This Week in Surgery Centers

Alex Taira from ASCA breaks down the key takeaways from CMS's 2026 Proposed Payment Rule for ASCs. From reimbursement rates to the ASC Covered Procedures List and quality reporting changes, Alex shares what ASC leaders need to know from the 913-page proposal. In our news recap, we highlight an AI-JAMA partnership, payer challenges facing anesthesiologists, tips to prevent cyberattacks, and a break...

This week, ASC expert Carol Hiatt joins us to share practical tips for improving OR utilization in orthopedic surgery centers. With over 30 years in the industry, Carol dives into common causes of underutilization and how to fix them. Then in our Data & Insights segment, we spotlight dental ASCs. Drawing from 35 facilities and over 15,000 cases, we break down key metrics like block utilization...

Kevin Turner is the Sr. VP of IT & Analytics at HealthCrest Surgical Management. He has been in IT for over 30 years and has been through the software evaluation process countless times. Kevin shares with us his repeatable, proven, 8-step process that anyone can use to guide their software decisions. Whether you’re choosing your first system or replacing a legacy tool, this structured approach...

At the end of every discussion, we always ask our guests, “What is one thing our listeners can do this week to improve their surgery centers?” For today’s episode, we took the last 15 answers we received from our guests and turned them into a 20-minute highlight reel. This roundup features, in order: Scott Allen, Becky Ziegler-Otis, Tina DiMarino, Kathy Wilson, Ryan Short, Colin Park, Mayte Rechan...

Will Evans, HST’s Senior Director of Data Science and Insights, is fresh off presenting Advanced Financial Strategies at last month’s ASCA conference. I wanted to spend a few minutes with Will recapping the second half of that presentation for those who may have missed it, including four key metrics for assessing financial health, how to identify the most important metrics for your unique ASC, and...

Nyleen Flores, CEO of MedElevate, and Shannen Reyes, President of Advanced Quality Compliance, are joining us today. With decades of experience between them, Nyleen and Shannen have helped countless surgery centers streamline their credentialing processes, reducing risk and improving patient safety along the way. In this episode, we unpack common misconceptions, share tools and systems that actual...

Josh Rudd recently opened Knoxville Spine Surgery Center, his first time leading the launch of a brand-new facility. I sat down with Josh to hear what the process was really like, from the initial idea all the way to their very first procedure. Whether you're planning a new build or just curious about what it takes to open an ASC from scratch, this conversation is packed with first-hand insights y...

We’re continuing our series on Improving Profitability . Last week, Melanie Howitt shared how AI and automation can improve your ability to collect outstanding balances. This week, Kristle Young from Collective RCM joins us to discuss strategies for reducing days in AR. In our news recap, we cover key trends from the ASCA Conference, the rise of shoulder replacements, a new joint venture between C...

We’re kicking off a brand-new three-part series on Improving Profitability at Your ASC. First up: Melanie Howitt, Transition and Implementation Manager at in2itive, joins host Nick Latz to discuss how AI and automation can streamline collections and reduce outstanding balances. She also shares field-tested best practices for optimizing the back end of the revenue cycle. Then, in our Data & Ins...

HST CEO David Thawley recently joined ASCA’s podcast to discuss key ASC trends in 2024—from rising specializations and OR efficiencies to new RCM data from our State of the Industry Report. We’re excited to share that conversation here with permission from ASCA. Quick reminder: if you’re listening on Tuesday, April 29, the ASCA conference is officially underway! Come visit us at Booth #303 to say...

Today’s guest is Richard Parker, Associate Director of Life Safety & Physical Environment at ACHC—the Accreditation Commission for Health Care. We talk about what life safety includes, what surveyors are really looking for, how to document properly, and the most common deficiencies ACHC sees during surveys. Reminder: the ASCA conference is just two weeks away! If you haven’t registered yet, on...

In the final episode of our Staffing Strategies series, Maddie Traylor, President of AdvancedScope, joins us to explore the differences between locum, contract, and permanent hires. We dive into the pros and cons of each staffing model and how surgery centers can determine the best fit based on their unique needs. After the conversation with Maddie, stick around for our Data & Insights segment...

Last week, we explored how to choose the best staffing agency with Mayte Rechani. This week, we’re continuing our staffing series with Mark Henderson Leary to discuss what it takes to build a sustainable culture at your ASC. Mark shares practical strategies to help you: Define what your culture really is Identify team members who may not be the right fit Attract and retain people who align with yo...

