AMSURG, the ambulatory division of Nashville, Tenn.-based Envision Healthcare and a leading colonoscopy provider, made a similar recommendation at the start of this year.
AMSURG Says 200,000 People Missed Their Colonoscopies This Year
“Unlike any other cancer, if you find a polyp, a pre-cancerous growth, during a colonoscopy, you can remove it,” said Dr. John Popp, Medical Director at AMSURG.
AMSURG Reports Nearly 200,000 Patients Have Missed Colonoscopies Since Start of Pandemic
Colonoscopies Are Essential in the Prevention, Early Diagnosis and Treatment of Colorectal Cancer, the Second Leading Cause of Cancer Death
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — AMSURG, a division of Envision Healthcare and a national leader in providing outpatient endoscopic procedures, released new data today on the impact COVID-19 has had on colonoscopies, a vital medical screening test used to detect, prevent and treat colon cancer.
According to AMSURG’s internal data, more than 195,000 patients have missed colonoscopies since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. AMSURG estimates that its clinicians would have diagnosed more than 850 people with colorectal cancer in those missed cases. Additionally, AMSURG’s analysis found that if this trend continues, it expects to screen almost 32,000 fewer patients for the remainder of 2020 — potentially another 140 undiagnosed cases. The American Cancer Society has estimated there will be approximately 148,000 new cases of colorectal cancer in 2020.
“Based on historical data for this time last year, we would have removed polyps from more than 82,000 patients before they turned cancerous,” said John Popp, MD, Medical Director for AMSURG. “Screening colonoscopies are crucial in detecting, treating and preventing colon cancer, which is the second most common cause of cancer death in the U.S. When diagnosed early, it is often easier to treat, and patients have an increased chance of survival.”
In recent years, more people under the age of 50 have been diagnosed with colon cancer. A colonoscopy is the only screening test that can both detect and prevent colorectal cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, the recommended age to begin screening average-risk people is 45. People at a higher risk include those with a family history of colorectal cancer or pre-malignant polyps, inflammatory bowel disease and certain lifestyle habits. Colon cancer also disproportionately impacts the Black community, which sees higher colon cancer rates and deaths than any other racial or ethnic group.
“As the national leader in the detection and prevention of colon cancer, it is very concerning to see so many patients missing their colonoscopies,” said Jeff Snodgrass, President of AMSURG. “While we all must continue taking precautions to put public health first during the COVID-19 pandemic, people should not delay essential and potentially lifesaving care. AMSURG continues to take all necessary measures to protect the health and safety of our teammates, patients and communities. We have high-quality and safety standards and rigid infection control protocols in place to protect our teams and patients. Our medical facilities remain open for essential care, such as colonoscopies.”
Through its network of ambulatory surgery centers, AMSURG partners with physicians to provide high-quality, same-day outpatient care to patients in communities across the country. AMSURG specializes in gastroenterology, orthopaedic, and ophthalmology and is the leading provider of colonoscopies in the U.S.
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About Envision Healthcare Corporation
Envision Healthcare Corporation is a leading national medical group that delivers physician and advanced practice provider services, primarily in the areas of emergency and hospitalist medicine, anesthesiology, radiology/teleradiology, and neonatology to more than 1,800 clinical departments in healthcare facilities in 45 states and the District of Columbia. Post-acute care is delivered through an array of clinical professionals and integrated technologies which, when combined, contribute to efficient and effective population health management strategies. As a market leader in ambulatory surgical care, the medical group owns and operates 257 surgery centers and one surgical hospital in 34 states and the District of Columbia, with medical specialties ranging from gastroenterology to ophthalmology and orthopedics. In total, the medical group offers a differentiated suite of clinical solutions on a national scale with a local understanding of our communities, creating value for health systems, payers, providers, and patients. For additional information, visit www.envisionhealth.com.
