Russia’s Leading Opticians Visit Bausch & Lomb Waterford

Bausch & Lomb hosted a delegation of opticians, owners, administrators and managers from Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States on a visit to its Waterford plant where contact lenses and other eye healthcare products are manufactured.

Georgia Governor Warns That State Healthcare System May Run Out of Money if Recession Continues

As the Georgia State House passed its budget, Governor Sonny Perdue warned lawmakers that the state’s healthcare system may run out of money as more residents continue to seek help during the current recession, according to a report in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.The $18.6 billion budget includes $1.4 billion of federal stimulus funds that will be used to help prevent cuts in payments made to doctors, hospitals and other providers, according to the report.

Some lawmakers say that the current budget does not account for the shortfall in Medicaid, which currently covers 1.5 million poor and disabled Georgians. The Department of Community Health predicts a 9 percent increase in Medicaid enrollment next year. According to Gov. Perdue, the budget will need an additional $140 to $150 million to cover this growth, which would be funded by spending cuts.

Read the Journal-Constitution’s report on concerns over Georgia’s healthcare system.

This article originally published @ Beckers ASC Review

Cleanest and Most Polluted U.S. Cities, Swine Flu, and More

American Lung Association Grades Cities on Air Pollution

About 186.1 million Americans are living in areas with dangerously high air pollution levels, HealthDay reports. The findings come from research presented this week in the American Lung Association’s State of the Air 2009 report. “Six out of 10 Americans live in areas dirty enough to send people to the emergency room, to shape how kids’ lungs develop, and even dirty enough to kill,” said Charles D. Connor, president and CEO of the American Lung Association, during a teleconference yesterday, according to HealthDay. Fargo, N.D., was rated as the cleanest city in the United States; North Dakota was the only state to earn passing scores for ozone pollution, year-round particle pollution, and short-term particle pollution. The ALA deemed Los Angeles the country’s dirtiest city.

It’s tough to avoid breathing polluted air, but there are some ways to reduce exposure. Researchers are finding that air pollution can damage sperm—not to mention the offspring those sperm produce.

Swine Flu: How to Keep Your Kids Safe

A Texas child not yet 2 years old, who had recently visited Mexico, has become the first person in the United States to die from the swine flu, ABCNews.com reports. And news of this death may prompt parents, who were already seriously concerned about the swine flu, to be even more worried. With the suspected death toll mounting in Mexico and at least 64 confirmed cases in the United States, there’sgood reason for concern, Nancy Shute reports. One New York City school closed because dozens of students have fallen ill. Parents’ fears get amplified when the public-health experts say, correctly, that they don’t know what’s going to happen next. “We don’t know how worried we need to be,” says Joseph Bocchini, chairman of the department of pediatrics at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center.

Here are 5 ways to keep your kids safe from swine flu. This list of 14 things you should know about the new flu virus may help both adults and children.

Addressing a Child’s Video-Game Obsession

The news that almost 10 percent of kids show symptoms of addiction to video games makes this a great time for Michael Gurian’s new book, The Purpose of Boys: Helping Our Sons Find Meaning, Significance, and Direction in Their Lives (Jossey-Bass, $26.96). He has made a crusade and a career out of advocating for boys, who he feels have been neglected by schools and society in an effort to give girls long-denied opportunities. Boys without purpose are boys who spend the day racking up high scores on Grand Theft Auto IV. This might not be the best preparation for manhood, writes Nancy Shute, who talked with Gurian about his book.

Learn why addiction to video games is a growing concern, and check out these resources for video-game addiction.

Lenox Hill Hospital Reverses Stance on Proposed NYC Surgery Center

Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, N.Y., has reversed its opposition to the proposed SurgiCare of Manhattan and instead will become an investor in the center, according to a report by Crain’s New York Business.The hospital will take an ownership stake of at least 10 percent in the proposed surgery center, which will be co-owned by 14 physicians.

