be hope. Ms. Martin says the government has set aside money for ASCs to invest in information technology, and if that plan comes to fruition, it would provide a great opportunity for ASCs to step up to the level of hospitals in quality reporting. She predicts that in the future, electronic data management systems will be required for ASCs and hospitals alike. "I don't know whether it will be five years or 10 years, but I think it's going to happen," she says.
Learn more about Meridian Surgical Partners.
1. ASC advocates need to work with Medicare to develop reporting mechanisms. As the healthcare industry as a whole becomes more focused on quality measures, ASCs are likely going to be required to track and report quality measures, Ms. Martin says. While hospitals have been held to quality benchmarking for some time now, the transition may be a shock to ASCs who have not developed sophisticated data management systems or trained their staff to follow strict government protocols.
Ms. Martin, who sits on the board of the ASC Association, feels strongly that ASC advocates should work with the government to develop reporting mechanisms. "Rather than wait to be told, it would be better to be participating," she says. "We all say ASCs have a great story to tell. We have great customer satisfaction for both patients and physicians, low infection rates and positive outcomes. I think those kinds of things are the direction we need to go in as far as quality."
She says that while the ASC Association and ASC Quality Collaboration will probably drive those efforts, there is also room for small, single-specialty ASCs who aren't involved with corporations to become involved. "We want to provide tools and information to make it as appealing as possible for them to join the ASC Association," she says. "[Small surgery centers] input is important as well."
2. ASCs are unsure of how reporting will take place without sophisticated and integrated data management systems. Unlike hospitals, who started the move toward EMR and data management several years ago, many ASCs still do most of their work on paper and rely on manual data management to track quality measures. Ms. Martin says this will likely have to change as the government increasingly requires ASCs to submit quality outcomes for reimbursement.
"It's definitely a burden for surgery centers, and as a company, none of the current EMR systems we have looked at will work across the board," Ms. Martin says. "We have different software packages at each of our centers because when we acquire a center, we don't make them change over to a different system. That's a problem." She says the question going forward is: How will vendors produce a package that will integrate many different software packages across ASCs? "That's a bigger challenge than even the cost," she says.
But there may be hope. Ms. Martin says the government has set aside money for ASCs to invest in information technology, and if that plan comes to fruition, it would provide a great opportunity for ASCs to step up to the level of hospitals in quality reporting. She predicts that in the future, electronic data management systems will be required for ASCs and hospitals alike. "I don't know whether it will be five years or 10 years, but I think it's going to happen," she says.
Learn more about Meridian Surgical Partners.