About AMSURG
AMSURG acquires, develops and operates ambulatory surgery centers (ASC) in partnership with physicians throughout the United States. As of January 1, 2020, AMSURG owned and operated 257 ASCs and one surgical hospital in 34 states and the District of Columbia with medical specialties ranging from gastroenterology to ophthalmology and orthopaedics. To learn more about AMSURG, a division of Envision Healthcare Corporation, visit www.amsurg.com.
AMSURG is Proud to Exceed National Benchmarks for Patient Experience Scores
Press Ganey, a survey research firm focusing on patient experience in healthcare, disseminates over 95 million mail, phone and electronic surveys each year. So, when AMSURG’s partnering ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) exceed the national benchmarks in their results—that’s something to share. Ensuring that patients are safe and satisfied with the care they receive is always a priority but even more so during these challenging times.
More than 95 percent of AMSURG’s partnering ASCs are participating in the Press Ganey’s Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Outpatient and Ambulatory Surgery Survey (OAS CAHPS). Over the last year, the centers have consistently exceeded the national benchmarks for “overall patient experience” and “likelihood to recommend.” Additionally, many of these centers chose to share the results on their websites and to be transparent with their patients’ feedback.
When comparing AMSURG partner ASCs with hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs), AMSURG ASCs have consistently ranked in the 80th percentile in 2020—outperforming the majority of HOPDs. In the second quarter of 2020 and in the midst of crisis, AMSURG centers were in the 87th percentile for overall patient experience ratings.
As AMSURG’s partners are some of the only centers to publicly display these comments and overall rankings, results and experiences have continued to deliver well-earned recognition. One patient at Eastern Connecticut Endoscopy Center, who scored 89 percent for overall patient experience and 88 percent for likelihood to recommend, wrote, “I felt very comfortable and safe with all of the staff and facilities during my recent visit to have a colonoscopy performed. Every effort was made to ensure my safety as a senior citizen, and the procedure was completed in a little more than an hour.”
Westbank Surgery Center, who scored 94 percent for overall patient experience and 93 percent for likelihood to recommend, has also been given amazing feedback, including one pleased patient who applauded the facility and appreciated their team for easing apprehensions. “Very good experience. Staff is very organized, and everything ran smoothly like clockwork as it should. Have had lots of hospital visits. This was an A+ one. I will be returning in 2 weeks for a second procedure and am very at ease about it,” the patient commented.
“AMSURG is a strong proponent of sharing our patient experience scores and we are impressed by the positive feedback from our patients,” said Nina Goins, Vice President of Quality and Clinical Services for AMSURG. “As the centers face new challenges, patient safety and quality remain the primary focus. The great efforts of their care and the constant demonstration of their compassion for patients have absolutely not gone unnoticed, and I think it’s important we commend this valuable work.”
AMSURG will continue to support partnering centers and drive best practices in order to continue providing our patients with high-quality experiences.
For more information about AMSURG’s commitment to our centers amid COVID-19, visit amsurg.com/covid-19.
Introducing The SURG Videocast: Watch the First Episode Today
AMSURG is excited to announce the launch of a new videocast, The Surg. Each month, we will host an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) physician partner to discuss clinical hot topics. Are there pros and cons to pre-procedure testing? What are safe turnaround times in an era of COVID-19? How should you prepare for flu season amidst COVID-19? We’ll answer those questions, and more, as we seek to be a resource for research and best practices, and a voice for our ambulatory surgery centers.
Episode 1
Envision Healthcare Chief Medical Officer and AMSURG Interim President Chan Chuang, M.D., hosts the first episode of The Surg, which you can watch here.
In the episode, Dr. Chuang and Erick Pecha, M.D., a gastroenterologist and founding physician partner with Folsom Sierra Endoscopy Center in California and president of the Gastroenterology Medical Clinic in Folsom, together tackle questions about COVID testing times, surgery center workflow, getting through state inspections, and best practices for increasing capacity while enhancing safety.
One bright spot Dr. Pecha identifies: though patients are somewhat anxious about safety, no-show rates are down from the pre-COVID era. One reason for that is the pre-procedure planning process. “Once you set up the program … and you explain to your patients that our goal is to create a sphere of safety for them that is better than their local grocery store, there has been quite easy adoption by the patients in terms of their compliance.”