Today is the first episode of our new three-part series on Staffing Strategies for ASCs! Over the next few episodes, we’ll discuss key staffing considerations that can help surgery centers build and maintain a strong workforce. The healthcare industry is dealing with unprecedented staffing shortages right now, so I’m hopeful that everyone will be able to walk away from this series with some new id...

Today, we’re diving into the latest insights from VMG Health’s newly released report, ASC Leader Expectations for 2025. This report is based on a survey of 137 ASC leaders—including administrators, CEOs, VPs, and clinical directors—from both independent and joint-venture centers. To break down the key takeaways, our host, Nick Latz, sat down with Colin Park, Managing Director at VMG Health. Togeth...

Ryan Short, Principal and Founding Member of Cotton Architecture and Design, joins us to break down the step-by-step design process for opening a new surgery center. In this fast-paced, 20-minute conversation, we cover everything you need to know. Whether you plan to open a facility, expand an existing one, or just want insight into the process, you'll walk away with valuable takeaways. Resources...

In the final installment of our three-part QAPI studies series, I sit down with Kathy Wilson, Executive Director of the ASC Quality Collaboration, and Kathy walks us through a real-life QAPI study on reducing case cancellations at a GI center, using her 10-step, repeatable approach that simplifies the process and delivers measurable results. Whether you're new to QAPI studies or looking for a more...

We are continuing our three-part series about QAPI studies. Last week, we heard from Becky Ziegler-Otis, who shared some fantastic insights into how you can generate new ideas. And today, I had the chance to talk with Tina DiMarino. Tina is the CEO of Custom Surgical Consultants, a Board member of the Maryland ASC Association, and an AAAHC Surveyor. So Tina will give up the inside scoop on what sp...

We’re kicking off a new three-part series on QAPI Studies! Becky Ziegler-Otis joins us this week to share practical tips for generating new study ideas. Becky is the Assistant Executive Director at the ASC Quality Collaboration, an ASC consultant, and a member of the ASCA Education Committee. Having run an ASC for many years, she knows QAPI inside and out and will show you how to find fresh ideas...

Scott Allen is the SVP of Managed Care at nimble, and he’s on today’s show to help us wrap up our Payor Contract series. We have already covered 6 Tips for Effective Management and Leveraging Data for Negotiations, and we’ll finish up the series by doing a deep dive into Chargemaster Essentials. Scott walks us through common issues, making sure your chargemaster is up to date, and how to maintain...

This week marks our 100th episode of This Week in Surgery Centers! We are beyond grateful to everyone who has tuned in and to our 80+ guests who have come on the show over the last two years. Our episodes have accumulated tens of thousands of listens, and it has been our privilege to share such important information and expert advice with the industry. Now, let’s celebrate! At the end of every dis...

Rita Reyes-Williamson is the Senior Director of Managed Care at Surgery Partners, and she joins us today for part 2 of our payor contract series to talk about Leveraging Data for Negotiations. Rita has great tips and ideas for what data you should bring to your payor negotiations, such as physician case volume data, case migration from inpatient to outpatient, how you’ll improve access to care for...

We’re starting 2025 with an exciting three-part series on Payor Contracts! In this episode, Kristin Pegram, Contracts and Compliance Manager at Mann Eye Institute shares six essential tips for effective contract management. Kristin brings invaluable firsthand experience to help you navigate contract challenges. In our news recap, we’ll cover why ASCs closed in 2024, projected headwinds and tailwin...

We had the chance to sit down with Kara Newbury, ASCA’s Chief Advocacy Officer, to discuss what ASCs can expect in 2025. CMS officially published its 2025 Final Payment Rule, so we covered Medicare reimbursement rates, changes to the ASC Covered Procedure List, updates to the ASC Quality Reporting Program, and some other topics that every ASC should be aware of. After my conversation with Kara, we...

Mel Gunawardena is the Co-founder and Managing partner at SYNERGEN Health, and he is here to share with us a few things that every RCM expert needs to know. In this episode, Mel shares essential insights every RCM expert needs to know, including best practices for ASCs, how technology is revolutionizing the process, and the key considerations for keeping RCM in-house versus outsourcing. In our new...