Hospitals are in an increasingly precarious situation. The drumbeat of changing healthcare policy, along with patients’ desire to be in a COVID-19-free environment and to limit their time in healthcare facilities, is generating even more pressure on hospital leaders to consider aligning and partnering with ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs).
Surgery generates a tremendous amount of revenue but is also one of the most expensive services provided by hospitals. Directing surgery out of hospital settings to ASCs presents significant cost-saving opportunities for CMS and commercial payers while posing a direct threat to hospitals’ bottom line. Hospitals and health systems without a cogent plan related to outpatient surgery may soon be faced with empty ORs, departing surgeons, and staffing reductions.
However, rewarding providers for delivering cost-effective care at lower-cost sites of service can create opportunities for hospitals that are proactive to the demands of the current environment. Hospitals that understand their exposure to surgical migration can develop a plan to offset and/or minimize the risk and position themselves for long-term success.
