Cataract Outsourcing salutes your efforts.
The founders of this country, George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Ben Franklin and so many other great men took every chance to celebrate their hard work. Freeing ourselves from Great Britain’s reign was worth every droplet of tears, sweat and blood. They had a goal and were determined to succeed. Our Forefathers worked hard to make America a better place to live. On a smaller scale so do you. Whether you are helping a patient in recovery or helping a neighbor with their groceries, you are making America a more enjoyable place to live. Cataract Outsourcing salutes your efforts. There aren’t many holidays that ...
15 Medicare/Medicaid Anti-Kickback and Fraud and Abuse Statute Cases Making Headlines in 2009
This is a short summary of 15 anti-kickback and fraud cases and investigations that have made headlines in 2009. The situations involve a range of participants including hospitals, device companies, physicians, payors and other suppliers. 1. Medtronic whistle-blower suit. A lawsuit filed by two former Medtronic employees of the company's Memphis-based spine business accused 120 leading spine surgeons across the country and 18 medical device distributors of promoting "off-label" use of the Medtronic product Infuse, which is used in spine surgery to promote bone growth between vertebrae. The product is approved by the FDA for use in the lower back but ...
MGMA Survey Finds Physician Compensation Not Keeping Pace With Inflation
A recent survey by the Medical Group Management Association found that increases in physicians' overall compensation in both primary and specialty care did not keep up with inflation in 2008, according to a MGMA news release. The study, Physician Compensation and Production Survey: 2009 Report Based on 2008 Data, found that physicians in primary care compounded a history of generally flat compensation this year with a reported 2 percent increase (-1.73 percent adjusted for inflation) to a median of $186,044. Specialists' compensation rose 2.19 percent (-1.59 percent when adjusted for inflation) to a median of $339,738. Inflation in 2008 amounted to a ...
Healthcare Organizations Outline Plans to Cut $1.7T Over the Next Decade
Several major healthcare organizations outlined their plans to cut $1.7 trillion in healthcare costs of the next 10 years, in fulfillment of a promise the groups made to Pres. Obama, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. Proposals from the groups include reducing medical errors, switching to common insurance forms, improving measurements of physician performance, reducing the number of patients readmitted to hospitals, improving the efficiency of drug development and expanding in-home care for patients with long-term illnesses, according to the report. The American Medical Association proposed to curb "overuse" in certain treatment areas including Caesarean sections, back-pain management, antibiotic prescriptions for ...
Optimizing Cataract Revenue & Healthcare Reform
Ophthalmologist and ophthalmic healthcare facilities should not fret over Obama’s new healthcare reform. They should be celebrating the fact that for the first time in 20 years, things are looking up for cataract revenue sector of the healthcare industry. Cataract revenue grows with the older population, which is far outpacing the total population. Between 2010 and 2030, the cataract population sector is expected to grow at 78%. Therefore, the key question for all ophthalmic providers should be “what are we doing today to meet the growing demand of cataract patients?” Here are a few steps providers need to take to ensure they ...
Stronger Bonds Through Joint Ventures: The Hospital Perspective
Like many of hospitals around the country, our non-profit, community hospital has watched intently as ASCs have proliferated. We have noted the increasing interest of surgeons in owning these facilities, and the high rates of patient satisfaction they deliver. Not surprisingly, the prospect of losing high-revenue cases to local surgery centers was of great concern to our executive team. But, based on the experience of our hospital in developing Turk’s Head Surgery Center in West Chester, Pa., as a joint venture in partnership with a group of local surgeons, I believe hospitals can benefit from involvement with outpatient ASCs. Further, ...
Physician Shortage Obstacle to Obama’s Healthcare Goals
The current physician shortage, especially in primary care, is worrisome to Obama administration officials who are working to implement legislation to expand healthcare coverage in the United States, according to an article in the New York Times. Officials worry that the physician shortage will continue to hinder access to care for both insured and uninsured individuals. The number of primary care physicians is increasingly dwindling, perhaps a result of the high costs of medical education coupled with the comparatively low salaries of primary care providers to other providers in other specialties. Proposed plans to deal with the shortage include increasing medical school enrollment and ...
The Pitfalls of Capital Equipment
Whether starting up a new outpatient facility or owning an ambulatory surgery center that’s lasted for a decade or more, the capital equipment that is needed for each is at the heart of enabling both to continue to have safe, effective surgeries with quick turnaround time, using the latest technology available, and all while keeping the practices functioning at a satisfactory level. But with the current times, obtaining equipment and staying on the cutting edge of technology has been difficult, to say the least. So SurgiStrategies asked both readers and capital equipment vendors for their thoughts on purchasing or leasing, obsolete ...
