Oxford, Conn., physician Marc Legris, MD, was hit with a $10,000 fine for using another physician's name and Drug Enforcement Agency registration number to prescribe controlled substances to a relative, Hartford Courant reported May 17.

A physician at Indianapolis-based Indiana University Health Physicians has sued the health system, saying he was demoted and then terminated after objecting to limiting EMR time to 10 minutes, Indiana Business Journal reported May 16. 

It's no secret that orthopedic care is one of many specialties migrating to the outpatient setting, and hospitals and health systems are making several strategic shifts to keep up with this trend.

For many ASC leaders, the biggest obstacle to care is skyrocketing costs driven by supply and labor shortages, as well as a 40-year inflation apex of 8.5 percent.

Here are five ASCs Becker's has reported on since April 28 that have made waves by achieving respective firsts:

Dallas-based United Surgical Partners International, Tenet Healthcare's surgery center business, has helped protect the company from the rising labor costs that continue to eat into the bottom line of many hospitals and health systems across the country.

Las Vegas-based Sunset Ridge Surgery Center surgeon Colby Young, MD, performed the first procedure with the CoNextions TR Tendon Repair System on May 11.

The migration of complex cases to ASCs can save employers, patients and payers money, Naya Kehayes, principal and ASC practice leader at ECG Management Consultants, said during the California Ambulatory Surgery Association's ASC Summit. 

The ASC market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 5.1 percent between 2022 and 2027, reaching a market value of $110.4 billion, IndustryARC reported May 6. 

As ASCs become more specialized and accessible, many surgeons, anesthesiologists and advanced practice providers see advantages of outpatient surgery for both themselves and their patients, reports Mayo Clinic.

Ohio physician Ankita Singh, MD, was charged with fraudulently billing Medicare $8.4 million for unnecessary supplies and equipment, the U.S. Justice Department said May 12. 

Texas is potentially the best state to open an ASC, while New Jersey and other states fall short.

In the last 14 days, COVID-19 hospitalizations are up 20 percent nationwide, with 39 states and Washington, D.C., reporting increases. 

Jackson-based Mississippi Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center suffered a data breach, the practice said May 6.

Physicians should decide whether procedures are performed in ASCs or hospital outpatient departments, Bill Prentice, CEO of the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association, said during the California Ambulatory Surgery Association's ASC Summit. 

The owners of telemedicine company RediDoc admitted their roles in a $64 million fraud, bribery and kickback scheme, the Justice Department said May 10.

Internal and pain medicine physician Andrew Berkowitz, MD, was sentenced to 20 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for running a prescription "pill mill" from his practice, the Justice Department said May 10.

As staffing issues remain top of mind for healthcare leaders, physician shortages and job resignations can further exacerbate the problem.

Among the 34,000 healthcare jobs added in April, ambulatory care created 28,000, beating out hospitals, nursing and residential care, according to a report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Here are five updates on California ASCs that Becker's has reported on since April 11: