Detailed Schedule

Wednesday, May 13 – Pre-Meeting Workshops

(Separate registration is required for the pre-meeting workshops)

CASC Review (7:25am–5:00pm)

PLEASE NOTE: This is the only CASC Review Course that will be provided in 2015. It will not be offered at ASCA's 2015 Fall Seminar.

Interested in becoming CASC (Certified Administrator Surgery Center) certified? If you are planning to take the CASC exam, or just want a review of the key areas of ASC administration, this course is for you. Designed for those with ASC experience and knowledge, this course will provide an in–depth review of the key topics in the five content areas of the CASC exam: regulatory and legal issues, finance, delivery of patient care, quality management and human resources. Each content area will be covered by expert faculty. PLEASE NOTE: This is the only CASC Review Course that will be provided in 2015. It will not be offered at ASCA's 2015 Fall Seminar.Actual test questions will not be provided.

Debra Stinchcomb, RN, BSN, CASC

Progressive Surgical Solutions

John Goehle, MBA CPA CASC

Ambulatory Healthcare Strategies, LLC

Mary Ryan, RN, MBA, CASC

ICD-10 For Administrators (8:00am–12:00pm)

Learn what you need to know to take a proactive approach to ICD-10 implementation in your ASC now rather than a costly defensive stand later. Consider staff and physician education (clinical/business), budgets and contingency planning critical to ensuring the continued success of your ASC under the new ICD-10 system. Discuss these key areas and others that many ASC facilities have not considered, including necessary changes in facility work flow processes (form/template/documentation reviews), vendor readiness/questions to ask and productivity and accuracy rate expectations.

Cristina Bentin, CCS-P, CPC-H, CMA

Coding Compliance Management, LLC

Preparing for AAAHC Accreditation (8:00am–12:00pm)

Led by experienced surveyors from the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC), this session will help you understand the accreditation process and prepare to meet the most common accreditation challenges. Two experienced ASC surveyors will provide a review of AAAHC's standards, with a focus on recent revisions and compliance tips. Designed for ASCs undergoing accreditation for the first time as well as those preparing for re-accreditation.

Ray Grundman, MSN, MPA, FNP-BC, CASC

Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care

Jo Vinson, RN, BA, CASC

Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care

Preparing for Joint Commission Accreditation (8:00am–12:00pm)

Review the process for successfully completing a Joint Commission accreditation survey, including preparing for the survey, participating in on-site survey activities and following up after the on-site survey visit. Examine the challenges that can occur as well as suggestions for helping the process to proceed smoothly. A question and answer segment will focus on participants concerns about issues or questions that can arise during the Joint Commission accreditation process.

Susan Herrold, BSN, MN FNP-BC

The Joint Commission

Pam Roark

The Joint Commission

A CMS/Life Safety Code® Survival Guide (1:00pm–4:30pm)

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) mandate for compliance with any particular edition of the National Fire Protection Association’s Life Safety Code (NFPA 101) is no simple thing, and as if published code requirements aren’t elusive enough, CMS mixes it up with its own requirements for adoption. This session explores fundamental CMS requirements for an ASC’s physical (built) environment, from CMS facility-related mandates to the design, construction, and operational requirements of the adopted “Life Safety Code set.” CMS & NFPA requirements for ASCs and little known operational requirements that can quickly turn a survey into a nightmare will be highlighted. New Life Safety Code code sets will be discussed.

Bill Lindeman, AIA

WEL Designs PLC

Sterilization: Standards and Recommended Practices (1:00pm–4:30pm)

"Innovation and research continue to redefine sterilization standards and recommended practices, and surveying agencies are intensifying their oversight of these processes in the ASC setting. Investigate the most recent updates to the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) sterilization standards affecting ASCs, including two due out in 2015:

the first standard specifically developed for flexible endoscope reprocessing, Standard 91 Flexible endoscope reprocessing in health care delivery organizations; and

• the first standard specifically developed for flexible endoscope reprocessing, Standard 91 Flexible endoscope reprocessing in health care delivery organizations; and

• the first guidance document that addresses loaner instrumentation, Technical Information Report (TIR) 63 Management of loaned critical and semi-critical medical devices that require sterilization or high-level disinfection.

Highlights of other AAMI documents that impact the processing of medical devices will also be provided."

Sue Klacik, BS, CRCST, ACE, CIS, FCS

Klacik Consulting

GENERAL SESSION (5:00pm–6:30pm)

Meet ASCA’s volunteer leaders and find out more about new programs and services ASCA is offering and our plans for the year ahead.

WELCOME RECEPTION (6:30pm–8:00pm)
Sponsored by United Surgical Partners International

Kick off the conference by attending this year’s Welcome Reception inside the ASC industry’s largest Exhibit Hall of the year. Enjoy cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, reconnect with old friends and get to know other ASC professionals. Familiarize yourself with the Exhibit Hall and start your Exhibit Hall Passport to enter ASCA’s grand prize give-a-way. With food and drink that showcases the best of Orlando’s world-renowned cuisine, this reception will help open ASCA 2015 with a splash. Be sure to attend!

Thursday, May 14

GENERAL SESSION: ASCs in 2015 (8:00am–10:00am)

Terry Bohlke, CASC, CPA

National Surgical Healthcare

Rebecca Craig, RN, MBA, CNOR, CASC, CPC-H

Harmony Surgery Center, LLC

Judy Harless, MBA, CASC

SMI Surgery Center

Larry Taylor, ATC

Practice Partners in Healthcare, Inc

GENERAL SESSION: The Four Foundation of Greatness at Work: How Happiness and Excellence Go Together (8:00am–10:00am)

What makes for great teams and great work? Philosopher Tom Morris has the answer. In a high energy and fun filled session, he'll share with us the wisdom of the ages about how an understanding of happiness lays the foundations for greatness in whatever we do. This talk can not only bring you a new spirit at work, but revolutionize all your relationships. Come, laugh, think, and go away with ideas you can use!.

Tom Morris, Ph.D.

50 Ways to Improve Productivity in Your ASC (11:00am–12:00pm)

Explore the best of 50 different ideas proven to reduce labor costs while improving productivity and innovative techniques for developing site-specific improvement plans that really work. A toolbox that contains an overview of each idea, checklists and sample reports that track, trend and graphically depict performance around key productivity metrics will be provided. This presentation is based on research and demonstration projects conducted at more than 21 surgery centers and surgical hospitals in 2014.

Terry Bohlke, CASC, CPA

National Surgical Healthcare

Donna Giles, RN

National Surgical Healthcare

Current Guidelines and Standards for Moderate vs. Deep Sedation, Training/Pitfalls and Controversies (11:00am–12:00pm)

Administering moderate and deep sedation to patients undergoing procedures outside the operating room should be handled with vigilance and attention to safety and quality. Review the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) guidelines and standards for moderate and deep sedation and the ASA guidance for directors of anesthesia service for computer-assisted personalized sedation (CAPS) devices. The lecture will also highlight the competencies and education needed to administer deep sedation and discuss some potentially controversial aspects, including the use of Sedasys and other computer-assisted, personalized sedation devices.

Rebecca Twersky, MD, MPH

SUNY Downstate, UniversityPhysicians of Brookyn, Department of Anesthesiology

Electronic Health Records; More Than Just a Documentation Tool (11:00am–12:00pm)

Get real-world insights into

•the state of the union for electronic health records (EHR) in the ASC industry;

•the future of patient care coordination and its impact on the ASC industry;

•the factors to consider when deciding if the time to implement EHR technology in your ASC has arrived; and

•questions to consider when choosing an EHR vendor for your ASC.

Mary Hibdon

Cerner Corporation

Intake and Investigation: Effectively Handling Employee Complaints (11:00am–12:00pm)

Take advantage of this opportunity to hear an experienced employment lawyer discuss tips and best practices for effectively handling and investigating employee complaints to reduce risk while maximizing employee satisfaction. Examine actual employee lawsuits to gain perspective on the many ways that an employer’s pre-suit personnel actions affect subsequent litigation. Focus on the fundamental steps every employer should be following from complaint to conclusion.

Jason Ross, JD

Higgs, Fletcher & Mack

Medicare Quality Reporting Update for ASCs (11:00am–12:00pm)

Find out what you need to know to stay on top of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services quality reporting requirements in 2015 to avoid payment penalties down the line. Learn what quality measures you need to report, definitions you need to apply and how-to tips that will help you comply. Get the most up-to-date information on this program and answers to your questions and others’ about all of the details involved.

Gina Throneberry, RN, MBA, CASC, CNOR

ASCA

Donna Slosburg, RN, BSN, LHRM, CASC

ASC Quality Collaboration

Using AORN Guidelines to Avoid Adverse Patient Events (11:00am–12:00pm)

Examine actual intraoperative adverse patient events and how to put Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) guidelines to work to avoid similar scenarios in your ASC. Look at a case involving a patient undergoing a knee arthroscopy; one involving a patient undergoing elective cosmetic surgery; and one involving an outcome affected by hand-off communication. The AORN guidelines provide evidence-based guidance that registered nurses can follow to provide safe patient care in the perioperative setting. This presentation will focus on how each event that occurred could have been avoided had the AORN guidelines been followed and events that occurred despite application of the AORN guidelines. Each discussion will focus on the evidence that supports the recommended guidelines.

