- Joined
- Apr 22, 2007
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Honestly, things are not that bad in most ORs. Yes, they are twice as slow as an ASC but typically the patients are sicker and ASA3/4 types with much worse medical care than the ASC patient.
I have worked in all types of settings and despite the issues I prefer the hospital to the ASC as the Anesthesiologist. As the patient I would evaluate my type of procedure and go from there.
As we move towards a single payer system one needs to think in terms of the VA or the big academic centers for how we will deal with staffing, turnovers, etc.
The ASCs will continue to expand and take volume leaving the vast majority of Anesthesiologists who work there at below average compensation for above average work. That's the cost for those who must work mommy track hours at a privately owned ASC. I don't think it is worth the trade-off the vast majority of times.
I also want to add surgeons are clueless to how much it costs to staff a room and how little Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare, etc pays us vs their reimbursement. If the department or company staffs 2 rooms for one surgeon that can end up being a huge money loser. Sure, spine pays well but many other types of cases do not. Almost all of us have staffed 2 rooms for the fast surgeons either routinely or on occasion but that still doesn't change the math.
I have worked in all types of settings and despite the issues I prefer the hospital to the ASC as the Anesthesiologist. As the patient I would evaluate my type of procedure and go from there.
As we move towards a single payer system one needs to think in terms of the VA or the big academic centers for how we will deal with staffing, turnovers, etc.
The ASCs will continue to expand and take volume leaving the vast majority of Anesthesiologists who work there at below average compensation for above average work. That's the cost for those who must work mommy track hours at a privately owned ASC. I don't think it is worth the trade-off the vast majority of times.
I also want to add surgeons are clueless to how much it costs to staff a room and how little Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare, etc pays us vs their reimbursement. If the department or company staffs 2 rooms for one surgeon that can end up being a huge money loser. Sure, spine pays well but many other types of cases do not. Almost all of us have staffed 2 rooms for the fast surgeons either routinely or on occasion but that still doesn't change the math.