First and foremost, it was amazing to see everyone in person again at the Advance 2022 Anesthesiology Business Event! The Exhibit Hall was buzzing with attendees, and it was clear what was top of mind to group practice leaders:

• How will my anesthesia practice be affected by the No Surprise Act Final Rule?
• How do we encourage members of our group to take on leadership roles in and out of the OR?
• What can we do to remain an independent practice?

How will my anesthesia practice be affected by the No Surprise Act (NSA)?

The questions at Advance 2022 Anesthesiology Business Event regarding the No Surprise Act were frequent. Fusion Anesthesia shared an update on the impact of the No Surprise Act earlier this month. It’s clear that it will become more difficult for anesthesia practices to negotiate fair payments for out-of-network services. As you know, your facility may be in-network for certain procedures, but your practice may not. Over the years, it’s become increasingly more difficult to negotiate fair rates and increases with payers and now they’ll have even less incentive to do so.

How do we encourage members of our group to take on leadership roles in and out of the OR?

That’s a tough one and there isn’t one answer to this question, but it starts with creating the right culture. The topic of leadership in anesthesiology is not new, there have been discussions and publications for years on this subject. However, that is the crux of the issue, it’s been discussed but not always put into action.

At Advance 2022 Anesthesiology Business Event, we discussed that leadership starts within your own group governance. Implementing regular scheduled strategic sessions with a clear agenda to discuss your practice goals, both clinical and financial, process improvement, and the group’s current progress in achieving those goals are crucial, no matter the size of your group. These meetings also serve as a foundation to create sub-committees giving all members of the practice opportunities to lead and get involved.

Opening the lines of communication with your facility C-suite and encouraging members of your practice to get involved with facility committees and boards to represent your specialty are also key. Perioperative Surgical Home (PSH) is one of those opportunities where anesthesiologists can shine.

What can we do to remain an independent anesthesia practice?

Remaining independent takes effort and goes right back to leadership which we discussed above. Getting involved outside of the OR is a must and it will take more than one person in the practice to do so. Your group needs to develop a strategic plan that includes everything from facility involvement to ensuring your practice is collecting every dollar for the services you generate. Doing this demonstrates to your facility C-suite that you are fiscally responsible and doing everything in your power to resist the reliance on stipends and subsidies. You can read more on practice independence here. 

For more information visit our website at www.fusionanesthesia.com or email us at sales@fusionanesthesia.com