Jan Davidson, MSN, RN, CNOR, CASC

Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN)

Clinical Benchmarking (2:00pm–3:00pm)

Get the hands-on advice you need to take your ASC's clinical benchmarking program from a binder filled with pivot tables and graphs to a foundation of performance that drives clinical outcomes and operational efficiencies that give your ASC a competitive edge in your local market. Learn what to measure, when to measure it and how to measure performance indicators that will help you build a successful benchmarking program that you can use to differentiate your ASC from its competition and support sustainable performance improvements that provide longterm benefits to your patients and your ASC.

Michelle George, RN MS CASC

Surgical Care Affiliates

Compounded Medicines—New Laws, New Responsibilities, New Questions (2:00pm–3:00pm)

In 2012, a Massachusetts compounding pharmacy distributed 17,000 doses of a sterile injectable drug. Some of those vials were contaminated, and more than 65 people died. Another 745 were infected. Neither the state regulatory board nor the Food and Drug Administration, which had both inspected the facility and found significant deficiencies, took action or responsiblility. A year later, to clarify federal oversight and authority, Congress passed the Drug Quality Security Act. This law applies not just to pharmacists, but to all physicians and prescribers. Get an overview of the new law, its impact on practice and what ASCs need to know now to establish a responsible relationship with a compounding pharmacy.

David Miller, RPh

International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists

Electronic Health Record Panel (2:00pm–3:00pm)

Digital technology is transforming health care, and Electronic Health Record (EHR) technology is being adopted by unprecedented numbers of physicians and health systems. As EHRs become more prevalent and the ability to share information between systems becomes more seamless, the need to participate in the exchange of clinical information will create new value for the EHR investment. Panel members will discuss the value of an EHR in an ASC, lessons learned during implementation, sustainability, what you should know about the unique requirements for EHRs in ASCs and what you can be doing to help prepare your ASC.

Cindy Klein, PMP, CPHIMS

United Surgical Partners International

Scott Luba, MBA, MPH, CASC

Outpatient Surgery Center of Hilton Head

Proper Credentialing and Privileging as a Risk Management Process (2:00pm–3:00pm)

The credentialing and privileging process can never be a "wink and a nod." Properly done, it is the first step in your ASC's risk management program and lays the groundwork for an emphasis on patient safety and quality of care. Discover essential techniques for making this process work and taking full advantage all of the benefits it offers in your ASC.

Frank Chapman, MBA

Ohio Gastroenterology Group

Susan Herrold, BSN, MN FNP-BC

The Joint Commission

Strategic Planning for your ASC: Part 2 (2:00pm–3:00pm)

This session will focus on participants creating a strategic plan for their ASC which can be used in leading their ASC in the rapidly changing healthcare environment. The format will be mission, values objectives and strategies. Participants will be working individually and in small groups to design their plan. There will also be reporting to those in attendance on what they have designed for their strategic plan to encourage group discussion. At the conclusion of the one hour session attendees should have completed the basic elements of their strategic plan.

Colin Rorrie, PhD, FASAE

CCR & Associates

Matt Pate, BBA

United Surgical Partners

Where Do You Stand within the Alphabet Soup? ACA, ACO, ASC, IPA; Health Reform Who Will Survive? (2:00pm–3:00pm)

As healthcare reform continues to shape the market, it is imperative that ASCs evolve as well. ASCs ownership and administration first must understand where they fit in this new landscape and ultimately how to survive. Continuing to provide high quality, low cost care is simply not enough. We must stand together as we educate everyone from our representatives to patients alike in an effort to show the true value of ASCs. Join us as we discuss the "Alphabet Soup" and provide strategies that any center can adapt to their market and continue to not only grow but also thrive.

Mike Guarino

North Shore Surgi-Center

Best Practices in Vendor Credentialing/Vendor Access (3:15pm–4:15pm)

This session will provide an update on Vendor Credentialing/Access requirements and discuss best practices for meeting the common goals of patient safety and confidentiality. In the interactive presentation, we will discuss how ASCA could leverage existing models and best practices for a more efficient and effective method of meeting these requirements and ensuring compliance.

Gina Throneberry, RN, MBA, CASC, CNOR

Ambulatory Surgery Center Association

Rhett Suhre

Abbott

Disruptive Behavior: How to Handle It (3:15pm–4:15pm)

Find out what happens to your patients, staff and physicians when they experience violence or abuse in their work environment. Get the real-world tools and advice you need to manage disruptive behavior in your ASC and provide a more secure workplace for all.

Beverly Ann Kirchner, BSN RN CNOR CASC

Genesee Associates, Inc

Emerging Trends in Post Op Care after Total Joint Procedures (3:15pm–4:15pm)

Look at how a center can function performing procedures that may require 24+-hour recovery care, how one state association is currently fighting for the right for 72-hour convalescent care centers, and how state-based policy stakeholders see the future of the ASC care model and its ability to generate savings in the health care marketplace.