The hospital stated that the investment is intended to reduce financial strains that the proposed surgery center would create for the hospital as a result of increased competition.

The proposed center still must obtain a certificate of need in order to proceed with development, which is being opposed by NYU’s Langone Medical Center and the Greater New York Hospital Association.

The proposed surgery center is expected to earn $1.67 million in profits on total revenue of $9.72 million by its third year, according to the report.

Read Crain’s New York Business’s report on Lenox Hill’s investment in SurgiCare of Manhattan.

This article originally published @ Beckers ASC Review

Bausch & Lomb and 20/10 Perfect Vision Finalize Refractive Surgery Joint Venture

Bausch & Lomb, the global eye health company, and 20/10 Perfect Vision AG, the femtosecond laser developer, have completed their transaction to form a joint venture focused on the laser vision correction industry. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Physicians Endoscopy Announced Three New ASCs in 2008

Physicians Endoscopy announced the opening and construction of three new endoscopy centers in 2008 in three states across the country.Construction began on the Laredo (Texas) Digestive Health Center, a two-room facility that is adjacent to the practice of the Gastroenterology Consultants of Laredo. The center is scheduled to open in May 2009.

In Oct. 2008, the Saint Vincent Endoscopy Center in Erie, Pa., began operations. The center was opened in conjunction with the Saint Vincent Health System and is the first freestanding endoscopy center in Erie.

In Nov. 2008, the Burlington County Endoscopy Center in Lumberton, N.J., began operations at its new, three-room facility. The center was opened in conjunction with Gastroenterology Consultants of South Jersey and became the 16th center to partner with Physicians Endoscopy.

Learn more about Physicians Endoscopy’s new facilities by clicking here.

Learn more about Physicians Endoscopy.

This article originally published @ Beckers ASC Review

Cataract Growth (2005 to 2020) – Is the Ophthalmic Industry Ready?

By 2010, the older population is projected to be at 40 million, due to the fact that the “Baby Boomers” will turn 65 in 2011. This will result in a doubling of the older population by 2030, growing from 35 million to 72 million. After 2030, the growth of the older population will slow.

When one compares the projected growth of 31 million senior citizens, during the 20-year period between 2010 and 2030, the older population is projected to grow by only 15 million during the following 20-year period (2030 to 2050).

The older population will continue to grow at a faster pace than the total population and this trend will continue well into the 21st century. Total population between 2010 and 2030 is expected to increase by 18 percent versus a 78 percent increase in the older population. This will result in 20 percent of Americans being aged 65 and older in 2030, compared with 12 percent in 2010. After 2030, the 65 and older group will be relatively stable at about 20 percent.

Another interesting facet is that 4.2 million people were 85 and older years of age in 2000. By 2030, this age group will increase to approximately 10 million and to 21 million by 2050.

Estimated Cataract Prevalence in the United States – Top 10 States is:

State	2005	2010	2015	2020
California	1,964,280	2,215,708	2,421,352	2,587,662
Florida	1,536,093	1,798,595	2,059,817	2,332,386
New York	1,271,616	1,363,432	1,419,638	1,439,408
Texas	1,142,067	1,305,236	1,446,584	1,588,019
Pennsylvania	985,996	1,046,029	1,081,316	1,096,901
Illinois	783,181	838,956	874,529	898,924
Ohio	779,717	827,182	853,618	867,084
Michigan	642,695	693,269	727,203	748,565
New Jersey	586,788	642,922	684,040	710,859
North Carolina	525,383	594,471	657,091	716,819

Source: Vantage Independent Analysis based on projections of 2005 Census Data

With this scenario present, expanding residency training programs to their maximum capacity will maintain the current national ophthalmologist-to-population ratio. But, it will not be enough to address the shift in demographics as baby boomers age. Bottom line is that we need to start putting things in place over the next 12 years in order to meet the growing demand of cataract patients.

