Members of the physician informatics community expressed surprise, elation and concern in reaction to the CMS' announcement that it will reconsider the Oct. 1, 2013 implementation deadline for the International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision family of diagnostic and procedural codes. "I am thrilled that folks are listening," said Dr. Joseph Schneider, chief medical information officer and medical director of clinical information at Baylor Health Care System in Dallas. However, he said, "There are other, better ways to do this other than to go to a system that's 30 years old coming up shortly." Read more of the article from ModernHealthcare.com at: more...

As part of President Obama’s commitment to reducing regulatory burden, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen G. Sebelius today announced that HHS will initiate a process to postpone the date by which certain health care entities have to comply with International Classification of Diseases, 10th Edition diagnosis and procedure codes (ICD-10). Read the CMS press release at: more...

The acting head of the CMS on Tuesday signaled that the agency will extend the timeline on ICD-10 implementation. After speaking to attendees at the American Medical Association Advocacy Conference in Washington, acting CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner told reporters that the CMS will "re-examine the timeframe" through a rulemaking process. She did not say when that rulemaking process will begin but said the CMS would send details about the process in the coming days. Read the rest of this article from Modern Healthcare at: more...

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has indicated to ASCA that recent payments to ASCs may not have reflected Congress’s two-month delay in implementing the sustainable growth rate (SGR), which would cut physician payment rates by 27%.  The payments CMS issued may also not have accounted for the agency’s correction of technical errors in determining payment rates.  CMS advises ASCs that believe they have not been accurately reimbursed to resubmit those... more...

Reprocessed single-use devices are cost-effective and environmentally friendly, but are they safe? The use of reprocessed single-use devices remains a hot-button topic in surgical circles, and the FDA's recent consumer alert only fanned the flames of controversy. Some facility administrators and surgeons swear by the practice's cost-saving and greening benefits. Others worry about the safety and stigma of reusing instruments labeled for single use. Read the rest of this article and associated links from Outpatient Surgery Magazine at: more...

Amerinet Inc, a leading national healthcare solutions organization, announces a new agreement with Amblitel for ambulatory surgery center business office services. Effective December 1, 2011, through November 30, 2014, the contract, which is part of Amerinet’s Executive Resources solutions, offers members significant savings on a comprehensive suite of financial management services including: - Revenue cycle functions - Accounting and financial management - Business intelligence - Strategic planning, benchmarking and feasibility Amblitel employs innovative, proprietary IT platform applications – designed specifically for the ambulatory surgery center back office – to increase revenues, reduce business costs and improve office... more...

The New Jersey Legislature on Monday approved a bill giving the state Department of Health oversight over all surgeries performed in New Jersey. The health agency already licenses and inspects operating rooms in hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers. By wide margins, lawmakers voted to include single-room surgical practices under the purview of the agency. The measure has the support of the large ambulatory surgery centers -- outpatient surgery facilities with more than one operating room -- and hospitals already subject to licensure, as well as physicians whose single-room surgical practices will now come under the control of the health department. Read the rest of this article from NJ Spotlight at: more...

Amid reports of serious complications and patient deaths, manufacturers must review products' risks versus benefits. The FDA has ordered manufacturers of the implantable surgical meshes used in pelvic prolapse and urinary incontinence repair surgeries to conduct new studies of the products. The move, announced yesterday, is a response to reports that 6 patients in whom the mesh was used died and thousands more suffered serious complications between 2008 and 2010. Read the rest of this article from Outpatient Surgery Magazine at: more...

While ASCs are still able to provide high-quality care at a lower cost than their hospital competitors, they are doing so under increasing strain from economic pressures, physician shortages and regulatory mandates. Here are 10 of the most pressing concerns for ASC administrators in 2012. 1. High deductibles. 2. Aging nursing population. 3. Increase of Medicare/Medicaid as a payor source. 4. Cutting staff costs while retaining staff. 5. Maintaining high volumes. 6. Patients waiting longer to undergo surgery. 7. Regulatory issues 8. Hospital employment poaching physicians. 9. Implementation of EMR. 10. Investment in new technology. Read more detail on each of these 1o issues from the original article at Becker's ASC Review: more...

HFAP has updated standards related to Patient Rights in Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs). These updates were prompted by the changes that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently made. Read more from this HFAP blog post at: more...