Rebecca Craig, RN, MBA, CNOR, CASC, CPC-H

Harmony Surgery Center, LLC

Randall Gross, MHA

Massachusetts Avenue Surgery Center, LLC

Michael Patterson, FACHE

Mississippi Valley Health

Financial Benchmarking (3:15pm–4:15pm)

Gain new insight into the development of balance sheet revenue and expense cycle benchmarks that you can use to compare your ASC's financial performance measures to other publicly available data. Get a guideline that will help you make the most essential comparisons. Designed for individuals with limited exposure to the concepts and processes of basic financial benchmarking, this session is open to all ASC staff involved in the finances of their ASC.

John Goehle, MBA CPA CASC

Ambulatory Healthcare Strategies, LLC

Front Office Management (3:15PM–4:15PM)

Get practical, best-practice advice that can help you ensure effective and efficient revenue cycle operations at your ASC. Learn the steps of a successful revenue cycle audit and share in benchmarking data that will allow you to compare your own practices against national standards. Get tips for improving your billing and coding procedures to ensure compliance and minimize delays and denials.

Lisa Rock

National Medical Billing Services

Infection Control: Confronting New and Existing Challenges during Surveys and Daily Practice (3:15pm–4:15pm)

Learn about new Medicare infection prevention compliance requirements, including Medicare's process of care measure ASC-8 (Influenza Vaccination Coverage among Healthcare Personnel), and the likelihood of a federally mandated antibiotic stewardship program. Find out which infection prevention and control issues surveyors are citing most frequently today as more focus is being placed on specific infection control plans; the risk assessment with goals, strategies and follow-up; the competence of the infection prevention designee and reprocessing technician; and surveillance for surgical site infections. Come away with strategies to effectively address these challenges, as well as an awareness of what the US Department of Health and Human Services task force eliminating Healthcare-Associated Infections is focused on with respect to ASCs.

Phenelle Segal, RN CIC

Infection Control Consulting Services, LLC

Communication in the ASC (4:30pm–5:30pm)

The number one cause of medical mistakes is a breakdown in communication between health care providers. Examine techniques for improving communication in your ASC, not only between health care providers but also with patients and family members, that can help you ensure top quality care. Get best practices and easy-to-implement ideas that support meaningful improvements and sustained success. Strong communication will improve the quality of care you provide to your patents, increase patient satisfaction and enhanced team work at your ASC.

Ann Shimek, MSN, BSN, RN, CASC

USPI

Deemed Status and CMS Surveys - Always Be Prepared (4:30pm–5:30pm)

The Centers for Medicare Medicaid Services (CMS) surveys are tougher than ever before, and ASCs have to be properly prepared to avoid common survey issues and manage difficult outcomes from these surveys when they occur. Identify some of the most common and significant issues that CMS surveyors cite and strategies and resources you can use to avoid them. Learn how to properly address challenging survey citations in a plan of correction.

John Goehle, MBA CPA CASC

Ambulatory Healthcare Strategies, LLC

Development and Implementation of a Meaningful QAPI Program in the ASC (4:30PM–5:30PM)

Improve your Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) Program by focusing first on the goals and objectives of your program and, then, on the key indicators you need to produce and analyze. Consider the ways you can use the reports you already generate from benchmarking , tracking and trending of performance indicators, facility and equipment records, infection control and complications tracking and monitoring of medical record documentation. Discuss the coordination of peer review and risk management activities within your QAPI Program. Actual case studies and a methodology for an annual review and evaluation of your QAPI Program will be provided.

Jan Allison, RN, CHSP

Surgical Care Affiliates

Infection Control: The Role of the Anesthesia Team (4:30pm–5:30pm)

As infection control continues to be an important hot button issue for all health care providers and the US health care system continues to evolve, anesthesia teams have started to take on many new responsibilities. It is important for the anesthesia team not only to be at the forefront of operational concerns like safe injection practices, but also to understand the broader approach to improving patient care and lessening everyone's exposure to potentially hazardous situations. Clinical case studies will be provided during this discussion of the critical role that anesthesia providers play in infection prevention in your ASC.

Stan Plavin, MD

Technical Anesthesia Strategies and Solutions

Working Effectively with a GPO (4:30pm–5:30pm)

Discuss the services typically offered by a Group Purchasing Organization (GPO), focusing on those specific to ASCs. Consider everything from basic cost savings to advanced revenue producing solutions. This session is ideal for newer administrators who are unfamiliar with GPOs.

