AMSURG Model Increases Endoscopy Center’s Anesthesia Financial Performance by 33 Percent
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Center Profile
A freestanding four room endoscopy center in Lowell, Massachusetts owned by physician partners and AMSURG. This partnership also operates an anesthesia business entity. The center performs more than 7,000 cases each year
The Challenge
Prior to partnering with AMSURG, the physician partners at an endoscopy center in Lowell, MA, also operated an anesthesia entity with less than optimal operational practices related to:
- Outsourced anesthesia provider group who left the center with a shortage of anesthesia staff, causing 7 percent unstaffed surgery days. This resulted in the cancellation of those uncovered cases, putting patient retention and the endoscopy center’s reputation at risk.
- Outdated managed care contracts and billing practices with lower than optimal reimbursement.
- Inefficient patient screening practices.
- Dissatisfied physicians and staff due to anesthesia coverage shortage, which delayed procedures and reduced clinical efficiencies
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GEETANJALI AKERKAR, M.D.
“Through AMSURG’s anesthesia expertise and guidance, we established a more efficient, streamlined and patient-friendly sedation process. The partnership has resulted in improved reimbursement, contract negotiations, coding and financial performance, as well as increased patient and physician satisfaction. All of this progress has been achieved without sacrificing our exceptional center culture, which was an aspect of our existing operation we wanted to preserve.”
Unique Solutions
AMSURG led a collaborative consultation with the physician partners, resulting in a highly functioning anesthesia entity.
This new management structure was created to hire anesthesia providers to provide 100 percent coverage of all cases.
AMSURG Managed Care Benefits
With access to AMSURG’s competitive managed care commercial contracts and strategic payer relationships, the anesthesia entity saw immediate revenue growth.
Improved Revenue Cycle Management
AMSURG Anesthesia provides expert business practices to reduce patient financial burden and supports the financial return for partners. These practices and operational controls were implemented to include:
- Compliant billing practices – coding, charge posting and claims processing
- Maximum collections from insurance and patients
Results
By collaborating with AMSURG, the ASC now attains 100 percent anesthesia coverage in all rooms and has a dedicated team of anesthesia business leaders focused on optimizing anesthesia and the endoscopy center’s performance. As a result, the business outperformed the prior year’s earnings by 33 percent, garnering positive reviews from physician partners. The new anesthesia management structure:
- Aligned endoscopy center and anesthesia goals
- Optimized financial performance
- Stabilized staffing
- Improved operational efficiencies
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