Share Your Feedback
As with all of our communications, we welcome your feedback. After viewing The Surg, please take a moment to complete this survey.
Envision Healthcare Appoints Key Leaders
Envision Healthcare, one of the nation’s leading medical groups, today announced new additions to its leadership team, with Jay Martus returning to the organization in the new role of Chief Revenue Officer and Jeff Snodgrass joining as President of AMSURG.
“As a national medical group, our leaders all share the same mission – supporting clinicians so they can care for patients,” said Envision Chief Executive Officer Jim Rechtin. “Jay and Jeff have extensive experience in healthcare administration, and they will be part of the leadership team that is charting the course so Envision can continue to set standards for patient care. I am very pleased to welcome Jay back to our organization and look forward to having both him and Jeff on board.”
As Chief Revenue Officer, Martus will focus on managed care, malpractice risk and hospital contracting. Martus spent 20 years at Sheridan Healthcare, which later became Envision Physician Services following the 2016 merger between Envision and AMSURG. Until 2014, he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer. He also previously served as President of Advantia Health, a board member of Ob Hospitalist Group and a healthcare consultant.
As President of AMSURG, Snodgrass will lead one of the country’s largest ambulatory surgery management operations. Prior to joining Envision, Snodgrass served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Azura Vascular Care and National Cardiology Partners, leading the company’s vascular and cardiology outpatient, interventional and surgical business units at Fresenius Medical Care. Before joining Fresenius, Jeff was the Chief Financial Officer at inVentiv Health, supporting the integration and creation of a global Contract Research Organization. Snodgrass spent 17 years at Merck & Co., most recently serving as Vice President of Finance for Merck’s research and development organization.
With a new AMSURG President in place, Interim President Dr. Chan Chuang will return to his previously announced, full-time role as Envision’s Chief Medical Officer. Both Martus and Snodgrass will be in their new roles by early September.
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About Envision Healthcare Corporation
Envision Healthcare Corporation is a leading national medical group that delivers physician and advanced practice provider services, primarily in the areas of emergency and hospitalist medicine, anesthesiology, radiology/teleradiology, and neonatology to more than 1,800 clinical departments in healthcare facilities in 45 states and the District of Columbia. Post-acute care is delivered through an array of clinical professionals and integrated technologies which, when combined, contribute to efficient and effective population health management strategies. As a market leader in ambulatory surgical care, the medical group owns and operates 257 surgery centers and one surgical hospital in 34 states and the District of Columbia, with medical specialties ranging from gastroenterology to ophthalmology and orthopedics. In total, the medical group offers a differentiated suite of clinical solutions on a national scale with a local understanding of our communities, creating value for health systems, payers, providers, and patients. For additional information, visit www.envisionhealth.com.
Envision Healthcare Enhances Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plan
Sets Goals to Promote Diversity of Medical Group by End of 2021
Commits to Publishing a DEI Report, Curriculum
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Envision Healthcare today releases an enhanced strategy to build and advance a more diverse, equitable and inclusive environment within the national medical group. After a period of reflection following the deaths of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd, among others, Envision has put forward a course of action to help the medical group more closely reflect the communities it serves.
“As a national medical group, we care for every patient regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and economic background. But we can and must do more,” said Jim Rechtin, President and CEO of Envision Healthcare. “We must continue to learn from and uplift one another. Today’s announcement acknowledges our continued commitment to providing the highest quality of care and improving life in our communities.”
In June, Rechtin signed the CEO Action Pledge, a commitment to work with and within the business community to advance diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace. Building on that pledge, Envision has identified four main pillars upon which it will create a more diverse, equitable and inclusive organization:
- Employee Recruitment, Engagement, Development and Advancement
- Developing Awareness of Diverse Groups
- Creating a Supportive Environment
- Improving Our Communities and Society
Envision has developed working groups around these pillars to advance its principles throughout the organization. The groups will have meaningful and tangible directives and outputs, including setting goals that require accountability. These efforts will be led by members of Envision’s executive team, guided by an Advisory Council and supported by a new DEI Program Director. The Advisory Council’s members will include internal and external subject matter experts in DEI, talent development, clinical practice, human resources, legal and healthcare administration. Additionally, membership will include those with a passion for improving DEI.