Rand Ballard

MedAssets

Barton Schmitz, BSN

Amerinet

Alan Whorton, FACHE

Provista

NETWORKING RECEPTION (5:30pm–6:30pm)
Sponsored by United Surgical Partners International

Relax after a full day of educational sessions with a sampling of finger foods and light snacks. Visit with vendors and colleagues, explore the innovations on display and learn about products and services that can improve your ASC. Door prizes will be awarded during the evening!

Friday, May 15

ASCA 5K FUN RUN/WALK (6:30am–7:30am)
Sponsored by SourceMedical

A Healthy Way To Start the Day

ASCA's 5k is a race for all ages and fitness levels! Regular runners and first-timers alike are welcome to join us for the 5k Fun Run/Walk. Whether you’re trying to beat your personal best or walking with friends and co-workers, this is a great way burn some extra calories during the Annual Meeting. This event is a fun opportunity to soak in the beautiful landscape of the Marriott World Center – and a terrific way to get your body moving and energized for the rest of the day.

Utilize the ASCA 2015 pedometer to track your fitness over the course of the meeting. The 5K Fun Run/Walk gives you the chance to boost your overall distance; on average, a runner logs about 6,200 steps during a 5K. Staying hydrated is easy with water refilling stations along the route. Don’t forget your reusable water bottle! All race participants will also receive an ASCA 5K Fun Run/Walk T-shirt!

GENERAL SESSION (8:00am–10:00am)

Medicare’s Golden Anniversary: The Program’s Evolution Over the Past 50 years and What to Expect During the Next Five

Kara Newbury, JD

Ambulatory Surgery Center Association

Debra Stinchcomb, RN, BSN, CASC

Progressive Surgical Solutions

Eric Zimmerman, JD

McDermott + Consulting

Attitude is Everything – Keynote Presentation

Vickie Hitzges

Achieving an Effective Competency Program (11:00am–12:00pm)

Advances in pain control and technology mean that more complicated procedures and patients with more complex medical conditions are having surgery in ASCs every day. In response, the role of clinicians has advanced substantially and requires increasingly sophisticated knowledge and skills. Maintaining effective competency training and assessment in a timely and effective manner is more important than ever. Examine the different types of competencies required in the ASC setting and their impact on patient safety. Tips to make competency training more fun and meaningful will be provided.

Jan Allison, RN, CHSP

Surgical Care Affiliates

ASC Administrators' Must-Know Info: 201 (11:00am–12:00pm)

ASC administrators need extensive knowledge of both financial and clinical processes and standards. Focus on critical operational areas and get detailed information and resources that an administrator can use every day. This course builds on the information provided in last year's "What Every New ASC Administrator Needs to Know".

Ann Geier, MS, RN, CNOR, CASC

SourceMedical

ASCA’s Federal Legislative and Regulatory Update (11:00am–12:00pm)

Get an overview of ASCA's legislative and regulatory agenda for 2015 and recent regulatory changes that will affect operations in your ASC. Learn about opportunities for you to participate in ASC advocacy efforts in Washington, DC, your state and your hometown.

Kara Newbury, JD

Ambulatory Surgery Center Association

Steve Miller, CAE

Ambulatory Surgery Center Association

HIPAA in Plain English (11:00am–12:00pm)

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule affects how ASCs use and disclose health information each day. Noncompliance can have significant consequences, including patient complaints, government audits, monetary sanctions and even attorney general actions. Learn the practical side of HIPAA, in plain English, including suggested tips and best practices. Review high priority concerns involving HIPAA authorizations, court orders, search warrants, state-law privileged information, business associate agreements and social media.

Angie Burnette, JD

Alston & Bird LLP

Pharmacy Medication Management (11:00am–12:00pm)

Medication management is a dynamic and important aspect of every ASC. Absent an actual on-site pharmacy in their facilities, ASC staff and administrators need to be aware of the standards and regulations that frame medication management and best practices for providing a safe and effective medication delivery process that ensures patient and staff safety. Participants will review issues that present the greatest medication management challenges in the ASC setting, learn how to structure policies and programs that lead to survey success and discuss up and coming topics in this area.

Michael Oneal, DPh, MBA

Pharmacist Consultant

Social Media from a Legal Standpoint (11:00am–12:00pm)

This presentation will examine the ins and outs of the current law governing social media and the workplace. It will include topics such as when and to what extent a employer can monitor employees' social media accounts; when an employer can limit its employees' social media use and internet postings; and whether an employer may discipline employees who post negative comments about their employer.

Jessica Hill, JD

Frost Brown Todd

CELEBRATION LUNCHEON (12:00pm–2:00pm)
Sponsored by Surgical Care Affiliates

Take a short break from the intensive educational program and enjoy a leisurely sit-down lunch with your colleagues while you help celebrate recent successes in the ASC industry. Along with the networking opportunities you will find at this event, be prepared to be entertained when our featured speaker takes the stage. Invite your friends, colleagues and family members to join in. This part of ASCA’s annual meeting offers something that everyone can enjoy.

