HST Pathways

🎙️ In this episode, we’re kicking off a three-part series on Improving Patient Collections with Sayword Hill, SVP of Revenue Cycle at Constitution Surgery Alliance LLC. Sayword shares valuable insights on mastering patient eligibility, ensuring you're not performing procedures on uninsured patients, and helping prevent claim denials. ⏰ Verify insurance eligibility at scheduling and again before service – this prevents costly surprises for both patients and centers. 📈 Proactive eligibility checks reduce write-offs from denials and have led to a 2-3x increase in monthly collections at some centers. 📱 Your software should be integrated with clearinghouses so checks can automatically be done for you. It saves staff time on both the front and back end by flagging changes in eligibility, reducing AR, and minimizing bad debt.   👨💻 Early communication with patients about out-of-pocket costs leads to fewer write-offs and decreased AR.    Listen to the full episode for even more advice from Sayword.    #TWISC #SurgeryCenters #ASC 

OR Block Utilization was one of the key benchmarks we reviewed this week during our live discussion covering the 2024 State of the Industry Report.  📊 Based on data from 590 surgery centers, we determined:  • On average, 44% of blocked OR time ends up being unused.  • Specialties with higher block time utilization, like GI and ophthalmology, tend to have lower revenue per case  • Specialties with lower block time utilization, like orthopedics and cardio, tend to have higher revenue per case ⬆️ Here’s how to increase your block time utilization:  • Make sure your physician offices and schedulers have 24/7 access to real-time OR availability  • Establish clear OR utilization goals, targeting above 70%  • Implement a 72-hour block release policy  • Send automated email reminders to physicians to release unused OR time and to schedulers to fill open slots efficiently  • Publicly acknowledge physicians with high OR utilization rates through board meetings or whiteboards to encourage continued efficiency.    Listen to the full episode for more details!  #SurgeryCenters #TWISC #ASC #Benchmarking 

Introducing HST's Client Awards Program! 🏆 We are so excited to celebrate our client's remarkable achievements and unwavering commitment to providing high-quality care. You can nominate yourself or a peer. If you're selected as a winner, here's what you can look forward to 🎁 • A beautifully crafted award to display proudly in your center • A congratulatory call from HST leadership • Widespread promotion through social media, email, and more • Acknowledgement on HST’s website • An invitation to join our weekly podcast • A press kit to help you spread the word The deadline is October 31. Winners will be announced on November 12.

🎙️ HST Pathways released our 2024 State of the Industry Report a few weeks ago. Our Senior Director of Data Science and Insights, Will Evans, and Erica Palmer, Director of Content Marketing, created this report, and together, they hosted a discussion to explore 5 emerging trends and 13 key benchmarks the report produced. Here’s a sneak peek of the five trends from 2023 to 2024: 💙 Cardiology procedures experienced a 28% decrease in OR duration and an 8% decrease in net revenue per case. While the lower net revenue per case isn't ideal, efficiency gains in the OR resulted in a 27% increase in revenue per OR minute, which is a huge win. 🦵 Ortho remains the top revenue-generating specialty, showing a 4.5% YoY increase in net revenue per case. With an aging population, rising sports injuries, and a growing demand, ortho continues to be a high-demand specialty. 💵 Claim denial rates improved significantly, dropping from 8% to 4%. This reduction leads to faster payments, less revenue tied up in AR, and allows staff to focus on higher-priority tasks. 📈 Two-OR ASCs saw the largest growth in case volume, with a 22% increase, while larger ASCs with 15 ORs saw an 8% decline. This suggests smaller ASCs are more nimble and better positioned to adapt to market demands. 💰 Meanwhile, partial payments increased as total payments declined. This trend is likely driven by high-deductible insurance plans, the rise in payment plans, and payers not reimbursing in full. Listen to the full episode for more details! #SurgeryCenters #TWISC #ASC #Benchmarking 

HST just released our highly anticipated State of the Industry Report, and we're hosting a live discussion to dive into the data! Join the report's author and data analyst as they reveal five emerging trends and 13 key benchmarks to help you gauge your center’s performance. Here's a sneak peek of what we'll cover:  ✅ Pre-Authorization Rates  ✅ Patient Deposit Collection Rate ✅ OR Block Time Utilization  ✅ On-Time Starts  ✅ YoY Net Revenue Growth and so much more! Register now to secure your spot. Even if you can't make it, register anyway - we'll still send you the recording and your free copy afterward. The link to register is in the comments.