To see our previous article on Daunting Demographics, please click here

Ambulatory Surgical Group Teams With MBC Systems to Offer Revenue Cycle Management Services

Ambulatory Surgical Group has teamed up with MBC Systems to offer revenue cycle management services to surgery centers and other select markets across the country, according to an announcement by ASG.

Among the services that will be offered are charge capture; coding; claim processing; electronic submission; collections; worker’s compensation billing; PI and lien billings, collections and adjudication; and cycle statements and financial reporting. 

Learn more about ASG.

This article originally published @ Beckers ASC Review

Bausch & Lomb Launches New Bottle Innovation in Europe Supported By Eye-Catching Online Campaign

Bausch & Lomb has unveiled a ground-breaking new bottle innovation for ReNu® multi-purpose solutions in its continued effort to improve the habits of contact lens-wearers and enhance general eye health.

16 GI-Driven ASCs to Know

A successful ASC requires the cooperation of all members of its staff — from physicians to administrators to nurses and ancillary staff. In the field of gastroenterology, this sense of teamwork permeates through flourishing centers.

Here is a list of gastroenterology-driven ASCs and a few of the reasons why they have been so successful.Berks Center for Digestive Health (Wyomissing, Pa.). Berks Center for Digestive Health performs 11,000 procedures annually in its three procedure rooms. The Berks Center specializes in colonoscopies and EGDs. There are 11 physicians currently on staff with two more scheduled to start. In addition to endoscopy services, the ASC is also active in community and in-house education. Physicians speak on issues related to GI health in both the hospital and community setting, and John Gleason, practice administrator, hosts in-services for staff.

Gail Wells, administrator and nursing manager for the Berks Center, says that the organization’s success is due to the “great group of people who work here.” Ms. Wells describes the environment of the facility as “a culture of leadership.” “We have great leadership,” she says. “It works from the top down.”

Eastside Endoscopy Center (St. Clair Shores, Mich.). Eastside Endoscopy Center opened in 1996 as the first endoscopy center in Lower Michigan. Currently, EEC has six procedure rooms in two locations and specialize in general GI procedures, including upper and lower endoscopy and routine care. The ASC 16 physicians performed 11,000 procedures in 2008. In addition to performing endoscopies, EEC hosts meetings for primary care physicians on GI problems as well as community education events. It also provides CME activities for its medical staff twice a year.

Fernando Bermudez, MD, medical director of EEC, says that the success of this ASC is measured in more than just revenue. “We have good control of our practice,” he says. “Because we own the center, we can determine how to run [it].”

The staff and physicians make safety and patient satisfaction a top priority. 

“If we find an issue, we address it quickly,” says Dr. Bermudez. “If there is no issue, we ask ourselves ‘what else can we do?’” In 2006 and 2007, EEC received the Press Ganey Summit Award for 99 percent patient satisfaction.

Beth Miller, administrator of EEC, says that the center is constantly looking for new ways to prove that it is a center of excellence. “We’ve always been in the forefront,” says Ms. Miller, the first CASC-certified administrator in Michigan. In addition, EEC was the first ASC in Michigan to receive a recognition award from the American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy for quality and patient safety.

Eastside Endoscopy Center (Bellevue,Wash.). Eastside Endoscopy Center opened its doors in 1995, and its team of 11 physicians performs around 10,400 procedures annually. The center specializes in upper endoscopies and colonscopies, which are performed in three procedure rooms. Eastside Endoscopy also uses the capsule endoscopy procedure in which patients swallow a capsule containing a camera that transmits pictures of the intestinal tract that can then be downloaded and reviewed by the physician. Eastside Endoscopy was the first ASC in Washington to be accredited by the AAAHC.

In addition to performing endoscopies, Eastside Endoscopy provides outreach and colon cancer education to the community. It is a sponsor for the Mercer Island Half Marathon for Colon Cancer Awareness, and this year it is raffling off a free colonoscopy for charity.