Maximizing Surgical Efficiency in the Ophthalmic OR (2:00pm–3:00pm)

In this era of uncertain future reimbursements and ever-increasing governmental regulations, it is more imperative than ever that ophthalmic surgical departments run in the most efficient and effective manner possible. Consider this whole system approach that results in the highest degree of efficiency defined as: maintaining or developing the highest quality and taking the shortest amount of time without accepting unnecessary risks. During the preoperative through postoperative continuum, good habits will be highlighted with a goal of consistency and excellence in outcomes. Using cataract surgery as a template, the ability to safely and effectively perform cases an hour in only one OR will be demonstrated.

Larry Patterson, MD

Eye Centers of Tennessee

Total Joint Replacements in an Ambulatory Surgery Center (2:00pm–3:00pm)

Take a macro- and micro-level look at outpatient unicompartmental and total knee arthroplasty in the ASC setting.

Matthew Ohl, MD

Mallard Creek Surgical Center Orth Carolina

The Feasibility, Safety and Effectiveness of Minimally Invasive Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusions Performed in an Outpatient Setting (2:00pm–3:00pm)

While numerous studies demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of reducing pain and disability levels among patients who undergo minimally invasive spinal fusions, no formal studies conducted to date report on the safety and effectiveness of minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusions (TLIF) performed as outpatient procedures. This pilot study evaluated the feasibility of performing a minimally invasive single-level TLIF in an outpatient setting. It indicates that as the result of new techniques that allow for significant reductions in levels of pain and disability, low blood loss and low rates of complications, it is feasible to perform a TLIF safely in the outpatient setting today.

Michael Perry, MD

Laser Spine Institute

Updates on GI Endoscopy (2:00pm–3:00pm)

Gastroenterology is changing at a rapid pace. Current providers of GI care have to keep up with technological as well as medical advances. The presentation will review salient points regarding such issues.

Samuel Giday, MD

Center for Digestive Health

Urology (2:00pm–3:00pm)

Explore the urologic lines of service that can be established in an ASC, including basic and advanced procedures such as prosthetics, ureteroscopy, various fluoroscopy guided cases, pelvic slings, InterStim therapy, microsurgery, laser therapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and stones, various endoscopic therapies for BPH and bladder tumors and extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy. Clinical, financial and regulatory concerns will be addressed.

Brad Lerner, MD, FACS, CASC

Chesapeake Urology Associates

EPA and DEA Drug Disposal Update (3:15pm–4:15pm)

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state environmental authorities continue to dig deeper into the health care community to ensure compliance with federal and state hazardous waste regulations under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. In addition, on September 9, 2014, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) published its Final Rule for Disposal of Controlled Substances. This session will examine the policies and procedures your ASC needs to have in place to be in compliance with both the EPA and DEA requirements.

Charlotte Smith, BS, MS, R Ph

GreatWorks LLC

Implementing an Effective and Meaningful Peer Review Program (3:15pm–4:15pm)

Peer Review is an integral and critically important component of an ASC’s clinical activities related to patient safety and quality of care. It is also a risk/liability management process that protects your ASC’s individual physicians, entire medical staff, facility and Governing Board, which is, ultimately, accountable and responsible for all of the operations in your ASC. This session, presented by a former Medicare surveyor, will focus on the components needed to build and implement an effective and meaningful peer review program. Special attention will be paid to compliance with accreditation and Medicare certification requirements. Examples of process failures that have led to regulatory and accreditation deficiencies for others will be presented.

Bruce Ettinger, MD, MPH

Ettinger Health Services Consulting

Nursing Documentation (3:15pm–4:15pm)

Basic nursing documentation techniques are easily ignored or forgotten. This session will help you ensure that your documentation meets requirements, accurately reflects the patient care you provide and protects your ASC, and its staff and physicians, from preventable risks.

Debra Stinchcomb, RN, BSN, CASC

Progressive Surgical Solutions

Reimbursement Issues for Ortho, Eye, GI, Spine, Urology, ENT (3:15pm–4:15pm)

Take a careful look at the Medicare guidelines for the coding and billing of common procedures in the surgical specialties of orthopedics, ophthalmology, GI, spine surgery, urology and ENT, including the correct use of modifiers. Coding mistakes for these high-dollar specialties can cost your facility thousands of dollars in lost reimbursement every year and expose your facility to avoidable compliance problems. Make sure that your ASC gets reimbursed properly for the care it provides while staying clear of compliance pitfalls when billing these specialties.

Stephanie Ellis, RN, CPC

Ellis Medical Consulting, Inc.