The countdown to the HST University Summit has officially begun, and we still have a few seats left for clients who want hands-on, in-person training! 📍 Where: Chicago 🗓️ When: October 15-17 (the last day to register is 10/04!) 🧑⚕️ Who: Clients looking to advance their product knowledge around the lifecycle of a case through HST Case Coordination, HST eChart, and HST Practice Management. 💻 What to Expect: Three days packed with immersive training sessions led by HST Experts. Each day will include hands-on interactive training, instructor-led activities, resource sharing, Q&A sessions, and more. Plus, participants will also have the option to join our networking event on the evening of Wednesday, October 16th. 🥳 We hope you can join us in Chicago on October 15th - 17th for an immersive training experience! #HSTUSummit

Managing financial estimates for 100s of patients each month is hard work – especially with constant changes in coverage and insurance details. With HST Clariti, you can simplify the process! ✅ Get a comprehensive view of all your cases in one place ✅ Automate insurance checks across four clearinghouses ✅ Stay up to date with benefits refreshed right up to the day of service

ICYMI: Here's what's going on This Week in Surgery Centers.  📢 The Ambulatory Surgery Center Association has officially submitted comments in response to the CMS 2025 proposed payment rule for ASCs and HOPDs. ASCA advocated for the continued use of the hospital market basket to update ASC rates, shared its feedback on new procedures to be added to the ASC-CPL (focusing on cardiac and spine codes), and opposed the three new measures CMS is looking to add to the ASC Quality Reporting Program. The final rule comes out by 11/2. [Source: ASC Focus] 🔄 Signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom, California's new Data Exchange Framework (DxF) will ensure that every provider—whether at a doctor's office, social services agency, or emergency room—can access essential information about their patient. The hope is that this framework enables secure, real-time information and helps to overcome outdated, paper-based systems and siloed medical records. [Source: Healthcare Dive] 🤖 According to a report by Bain & Company and KLAS Research, 75% of U.S. healthcare providers and payers have increased their IT spending over the past year, with a strong focus on cybersecurity and AI. On the AI front, about 15% of providers now have an AI strategy, up from just 5% last year. Much of this investment is aimed at clinical workflow optimization, with tools to reduce administrative tasks, generate clinical note drafts, and streamline revenue cycle management. [Source: MedCity News] 👁️ Aaron James of Arkansas lost most of his face in a high-voltage accident at work. The 46-year-old received the world's first whole human eye transplant, and this week, a study revealed that while James cannot yet see through the donor eye, it has maintained normal pressure and blood flow and retained its size. Dr. Dedania, NYU Langone Health, said, "The outcomes we're seeing after this procedure are quite incredible." [Source: Positive News] Check out the full stories on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube!  #HealthcareNews #ThisWeekinSurgeryCenters #TWISC 

📣 Now Available: HST's 2024 State of the Industry Report! 📣    We live in an era where data-driven decision-making is crucial for a surgery center's long-term success. That's why we're thrilled to share this free report, packed with valuable benchmarking data from 590 ASCs across 47 states.   Download the report today to access: • 130+ KPIs • 50 Chapters • 35+ Charts • 12 Year-over-year Comparisons • 5 Emerging Trends Click the link in the first comment to give it a read. 👀

🎙 Mike Ferguson, President of Horizon Solutions, joins us to conclude our three-part series on Evaluating Ownership Options for ASCs.  As an ASC expert, Mike sheds light on one of the more complex ownership models—when physician owners, a third-party management group, and hospital partners are all involved. Does the saying 'two's company, three's a crowd' apply here, or is it possible that all three could work harmoniously together? Here are some highlights from our discussion! ✅ Ownership Dynamics: Physician, hospital, and management group partnerships offer different benefits. While physician/management group partnerships allow for greater physician control, hospital involvement can provide access to better resources but often comes with hospitals seeking majority ownership (up to 51%). ✅ Referral Patterns & Financial Impact: Physician-hospital partnerships tend to face fewer referral challenges, and the 1/3 rule must be followed closely.  ✅ Shared Decision-Making: In a multi-ownership model, decisions are made by a governing board composed of physicians, a management group representative, and a hospital representative. Operating agreements outline the rules and ensure decision power is distributed among the stakeholders. ✅ Leveraging Resources: Both hospitals and management groups bring valuable vendor contracts and expertise to reduce ASC costs, making these partnerships more resource-efficient. Listen to the full episode for more details!  #SurgeryCenters #TWISC #ASC