Clinical Pathology Associates covered ways to create positive connections with path/lab centers, in order to create quality care for patients.

The relationship between ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) and laboratory / pathology centers is crucial to providing the best service to patients. Matt Thompson, CEO of Clinical Pathology Associates, met with Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society (TASCS) members to share key points on what to look for when selecting the best lab and path centers for partnership.

In a recent town hall, TASCS members collaborated to provide the best advice for growth in the ambulatory care industry.

The Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society (TASCS) has seen significant growth and success in its ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). Because of this, members recently collaborated on a checklist and template that supports ASCs as they embark on a journey of growing, expanding, and building new facilities.

This summer, TASCS is visiting ambulatory surgery centers throughout Texas. The goal is to learn even more about these facilities and, by shining an even brighter spotlight on them, to continue spreading awareness about the growing ASC industry. 

OnHand’s president explained supply chain disruptions since the pandemic and how healthcare systems can adapt in the future to help combat this problem.

When COVID-19 began to run rampant in 2020, the healthcare system struggled to handle the pandemic’s force. “I joke with people often that a couple years ago, before the pandemic, not many people thought much about supply chain, and now, it’s all anybody can think about,” said Nate Mickish, president of OnHand and vice president of Texas Health Resources. From nurses to masks, everything was in shortage, and vendors and providers alike were scrambling to offer healthcare workers everything they needed to stay safe on the job.

“We may have missed savings goals, we have not gotten all the contracts implemented that we want, but we kept people safe.” Mickish said. “That was the most important metric we could have met in 2020.”

DisinfectWell CEO and Integrated Viral Protection COO provided infection prevention steps and tools ASCs can utilize.

As the pandemic continues to fluctuate, infection prevention remains at the top of the list in the healthcare industry, and DisinfectWell CEO Rodrigo Zurita spoke to TASCS members on this topic, focusing on surgery centers.

Texas Health and Human Services explains how to meet the requirements of SB 809, so ASCs can properly report on emergency health funds procured during the pandemic.

During the 87th Texas legislative session, Senate Bill 809 passed, which requires several healthcare institutions to report emergency funds for COVID-19, as well as how much has been spent related to the public health emergency. Texas Health and Human Services’ senior financial analyst for hospital finance, Tori Ponson, and the organization’s senior financial analyst for acute care, Mohib Nawab, went over this new bill and its requirements with TASCS members.

While the pandemic has led to a nursing shortage, it also reminded people of the importance of ambulatory surgery centers.

In August, Catherine Kane, clinical specialist at Pall Corporation, spoke to TASCS members about the dangers of surgical smoke in the operating room and how to deal with this hazard in surgery centers.

“Each year, an estimated 500,000 workers, including surgeons, nurses, anesthesiologists and surgical technologists, are exposed to laser or electrosurgical smoke,” Kane said, citing OSHA.

Last month, the Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society hosted its annual conference in Fort Worth. For (10) years, TASCS has hosted this conference to educate and build connections within the healthcare community. This year, the conference faced a new challenge, with COVID and its variants, but the society made sure to provide masks, temperature-testing and other safety measures — including sponsor DisinfectWell’s disinfecting system — to create a comfortable environment for the 145 guests.

Ambulatory surgery centers have been around since 1970, and National ASC Month is celebrated each year in August. During this time, facilities can boost awareness and help inform more people about the benefits of ASCs.

In April, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission answered some questions from the Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society about survey updates, rule changes and other helpful resources for ASCs.

As it pertains to surveys, HHSC is not authorized to do any virtual surveys at this time, and in-person visits are expected to meet the established expectations for infection control. All visits for surveys are addressed on a case-by-case basis. When it comes to the top survey citation since COVID, the staff expressed that surveyors have a special focus on infection control practices throughout all CMS-certified providers.

This year, in particular, keep in mind all that those in the field of nursing do for the world.

May 6 to May 12 is National Nurses Week, a week that many of us can relate to, as we each have stories and personal experiences regarding the dedication of nurses. A nurse myself, I first obtained my LVN license at 19 through the Army. Since, I have worked in skilled rehab, general surgery, telemetry, cardiac stepdown, IMCU, trauma ICU, PACU, PREOP, extended care and the operating room, as well as as a safety officer, director of nursing (ASC), nurse administrator (ASC), ASC developer and consultant. Nursing has taken me to places and offered me the opportunity to meet and help people that I could never have imagined.

Last week, the Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society (TASCS) held its bi-annual Capitol Day virtually. The event was a success that included meetings with a focus group of ambulatory surgery center (ASC) members and various legislative offices, including a welcome kick-off from Senator Dawn Buckingham, MD herself. 

TASCS testifies at the Capitol supporting SB 1763 by Sen. Drew Springer, adding an ASC Representative to the Governor’s EMS and Trauma Advisory Council (GETAC) 

On Tuesday, April 13, 2021, Krista DuRapau, Executive Director for Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society, and Steve Blom, Administrator Texas Orthopedics Surgery Center and past TASCS Board Member, testified to the Texas Senate in support of SB 1763 by Sen. Drew Springer which adds an ASC representative to the Governor’s EMS and Trauma Advisory Council (GETAC).   HB 3605 by Rep. John Turner is the House companion. 

This World Health Day, What Are You Doing To Build A Fairer, Healthier World?
By TASCS Board Member James McClung, Chief Development Officer of Reliant Medical Services

ASC Accreditation During The COVID-19 Pandemic

The Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society provides members with information and education through bi-weekly virtual town halls. On February 11, members learned what to expect in regards to surveys for accreditation programs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Texas announces COVID-19 vaccine allocation for week of Jan. 25

The state of Texas will receive 332,750 first doses of COVID-19 vaccine from the federal government next week. The Texas Department of State Health Services has instructed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to ship those doses to 212 providers across Texas. That includes 82 hub providers that will focus on larger community vaccination efforts and 130 additional providers as Texas continues to vaccinate health care workers, residents of long-term care facilities, people 65 and older and those with medical conditions that put them at greater risk of hospitalization and death from COVID-19.

GL 20-2020-A Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Services and Reporting Requirements in Response to COVID-19 Amended

GL 20-2020-A, regarding the extension of emergency rule amendments related to ambulatory surgical center (ASC) services and reporting requirements in response to COVID-19, has been posted. Effective January 21, 2021, the emergency rule amendments are extended for 60 days and temporarily permit licensed ASCs to do the following:

• expand treatment options to include other health care services, not surgical services alone;
• allow for patient stays longer than 23 hours; and
• not report longer patient stays and hospital transfers.

Please read the letter and if you have questions, contact [email protected].

Are you asking patients if they have had the COVID-19 vaccine?

Let us know! We appreciate your participation in our membership polls. Answer this quick question below. 

https://www.texasascsociety.org/are-you-asking-patients-if-they-have-had-the-covid-19-vaccine

2021 Payment Rules Affecting Pharmacy

As we move into the new outpatient/ambulatory payment year still in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, navigating payment rules across sites of care and ensuring that pharmacy is in sync with their organization’s overall strategies are essential. Themes finalized in the rule sets are: embrace patient centricity, continue to simplify (electronic health record requirements and reporting, regulations), cut costs and save money, and not lose focus on pharmacy’s efforts to combat the opioid crisis.

2021 OPPS Effects