Risk Management Assessment (3:15pm–4:15pm)

A comprehensive risk management programs key elements include process, prevention and planning. Learn practical and proven techniques for recognizing gaps in risk reduction, actively evaluating potential problems and engaging your team in safety and quality improvement from this licensed health care risk manager and certified health care quality manager with more than 20 years of ASC management experience.

Sandra Jones, MBA, CASC, LHRM, CHCQM, FHFMA

Ambulatory Strategies Inc.

Valuation of your ASC (3:15pm–4:15pm)

Presenters Aaron Murski and Chance Sherer, CVA, of VMG Health, will highlight the key factors they consider when determining the value of an ASC. They will discuss the current dynamics of the ASC industry, including its greatest challenges and expectations in the future. Also, they will present the recent ASC acquisition history, trends they are witnessing, who they consider to be the major buyers in the ASC market and the motivations driving ASC acquisitions. Finally, Murski and Sherer will closely examine critical aspects of an ASC valuation, including the purpose for ASC valuations, the qualities of ASCs that drive its value and changes in the valuation process depending on if the acquisition is for a minority or controlling interest.

Aaron Murski

VMG Heatlh

Chance Sherer, CVA

VMG Heatlh

Informed Consent in the ASC Setting (4:30pm–5:30pm)

Explore the nature of informed consent, the legal elements and possible defenses in an informed consent lawsuit and how informed consent is best gathered and documented in the ASC setting. Discuss the differences between informed consent in ASCs and hospitals, risks inherent in the ASC setting and the differing roles of staff and surgeons.

Kenneth C. Bartholomew, JD

Rath, Young and Pignatelli, P.C.

Patient Selection in the ASC (4:30pm–5:30pm)

Enhance you understanding of the concepts and processes behind ASC patient selection, triage in the ASC setting, best practices for designing and implementing triage in the ASC setting and managing the controversies that surround triage in ASCs.

Meena Desai, MD

Nova Anesthesia Professionals

Steven Butz, MD

Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Surgicenter

Payer Strategies and Contract Reimbursement (4:30pm–5:30pm)

Insights into payer contracting strategies and maximizing reimbursement.

Angie Worley

West Plains Surgery Center

Peer Review from a Legal Standpoint (4:30pm–5:30pm)

Peer review is as important to the ambulatory surgery center setting as to the general acute care hospital. The size, sophistication, and organizational structure of the surgery center should guide the choice of peer review policies and procedures.Peer review can be conducted in a manner that not only makes sense to physicians and ASC leaders but also to regulatory agencies, accreditation programs, and the courts.With proper thought, peer review programs and procedures can be designed that take advantage of the flexibility allowed by outside observers as well as that achieve their purposes, and that strike the right balance between rigorous, patient-care oriented review and appropriate respect for collegiality and fairness.

Judy Semo, JD

Judith Jurin Semo, PLLC

Supplies Optimization—Making Fewer Resources Work Harder for You (4:30pm–5:30pm)

Supplies typically represent approximately 30% of an ASC's expenses and often offer the largest opportunity for cost reduction at a facility. Focus on some of the levers you can use to optimize supply costs in your ASC. Briefly review some basic best practices, such as supplier contracting and product simplification (improving discounts by reducing suppliers and items); then, explore more advanced cost control methods, such as case cost analytics and perpetual inventory. Leave this session with at least one or two improvement ideas that you can implement at your facility immediately.

Chris Klassen

Surgical Care Affiliates

Using Accurately Documented Minutes for Your QA Committee and Governing Board to Ensure Regulatory Compliance (4:30pm–5:30pm)

Ongoing compliance with Medicare's Conditions for Coverage and the standards established by the various ASC accrediting bodies requires accurate and comprehensive documentation of the activities of your ASC's committees and governing board. This session will outline the sections of the Conditions for Coverage that apply to your ASC's committees and governing board; provide tools and methods to assist in making your committee and governing board meetings more effective, efficient and productive; and help you ensure that your committee and governing board minutes are written in ways that ensure compliance.

Arthur Casey, CASC

Outpatient Healthcare Strategies

SOCIAL EVENT (6:00pm–9:00pm)

Buses start leaving hotel at 5:40pm

Florida is known for its Latin influence, and while Miami may have Little Havana, Orlando has Cuba Libre! Come join your ASCA 2015 colleagues at one of Orlando’s favorite night spots: the Cuba Libre Rum Bar. Pass through the doors and leave Orlando behind as you enter Havana, circa the 1950s. Come for a night of Latin flavor from the re-creation of an Old Havana street while enjoying contemporary Cuban cuisine, salsa dancing and, of course, the drink made legendary by Ernest Hemingway but made best by Cuba Libre: the mojito.