“Ultimately, we are aiming to make Diversity, Equity and Inclusion part of every piece of the employee life cycle. We will not simply declare victory when all the benchmarks are met,” said Adam Brown, MD, MBA, FACEP, President of Emergency Medicine and Co-Chair of the DEI Committee.
Envision has established transparent, verifiable metrics to hold itself accountable and create tangible results. These outcomes include increasing diversity on the executive team, on the board and in its talent pool. The organization is committed to maintaining a minimum of at least two women and at least two non-gender diverse board members and increasing over time. Envision also plans to establish a DEI education curriculum for all employees that includes unconscious bias training, among other critical items.
“We will be assessing our efforts constantly and making the necessary adjustments to our strategy. We will not be complacent. We will not always get it right, but when we fall short, we will learn from those experiences and use them to grow,” said Kris Sanders, FACHE, Vice President of Operations and Co-Chair of the DEI Committee.
To read Envision’s full statement on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion click here.
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About Envision Healthcare Corporation
Envision Healthcare Corporation is a leading national medical group that delivers physician and advanced practice provider services, primarily in the areas of emergency and hospitalist medicine, anesthesiology, radiology/teleradiology, and neonatology to more than 1,800 clinical departments in healthcare facilities in 45 states and the District of Columbia. Post-acute care is delivered through an array of clinical professionals and integrated technologies which, when combined, contribute to efficient and effective population health management strategies. As a market leader in ambulatory surgical care, the medical group owns and operates 257 surgery centers and one surgical hospital in 34 states and the District of Columbia, with medical specialties ranging from gastroenterology to ophthalmology and orthopedics. In total, the medical group offers a differentiated suite of clinical solutions on a national scale with a local understanding of our communities, creating value for health systems, payers, providers, and patients. For additional information, visit www.envisionhealth.com.
AMSURG Centers Excel in Patient Experience
Eight Centers Receive the Coveted Press Ganey Guardian of Excellence Award
Surgery centers across the AMSURG network work diligently to deliver an ideal experience and safe, high-quality care to our patients every day. Eight of our centers have consistently exceeded patient experience goals and were awarded the 2020 Press Ganey Guardian of Excellence Award. These surgery centers maintained exemplary patient experience ratings for the past year, ranking within the top fifth percentile of Press Ganey’s eligible clientele. Only 18 of 2,700 surgery centers received the award and AMSURG is honored to represent nearly half of the award recipients.
Guardian of Excellence Award Winners
Gastroenterology
- Endoscopy Center of Southeast, Beaumont, Texas
- Woodlands Endoscopy Center, Texas
- The Endoscopy Center, Knoxville, Tennessee
- Sun City Endoscopy Center, Arizona
Ophthalmology
- The Eye Surgery Center of Paducah, Kentucky
- EyeCare Consultants Surgery Center, Evansville, Indiana
Orthopaedic
- Surgery Center of Volusia, Port Orange, Florida
- Orthopaedic Surgery Center of Ocala, Florida
*This is the second consecutive year for Sun City Endoscopy Center to receive the prestigious award.
“Our surgery centers are an integral part of the healthcare systems in the communities they serve. We commend each of the surgery centers for their commitment to providing exceptional care and experiences for every patient,” said Chan Chuang, M.D., FCCP, FACP, AMSURG President and Envision Healthcare Chief Medical Officer. “These eight centers are shining examples of what it means to provide patient-centered care.”
The Guardian of Excellence Award recognizes healthcare organizations that score in the 95th percentile for patient experience, employee/physician engagement or clinical quality performance. Press Ganey, a leader in development and distribution of patient satisfaction surveys, partners with more than 26,000 organizations to administer the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Outpatient and Ambulatory Surgery Survey (OAS CAHPS). The survey measures the care experiences of patients who receive procedures at Medicare-certified surgery centers.