Plugging Revenue Leaks in Your ASC
Finding a revenue leak in your facility is always a challenge. A working knowledge of your payors’ coding and billing regulations is essential, of course, but there are resources available to ease the task. In particular, your billing software’s reporting mechanisms can be extremely helpful in finding revenue leaks, as well as identifying appeals areas and possible “red flags” that might require your attention (before they draw a payor’s attention). Revenue reports should be run a minimum of once every 30 days. Best billing practices require a turnaround time of no longer than 30 days in accounts receivable (A/R). With the ...
Financing Facilities in Today’s ASC Market
We are all painfully aware of the current difficulty in the national economy. Despite a recent upturn, the stock market is still down more than one-third from its peak. The financial infrastructure of the nation has been redefined, with powerhouse investment banks such as Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley seeking the protection of commercial bank status, most of the largest commercial banks falling under the control of the Fed, and the nation's largest insurance company taken over by the government. National and international manufacturing firms, such as our major automakers, may be the next entities to come under government control. ...
Industry Updates
ASC CEO Discusses Surgery Center Benefits as Guest ColumnistKathleen Allman, CEO of Millennium Surgery Center in Bakersfield, Calif., recently...
MCOs make their mark on value-based designVALUE-BASED INSURANCE DESIGN, seems to be one of the hottest tickets in...
Patient experience correlates with clinical qualityRUBBERBALL/GETTY IMAGES Once Considered An afterthought by harried clinicians...
Read More Posts From This CategoryHealthcare IT
Industry Experts Sound Off: EMRs/EHRsWith the overtures of President Obama in the early days of his administration of...
Washington needs focus on PHRsIn healthcare IT news, Virginia Technology Secretary Aneesh Chopra has been named...
Leverage clinical decision supportAmericans receive only slightly more than half of the screening, diagnostic, treatment,...
Read More Posts From This CategoryHealth Buzz
Biomarker CRP Isn’t Cause of Heart Disease and Other Health NewsStudy Says C-Reactive Protein, Though Linked to Heart Disease, Doesn’t Cause...
FDA Considers OTC Medication Risks and Other Health NewsFDA Panel Considers Risks of Over-the-Counter Medicines A Food and Drug Administration...
Diabetes Drug Setback and Other Health NewsDiabetes Drug Gets Delayed in the United States The U.S. Food and Drug Administration...
Read More Posts From This CategoryFeatured products
Helping to Bring Sight to AmericaCataract Outsourcing Interview Glenn Hagele, Executive Director of Cataract Free...
Acrysof IQ Toric IOL-Aspheric ExcellenceIntraocular lens (IOL) technology is constantly evolving and striving for better...
Three B. Braun Products Complete Interoperability Specifications TestB. Braun Medical, a leading infusion therapy and pain management company, has announced...
Read More Posts From This CategoryOR Management
Standardizing Electronic Documentation Using a Perioperative Nursing LanguageOur places of work and homes are abuzz with new terms: toxic assets, monetary policy...
Infection Prevention in Outpatient HealthcarePathogenic organisms are like international travelers with unrestricted passports;...
Cross InfectionsThe term Cross Infection refers to the transmission of a pathogenic organism from...
Read More Posts From This CategoryMission Trips
How to Prepare For an Eye MissionHow does one prepare for an eye mission? I do not profess to be an expert but I...
I Care, U Care, We All Care For Eye CareMost of those who came to Guatemala’s grandest-ever eye jornada were born in...
Mission Trip Photo JournalMost of you may know already that my son and I were traveling to Guatemala during...
Read More Posts From This CategorySyndicated Articles
15 Medicare/Medicaid Anti-Kickback and Fraud and Abuse Statute Cases Making Headlines in 2009This is a short summary of 15 anti-kickback and fraud cases and investigations that have made headlines in 2009. The situations involve a range of participants including hospitals, device companies, physicians, payors and other suppliers. 1. Medtronic whistle-blower suit. A lawsuit filed by two former Medtronic employees of the company’s Memphis-based... [Read more of this review]
Industry Experts Sound Off: EMRs/EHRsWith the overtures of President Obama in the early days of his administration of developing a plan to streamline the entire healthcare industry, the move is clearly on to switch to electronic medical records and electronic health records (EMRs/EHRs). So SurgiStrategies asked a panel of experts for their thoughts on EMRs and EHRs, and how they can help... [Read more of this review]
Amerinet Announces Agreements with Six New SuppliersAmerinet, Inc., a national healthcare group purchasing organization, has announced new agreements with six new suppliers, according to Amerinet news releases. Amerinet’s new agreements are with Global Montello Group Corp. for the supply of residual oil, fuel oil and natural gas and the brokerage of electricity to Amerinet’s member facilities;... [Read more of this review]
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