Blue Cross Blue Shield recently released a study based on the analysis of claims made by 43 million of their commercially insured patients. The study is additional evidence supporting the point that I’ve been arguing for the past year: That there is a rapid shift of surgical and interventional procedures from the hospital setting to the ASC setting.
The BCBS study backs my argument that because technology has made it possible to perform highly complex procedures and surgeries in ASCs, while reducing costs and complications and speeding up patient discharge, the pace of procedures out of the hospital to outpatient facilities will continue to increase.
Although the hospital lobby has blocked the growth of physician-owned hospitals (at least as concerns Medicare), outpatient facility development and investment is poised to spike, providing tremendous opportunities for physicians.
Every physician practice must analyze how this shift will impact its practice, its providers, and its patients.
I’ve formed an alliance with one of the nation’s most experienced outpatient facility developers with a focus on surgery centers as well as on complex procedure centers including interventional radiology surgery centers (irASCs™). Let me know if you’d like me to facilitate an introduction.
