ASCA News Digest (February 15, 2022)

Featuring top-quality education, an extensive ASC-specific expo hall, a return to in-person networking and more, ASCA’s annual conference is the can’t-miss event of the year for ASC professionals.

Register by February 28 to lock in your early bird discount and join us for the ASCA 2022 Conference & Expo, taking place April 27–30 in the wonderful city of Dallas, TX.

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Listen to the newest episode of ASCA’s Advancing Surgical Care Podcast, “COVID-19 Vaccine Requirements for Healthcare Workers,” to hear ASCA CEO Bill Prentice and two members of ASCA staff discuss CMS’ COVID-19 vaccination mandate and quality reporting rules for participating healthcare workers, including those affiliated with ASCs.

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ASCA members: If you haven’t already, renew your ASCA membership for 2022 before it expires Monday, February 28. ASCA membership provides your entire staff with access to vital educational resources, great networking opportunities, essential industry news and practical tools to use daily in your facility. Members can renew via the online portal on ASCA’s website or by returning the renewal notice received in the mail.

Not yet a member? Join ASCA today.

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Subscribers to ASCA’s 2021 Clinical & Operational Benchmarking Survey can now access their fourth-quarter (Q4) reports. To access your facility’s report, log in to the survey portal and select the “Run Reports” tab.

Keep your ASC on track for success in 2022 and beyond by subscribing to the 2022 Clinical & Operational Benchmarking Survey, now available for purchase.

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On February 4, a coalition of 16 states filed a lawsuit in the US District Court for the Western District of Louisiana with a request that the judge grant them a preliminary injunction against implementation of CMS’ healthcare worker COVID-19 vaccination mandate in their jurisdictions.

Read this Digital Debut for more information on this lawsuit.

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ASCA has posted its 2022 HOPD Medicare Rate Calculator for hospital outpatient department (HOPD) payment rates to its Medicare Rate Calculator webpage. This resource allows members to compare rates for Medicare outpatient procedures between ASCs and HOPDs.

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'A Real Crisis': License Backlogs in Some States Are Preventing Health Care Workers From Seeing Patients

Last September, Michelle Thomas thought she was about to start a new job as a therapist serving a clinic and a public school in western Wisconsin. After taking time off to raise four children, and moving states since she last worked, she was eager to restart her career.

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For Travel Nurses, Jobs at Home Can't Come Close to Pay They Get on the Road

Nursing is a second career and a calling for Sara Dean of Mt. Juliet, Tenn. Dean loved her work at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital.

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FDA Takes Steps Aimed at Fostering Development of Non-Addictive Alternatives to Opioids for Acute Pain Management

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration took new steps aimed at fostering the development of non-addictive alternatives to opioids to manage acute pain and decreasing exposure to opioids and preventing new addiction. The agency issued draft guidance to provide recommendations to companies developing non-opioid analgesics for acute pain lasting up to 30 days, typically in response to some form of tissue injury, such as trauma or surgery.

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Tenet Continues Bet on Ambulatory Surgery Centers to Drive Long-Term Growth

Dallas-based hospital operator Tenet will continue its strategy of acquiring ambulatory surgery centers to drive long-term growth and plans to buy 30 more facilities from SurgCenter Development this year, the company said Tuesday. That's in addition to 16 it has purchased so far this year, executives said on an earnings call Tuesday.

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Decreasing Colorectal Cancer Screening Disparities: A Culturally Tailored Patient Navigation Program for Hispanic Patients

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in Hispanic patients. Screening colonoscopy has been shown to reduce the incidence and mortality of CRC.

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Outpatient Hip, Knee Replacement Is Safe for Many, Study Suggests

For many people undergoing total hip or knee replacement, same-day surgery is a safe option, new research shows. Among folks in overall good health, the study of nearly 1.8 million patients found similar post-op complication rates among those who had outpatient joint replacement surgery compared to those who spent a night or two in the hospital.

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News summaries © copyright 2022 Smithbucklin

About ASCA

Mission: The Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA) is the national membership association that represents ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) and provides advocacy and resources to assist ASCs in delivering high-quality, cost-effective ambulatory surgery to all the patients they serve.

About Us: At ASCA, we are eager to help you become better acquainted with our nation's ASCs and the people who own and operate them. We are also eager to help you develop policies on ASC-related issues. If you have questions, please contact us. We'll put you in touch with the experts and, if you like, arrange for you to visit an ASC in your area.

Contact Us: Advertising inquiries should be addressed to Chris Schriever or Alex Yewdell at 202.337.1897 or at advertising@ascassociation.org.

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