When Congress passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in 2010, it mandated that adults not covered by an employer or government-sponsored insurance plan be required to obtain health insurance or face a tax penalty. The law came under severe fire and became one of the most politicized debates in recent memory, finding its way to a Supreme Court hearing. Now, with health care reform upheld by a 5-4 vote by the Supreme Court on June 28, the understanding of the challenges that lie ahead for hospitals are beginning to take shape.
With a need to prepare for the changes the Affordable Care Act will put in place, hospitals are instituting changes to provide more efficient care and demonstrate accountability for patient outcomes. In the past, hospitals were reimbursed based on case volume. Now, reimbursement is determined by patient satisfaction and quality of care. Therefore, what happens in the OR is more important than ever.
In this new environment, the hospital anesthesia group plays an increasingly key role in the entire perioperative continuum of care. This role includes helping the hospital reduce the number of cancelled or delayed surgeries, improve throughput, and reduce surgical length of stay – all of which positively affect bottom line.
In Somnia Anesthesia’s latest white paper, the relationship between OR management and the anesthesia group is examined, providing examples of why the development of a strongly aligned partnership between the two is crucial for optimal performance in the surgical suite.
The white paper, “Creating a Perioperative Partnership for Operating Room Managers: How Anesthesia Leadership Can Help,” is available to download on Somnia’s website.
Somnia Anesthesia
Blog Editor