Four ASC leaders joined Becker's to discuss what they think will disrupt the ASC industry next. From anesthesia coverage to labor costs, these are their predictions.
Question: What will disrupt the ASC industry next?
Editor's note: Responses have been lightly edited for clarity and length.
Thomas Feldman. CEO of the Center for Health ASC (Peoria, Ill.): The increase in wages necessary to retain and recruit to skilled professional positions continues to well outpace any real or even projected rise in reimbursements. The availability of anesthesia providers is a limiting factor to flexibility and hampers the opportunity for sustained increased volume in the near term.
Kris Mineau. CEO and Co-Founder of Constitution Surgery Alliance (Avon, Conn.): Anesthesia coverage. While the impact is largely market dependent, the effects can be significant. Facilities with lower utilization and inefficiencies are most at risk for disruption. Even the busiest ASCs in certain markets may be subject to schedule compression or anesthesia subsidies in the near term. In the longer term, they must pressure payers to bear some of the burden and hope the anesthesia provider market better meets the demand.
Karen Sumida, RN. Interim Administrator of Surgery Center of Athens (Texas): I unfortunately feel like nursing and certified surgical technologist shortages will continue to disrupt the ASC industry in the future. Many nurses that could retire during COVID-19 did and others left the field or took jobs that can be done remotely. Applicants for both positions are requiring higher salaries, and with the ASC industry getting lower reimbursements than hospitals, we can not compete with the rising salaries. Many RNs and CSTs are leaving the ASC setting and going to work at the hospitals to get a better salary. Staffing is and will continue to be a problem in the ASC setting.
Joyce White, RN. Facility Administrator of the Cypress Surgery Center (Wichita, Kan.): The anesthesia shortage and the request for stipends will be a major disruption to the ASC industry within the upcoming years. All physician specialties are being asked to do more with less reimbursement. The request for stipends poses a difficult position for ASCs as they continue to look for ways to operate the business with less. ASCs will find creative ways/new models to provide the same safe/quality of care while keeping the financial impact low. Certified registered nurse anesthetist models have been used for years and are now being looked to in a broader region as they are more affordable while providing the same quality and safety to patients in ASC settings.