Spend your evening on one of two floors, either by dancing the night away on the first floor with Cuba Libre’s DJ or relaxing on the second floor as a solo guitarist serenades you. Buses will leave the hotel starting at 5:40 pm and begin returning around 8:00 pm, with the last bus leaving at 9:00 pm. Join this evening of dancing, dining and Cuban culture for an unforgettable networking opportunity that only ASCA and Orlando can provide.

Saturday, May 16

Life Safety Standards—Methods for Compliance (8:30am–9:30am)

Explore the current and proposed requirements for Life Safety Surveys based on Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) requirements. Learn about CMS categorical waivers as these pertain to ASCs and how to take advantage of these waivers in your jurisdiction. Examine what is required, how to meet the requirements and how to maintain compliance over time.

Bill Phillips, BS, MS, PhD, CGC, CIAQP, CDT, FMA

RITEway Building Services

Making Your ASC Safer—Responding to Serious Adverse Events (8:30am–9:30am)

Estimates indicate that more than two million health care-acquired conditions are responsible for 90,000 deaths and add $5.7 billion to health care costs in the US each year. Sentinel events, or Serious Reportable Events (SREs), are serious, largely preventable and harmful clinical events that signal the need for immediate investigation and response. Root cause analysis (RCA) is a structured method used to analyze these events. Get an overview of the methodology used to detect adverse events and a process for investigating causes leading to these event that can help you ensure that you are providing safe patient care.

Polly K. Campion, MS, RN

Healthcare Quality Consultant

Laurie B Heels, RN, MSN

Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center

Take Patient Experience to the Next Level (8:30am–9:30am)

Get the tools you need to move your ASC's patient satisfaction scores from good to great. A description and plan for the patient experience will be presented, starting with the surgeon’s office visit and surgical center scheduling and extending through post-discharge. Tools provided will include:

• Scheduling packets

• Scripts to use with patients, families and surgeons

• Visual posters in the waiting room, preop and PACU

• Take-aways for patients

Margaret Adams, BSN, CASC

Riddle Surgical Center

Emergency Preparedness in the ASC (9:45am–10:45am)

What kinds of emergencies and disasters does your ASC need to prepare for? If you need to respond, what sort of action plan should you have in place and who else in your community should be involved? Is your ASC performing all of the drills required? Will your program meet your surveyors' requirements? Join this audience participation session to get answers to all of those questions and more as we run through different disaster scenarios that could affect your ASC and discuss the many ways that your ASC can respond.

Laurie Roderiques, RN, CASC, LNC

Healthcare Consulting Specialists

OSHA- Recommended Practices for the OR and Decontamination Area (9:45am–10:45am)

What do Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and fire safety officials look for when they visit your ASC? Find out during this discussion of the hazards and recommended practices associated with operating room and decontamination practices. Information will include what the various authority having jurisdiction (AHJ's) are looking for in regards to OR fire safety with an emphasis on strategies and prevention.

Tom Salamone, BS

Telgian

Wrong Site Surgery/Use of the Safe Surgery Checklist in the ASC (9:45am–10:45am)

Effective and meaningful use of a safe surgery checklist goes well beyond checking boxes. Attend this session to find important ways to make this simple tool a critical part of your patient safety program as you focus on:

• Developing a team–oriented checklist;

• Developing a culture of safety;

• Engaging the surgical team;

• Empowering patients and family;

• Implementing and coaching the checklist; and

• Sustaining the gains.

Shane Ricks, BSN Masters in Health Science

Millennium Surgery Center

How to Protect Your ASC from Legal Trouble (11:00am–12:00pm)

Learn how to Identify, evaluate and respond to scenarios that frequently expose ASCs to liability risk. This session will include real-world examples and practical solutions (based on the misfortune of others) that minimize your risk.

William Miller, Esq

Higgs, Fletcher & Mack LLP

Implementing an In-House RN New Graduate Program (11:00am–12:00pm)

In response to challenges staffing five ASCs (28 operating and procedure rooms) in the San Francisco Bay Area with consistent, competent registered nurses, E3 Healthcare Management designed a cost-effective new grad RN training program that has been in place since 2011. The program has graduated 15 RNs, and 90 percent still work for the company today. The training program begins with a unique introductory phase where the nurses are employed in administrative support positions lasting from a few weeks to a year followed by a 3- to 6-month clinical phase during which the nurses rotate throughout the company's centers. A didactic portion of the training prepares the trainees to pass the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses and/or American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses certification programs. All of the new grads finish competent to practice.

Carole Wilson, MSN, FACHE

E3 Healthcare Management

Negotiating Vendor Contracts (11:00am–12:00pm)

Learn how to interpret the terms and conditions of any vendor agreement and how to obtain contract terms that favor ASCs. Examples of good and bad termination language will be provided.

Tim Burns

USPI