Cardiac procedures are expected to be the next wave of Ambulatory Service Centers since an increasing number of high-intensity procedures are being adopted for outpatient services. Alfonso del Granado from Covenant High Plains Surgery Center in Lubbock, Texas, spoke about why his team decided to start creating a new service line in cardiology. He also talked about the problems that emerge when implementing new procedures.
Challenges in Adding New Service Lines to Ambulatory Service Centers
Labor Market Struggles
The most considerable obstacle that ASCs encounter whilst expanding their service offering is the labor market. Acquiring skilled nurses and technicians, which will lead to the expansion of the capacity, especially in other service lines, is challenging. Even if they are already well-established. Beginning a new service line offers a unique challenge. ASCs have to create a team of newly hired professionals whose culture and commitment are still unmeasured. This is made worse by the fact that business requires considerable capital outlay and valuable time and energy, which are produced in the process, leading to great stress.
Financial and Operational Hurdles
In addition to staffing challenges, there are financial and operational barriers to developing a new service line. Purchasing necessary equipment and technology, and training personnel to perform new procedures affects a facility’s capacity. There is always a need to consider and meet the regulatory and healthcare standards, which are not easy to accomplish.
Why Cardiology?
High Demand and Revenue Potential
Cardiology is one of the most promising ASC specialties due to the high need for cardiovascular procedures. Alfonso del Granado also pinpointed that cardiology can be considered a major contributor in terms of new cases and revenues. Cardiology’s relatively high sample volume and income ratio, in addition to Ambulatory Service Centers, are the reasons for its profitability in terms of improved sample rate frequency.
Collaborative Efforts and Future-Proofing
Del Granado’s team is actively collaborating with joint venture partners and other cardiologists in the local area to develop a rich cardiology program. This program aims to deliver the current array of ASC-authorized procedures with the same quality and cost-efficiency as their existing service offerings demonstrate. Also, they are striving to reap from any additional procedures that the CMS may include in its list of covered procedures for future outpatient cardiology services.
Strategic Implementation
Building a Solid Foundation
To successfully implement a cardiology service line, ASCs must focus on building a solid foundation. This involves comprehensive planning, collaboration with cardiology experts, and securing the necessary resources and infrastructure. Establishing strong relationships with local cardiologists and healthcare providers can facilitate a smooth transition and integration of cardiology services.
Ensuring Quality and Cost-Effectiveness
Maintaining high-quality care and cost-effectiveness is crucial when introducing new service lines. ASCs should adopt best practices from their existing service lines and apply them to the new cardiology services. Continuous monitoring, feedback, and improvement mechanisms should be in place to ensure the new service line meets the expected standards.
Future Prospects
Expanding CMS-Covered Procedures
It is sooner or later that cardiology services are limited and are carried out as outpatient services. Only ASCs that have taken the right positioning will greatly benefit from the increase in cardiovascular procedures that is occasioned by the CMS approval for more procedures to be undertaken in outpatient facilities. It also creates opportunities for the ASC to generate more revenues, expand its role, and increase its ability to market more services in the healthcare field.
Innovation and Growth
The introduction of cardiology services can also create the foundation for developing additional services in ASCs. Modernizing ASCs with advanced technologies and new healthcare trends can enable them to continue diversifying services and offering quality care for all patients through efficient operations.
Conclusion
A cardiology service line is a wise and essential step for Ambulatory Service Centers that want to cover more services to clients and increase their revenue. However, cardiovascular procedures are in high demand and have opportunities to grow. This makes them a valuable part of the addition. Thus, ASCs need to enhance their understanding of how to find new solutions in this new frontier. They also need to focus on the following principles: building up a solid foundation, ensuring the quality, relevance and cost-efficiency of the provided services, and positioning themselves in the context of potential new CMS approvals.