Michelle Steele, clinical nurse manager of Eastside Endoscopy, credits the success of the center to an excellent working relationship between physicians and staff. Because of this comfortable relationship, the center’s staff uses humor to make patients more comfortable in what is often a pretty uncomfortable situation, according to Ms. Steele. 

“They have a great rapport with one another,” she says, “and this spills over to how we deal with patients.”

The Endoscopy Center (Sellersville, Pa.). The Endoscopy Center is a two-procedure room surgery center that specializes in colonoscopies and upper endoscopies. The center’s four physicians perform around 5,000 procedures a year.

According to Jill Patton, the receptionist at The Endoscopy Center, the center’s success can be attributed to excellent organization. Physicians and staff at the center also put patient comfort first. “People just enjoy it here,” Ms. Patton says. “Many of our patients are lifers.”

The Endoscopy Center at Gateway (Kingston, Pa.). The Endoscopy Center at Gateway specializes in endoscopy procedures related to GI, including colonscopies and EGDs. Of the five GI physicians in the Kingston region, three work at the facility. The physicians perform around 7,000 procedures in two procedure rooms. In addition, the ASC had eight recovery beds for its patients. The center is accredited by AAAHC and is recognized nationally through the ASGE for promoting quality GI endoscopy care. 

The physicians at the center have well-established reputations in the community, and the retention rate of staff is high. Both of these result in a high level of patient satisfaction, which the ASC evaluates based on monthly customer surveys. According to Denise Calomino, administrator of The Endoscopy Center at Gateway, if a survey comes back with an area for improvement, the facility addresses it right away. In addition, the staff is kept up-to-date on changes in policies, such as billing and coding, so that they can maintain a high level of efficiency. Also, the center reaches out to its referring physicians to make sure that it addresses their needs as well.

Ms. Calomino notes that a being a single-specialty center helps the staff maintain its efficiency. Also, she says that the center “benchmarks everything.” 

“This is so we know where we stand,” she says, “and it helps us understand our business.”

Most importantly, Ms. Calomino credits the organization’s success with making sure it stays on top of patient care and maintaining a positive work environment. 

“The staff is happy to be here,” she says. “Our patients can tell that. Overall, it’s a great place to work.”

Endoscopy Center of Western New York (Williamsville, N.Y.). Endoscopy Center of Western New York opened in March 2004 and is run by Gastroenterology Associates. The ASC performs 8,500 procedures annually and specializes in endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography, upper endoscopy/EGD, colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy. The center has four procedure rooms. The Endoscopy Center of Western New York enjoys strong and positive relationships with both local hospital systems in Buffalo, with the physicians providing full-time clinical GI coverage for four of the hospitals in the area.

G.I. Associates Endoscopy Center (Wausau, Wisc.). G.I. Associates Endoscopy Center opened as a single-specialty ASC in Sept. 2008. It is wholly physician-owned. The center received its accreditation by the AAAHC in Dec. 2008. The three physicians on its staff perform endoscopies in its four procedure rooms.

Cathy Rohling, operating officer of G.I. Associates Endoscopy Center, says that the single-specialty nature of the center is one of its biggest assets. She also credits her great staff for its success, among other aspects of running the ASC. 

“We use professional benchmarking tools, which have been a great help [in running our center],” she says.

Kips Bay Endoscopy Center (New York, N.Y.). Kips Bay Endoscopy Center (KBEC) is a fully physician-owned center that specializes in most types of GI procedures, including colonoscopy and endoscopy. The center has four procedure rooms, and the 18 physicians that use the facility perform approximately 10,000 procedures a year. The center uses state-of-the-art endoscopes and monitors. In addition, the center is a member of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Unit Recognition Program.

Much of KBEC’s success is due to its smooth operations. According to Dr. Jonathan Cohen, a physician at the center, “Our success is due to ongoing scrutiny of every detail of management so that it runs smoothly. This gives a positive impression to the patient.”