“AMSURG is very proud of the work these centers perform in service to patients every day. This year has been especially unique, presenting new challenges and working environments,” said Nina Goins, Vice President of Quality and Clinical Services, AMSURG, “The centers have not let these challenges impact the focus on keeping our patients our first priority. They are truly setting the standard.”
AMSURG is proud to recognize these centers and their employees for their ability to uphold and consistently deliver high-quality patient care.
Short Hills Surgery Center Shows Flexibility During COVID-19, Serves Community Need
As COVID-19 continues to disrupt America’s healthcare system, AMSURG’s ASC partners have displayed remarkable flexibility and ambition in augmenting the capabilities of their centers to help stabilize their communities and keep patients safe. At Short Hills Surgery Center (SHSC) in Millburn, New Jersey, strategic efforts made by administrative, physician and AMSURG leadership helped to quickly serve the community’s need while maintaining the viability of the ASC.
The response to learning of the infectious nature of COVID-19 was one of immediate action. SHSC leadership immediately canceled scheduled patients at high risk of infection, limited the center’s operating days, and took steps to prepare for overflow relief from hospitals around the community.
To minimize the possibility of cross-infection exposure to a COVID-19-positive person and risk the closure of the ASC, staff was divided into teams assigned to work on different days. Communication was sent to all members of the medical staff to advise them of the new protocols and to provide them with a status update on the center’s operations.
SHSC’s medical director reached out to medical leadership at SHSC’s health system partner, RWJ Barnabas Health, offering the center as a “relief valve” for patients within the health system requiring urgent surgery that could not be managed by their hospitals. After being welcomed by the health system, SHSC administration quickly sprang into action to identify which additional surgical cases could be handled from the hospital and to procure the resources needed to expand their scope of service.
SHSC has also implemented rigorous safety protocols to further protect the safety of staff and patients from COVID-19 exposure.
This incredible response by SHSC exemplifies the agility and thoughtfulness required across the healthcare industry to appropriately address the COVID-19 pandemic and respond to community need. While there are no one-size-fits-all solutions for an unprecedented crisis such as this, AMSURG is committed to helping our ASC partners develop and implement solutions that work to protect their patients and clinicians while ensuring the viability of their center and its essential role in the community.
To learn more about the work AMSURG is doing in collaboration with our ASC partners, visit our COVID-19 landing page.
BOSS Fills Community Need Through Center Reallocation
As the COVID-19 crisis continues to evolve, AMSURG’s centers are responding with ingenuity and are meeting the needs in their communities to support long-term population health. At Boston Out-Patient Surgical Suites (BOSS) in Waltham, Massachusetts, that meant adapting their facility to assist local hospitals in the effort to protect patients and clinicians.
Through the leadership and guidance of Center Leader Greg Deconciliis, BOSS transitioned their center to support COVID-19 relief efforts in their local community. Coordinating with local hospitals, BOSS converted their physician offices to “urgent-care” settings, whereby physicians could see patients through both telehealth and in-person visits and would be able to streamline their surgical care in the operating rooms upstairs in a COVID-19-free setting.
The center also provided outreach to the director of surgery at a local acute care hospital through BOSS’s general surgeon, offering a streamlined process to move patients from the emergency department to BOSS to offload the hospital’s workflow and resources. These strategic moves helped establish a stronger local healthcare safety net by managing the resources necessary to respond to patient needs and keep clinicians safe.
Protecting Patients and Staff
We appreciate BOSS’s thoughtful response to the COVID-19 crisis, which has helped safeguard its viability while protecting patients, clinicians and communities.
AMSURG is committed to serving our centers and communities during this unprecedented time and in preparation for its aftermath. In collaboration with our ASC partners, our Flex Operational Plan is ready to help centers reallocate resources to ensure our local communities stay safe. To learn more about AMSURG’s COVID-19 response efforts, visit our COVID-19 page.