Dr. Charles Friedlander, medical director of KBEC, agrees. In addition, he notes that the center is “run by doctors for doctors.” He credits open communication and good doctor response for having the procedures run as efficiently as possible. “We are strong on making patients feel comfortable,” he says. “We’ve had rave reviews from patients who had procedures done in hospitals, and they will never go back.”

Lone Star Endoscopy Center (Keller, Texas). Lone Star Endoscopy Center is a freestanding endoscopic ASC developed by the physician partners of Texas Digestive Disease Associates. The eleven physicians at the ASC perform approximately 8,000 procedures annually. The center has one operating room and four procedure rooms and specializes in colonoscopies, EGD and flexible sigmoidoscopy. Lone Star opened in May 2006 and aims to serve its patients with compassion, quality and proven technology.

Long Island Center for Digestive Health (Garden City, N.Y.). Long Island Center for Digestive Health provides endoscopies and colonoscopies in a comfortable atmosphere. Its team of seven physicians performs between 6,000-6,500 cases annually. This single-specialty ASC opened its doors in June 2006 and was developed by Gastroenterology Associates. It is licensed by the state of New York, is Medicare-certified and is accredited by the AAAHC.

Leonard Stein, MD, medical director of the Long Island Center for Digestive Health, credits the facility’s skilled staff of nurses, technicians and anesthesiologists for the center’s success. 

“They provide the patient with a safe, careful place to have procedures,” he says. In addition, he finds that a positive experience at the center can encourage a patient’s friends and family members to come in for colon cancer screening.  

“If we can provide our patients with a positive experience, we feel that we can reach out to those who need to be screened but have not been,” he says.

Michigan Endoscopy Center (Farmington Hill, Mich.). Michigan Endoscopy Center specializes in all types of GI procedures, including colonoscopy, upper endoscopy and EGD. MEC has six operating rooms and 16 physicians who perform approximately 16,900 procedures annually. According to the mission statement of the center, MEC is dedicated to promoting a high quality of endoscopic services by maintaining an environment that is conducive to the provision of safe, efficient endoscopic procedures by ensuring that safe and effective equipment and supplies are available for physicians and staff, by maintaining relationships with qualified, skilled physicians and staff and by providing an effective program of quality assurance and quality improvement. 

Brien Fausone, administrator of MEC, says that a key to the center’s success is the highly-trained and experienced clinical staff. “It’s an all-star team of clinicians,” Mr. Fausone says. 

Physicians Endoscopy Center (Houston, Texas). Physicians Endoscopy Center is dedicated to providing its patients with the highest standard of endoscopic services available in an efficient, cost-effective environment. Its team of physicians performs around 1,100 procedures monthly in its eight procedure rooms. The organization specializes in endoscopies and colonscopies. In addition, it provides colon cancer screenings. The facility is designed with the patient’s comfort, privacy and safety in mind, and relaxing music and aromatherapy are used to minimize the anxiety patients may feel. In addition, the ASC offers Saturday hours for those who cannot come in during the week.

The facility is technologically advanced, and recently purchased state-of-the-art endoscopes and high definition televisions for the procedure rooms. It is accredited by the AAAHC. For Colon Cancer Awareness Month, PEC offers gifts to those who come in for screenings, and the staff provides colon cancer outreach to primary care physicians in the area.

Staff members are certified in Advanced Cardiac Life Support. Past medical directors and the current administrator have been recognized by the community for their achievements.

Pioneer Valley Surgicenter (Springfield, Mass.). The Pioneer Valley Surgicenter specializes in gastroenterology procedures and also performs ENT, orthopedics, general surgery and some plastics. The facility’s 17 physicians perform around 7,200 procedures and 2,000 operating room cases annually in its four procedure rooms and two operating rooms. Physicians at the center work as a team to provide the best patient care possible. The goals of Pioneer Valley are to provide outpatient surgical services in a non-hospital setting in order to decrease or curtail spiraling healthcare costs, to provide quality, individualized patient care in a comfortable, non-threatening atmosphere and to provide a service of convenience, availability and efficiency for both patients and physicians in the community.

Linda Rahm, administrator of Pioneer Valley Surgicenter, says the ASC is successful because the doctors are actively involved in issues related to patient satisfaction. 

“The staff is highly trained and put caring for the patient first,” she says.

Skyline Endoscopy Center (Loveland, Colo.). Skyline Endoscopy Center began operation in Dec. 2004. The center provides open-access endoscopies, and it performs approximately 3,800 procedures annually. The center specializes in colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy and upper endoscopy (gastroscopy). Currently there are four physicians on staff. 

The center provides outstanding patient care and customer service as measured by its patient satisfaction surveys. According to Catherine Sayers, director of central operations of Pinnacle III, “Much of the patient satisfaction can be attributed to the dedicated and enthusiastic staff; only one staff member has left in the four-plus years it has been open. The center has been financially sound since the day it opened its doors and has consistently produced a 26-32 percent profit margin.”

Surgery Center of Joliet (Joliet, Ill.). The Surgery Center of Joliet opened in 2008. The facility houses two procedure rooms, two endoscopy rooms and three operating rooms. To accommodate the rising capacity of the endoscopy rooms, the center purchased a portable endoscopy machine which allows one of the operating rooms to be used for endoscopic procedures. The ASC performs more than 3,000 procedures annually and specializes in colonoscopy, EGD and upper and lower GI diagnostics and screenings. In addition, it performs feeding tube insertions and hemorrhoid banding. Of the approximately 35 physicians on staff, there are five who specialize in endoscopy and an additional 3-4 general surgeons who perform endoscopies. In addition to GI procedures, the center has practices in ENT, general surgery, pain management, plastics, podiatry and orthopedics.

Marge Schillaci, administrator of the Surgery Center of Joliet, credits the success of the ASC to her skilled and efficient staff. She notes that the facility has a high level of patient satisfaction due to its surgeons and recovery room staff. 

“Feedback from customers who have had procedures done in the hospital say that it is no comparison to the care they receive at the center,” she says. 

In addition, she says that the pre-op, operating and post-op rooms are all very close in proximity, which always for a quick turnover time in the procedure rooms and requires less movement of the patients. Most patients are under intravenous sedation, which is administered by a skilled staff of nurses. There is no staff turnover at the center. 

“Surgeons are very satisfied with their patient care,” Ms. Schillaci says, which is a result of the loyal and skilled staff. Also, at least one member of the staff is assigned to clean scopes during the day, which speeds up procedure times.

Ms. Schillaci mentions that the surgery center was able to satisfy its lease early and is keeping the center equipped with state-of-the-art equipment. In addition, due to increasing case volume, it is looking to purchase new scopes and cleaning equipment to help the ASC run as efficiently as possible.

United Medical Endoscopy Center (Lancaster, Calif.). The 100 percent physician-owned United Medical Endoscopy Center specializes in all types of GI procedures, including upper endoscopy, biopsies and endoscopic ultrasound in its two endoscopy rooms. In another procedure room, pain management services are provided such as epidurals, lumbar pokes and fluoroscopy. The ASC performed approximately 12,500 procedures in 2008.

Dr. Raman Patel, president of the United Medical Endoscopy Center, credits the center’s success to his very experienced team of physicians, nurses and administrators. 

“Teamwork has made a difference,” Dr. Patel says. “[Our staff] believes in us, and that makes a big difference in running a smooth operation.”

The ASC invited all private practice gastroenterologists in the area to join in a partnership with the center. “All shareholders are on the board of directors, and each has an equal voice in management,” says Dr. Patel. “Nobody takes advantage of anybody; the first [priority] is the clinic.”

Contact Renée Tomcanin at renee@beckersasc.com.

This article originally published @ Beckers ASC Review

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