Patsy Newitt

Author's posts

Where physicians stay independent: A specialty breakdown 

The American Medical Association’s newly released Physician Practice Benchmark Report, published May 29, sheds light on the shifting landscape of physician employment.  While overall private practice ownership continues to decline, significant variation persists across specialties.  Here’s the percentage of physicians in private practice by specialty:

The post Where physicians stay independent: A specialty breakdown  appeared first on Becker’s ASC.

How physician autonomy made this ASC company ‘shining stars’ of the marketplace 

Physician autonomy is top of mind for many ASC leaders — especially as around 108,700 physicians left private practice for employment between 2019 and 2021, according to a report from Avalere. While many physicians have moved toward employed models, not all are satisfied with that transition. Some are now pivoting back to private practice. A […]

The post How physician autonomy made this ASC company ‘shining stars’ of the marketplace  appeared first on Becker’s ASC.

Missouri man pleads guilty to $174M fraud scheme involving physician kickbacks

A Kansas City, Mo.-based man has pleaded guilty to a Medicare fraud scheme involving false claims for cancer genetic testing and cardiovascular genetic testing, the Justice Department said in a May 29 news release.  What happened? What’s next?

The post Missouri man pleads guilty to $174M fraud scheme involving physician kickbacks appeared first on Becker’s ASC.

Why ASC-anesthesia communication must be tighter than ever 

Anesthesia’s success in hospitals can create dangerous assumptions in the ASC, and Jeff Tieder, CRNA, clinical assistant professor of the nurse anesthesia concentration at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, joined Becker’s to discuss why boundaries matter. As procedures increasingly shift from hospitals to ASCs, Mr. Tieder shares how communication breakdowns between ASC leaders and […]

The post Why ASC-anesthesia communication must be tighter than ever  appeared first on Becker’s ASC.

Manufacturer sued after ASC anesthesiologist sentenced to 190 years for IV bag tampering

In November, Raynaldo Ortiz, MD, a Dallas-based anesthesiologist, was sentenced to 190 years in prison after being convicted of injecting nerve-blocking agents and other drugs into IV bags at Baylor Scott & White Surgicare North Dallas. Now, the family of a patient who allegedly experienced a near-fatal cardiac event following a routine procedure at the […]

The post Manufacturer sued after ASC anesthesiologist sentenced to 190 years for IV bag tampering appeared first on Becker’s ASC.

5 physicians on the cutting edge of GI 

Here are five of the many physicians on the cutting edge of gastroenterology.  If you’d like to nominate a physician, please email pnewitt@beckershealthcare.com.  Bryan Curtin, MD Dr. Curtin is the director of The Center for Neurogastroenterology and GI Motility at The Melissa L. Posner Institute for Digestive Health & Liver Disease at Mercy Medical Center […]

The post 5 physicians on the cutting edge of GI  appeared first on Becker’s ASC.

Inside this ASC’s strategy for ‘recession-proof’ OR scheduling

From declining reimbursements to rising costs, many ASCs are facing persistent economic pressures, requiring many centers to rework efficiency strategies.  Andrew Weiss, administrator of Summit Surgical Center in Voorhees, N.J., joined Becker’s to discuss how compressing “OR schedules to avoid running half-empty rooms” is key to building operational resilience.  At the heart of Summit Surgical’s […]

The post Inside this ASC’s strategy for ‘recession-proof’ OR scheduling appeared first on Becker’s ASC.

USPI sued for alleged discriminatory insurance surcharges

A former employee of United Surgical Partners International filed a class-action lawsuit on May 22, alleging the ASC company violated the Employee Retirement Income Security Act by unlawfully imposing a tobacco surcharge on employees’ health insurance premiums, according to court documents reviewed by Becker’s.  What happened?  Becker’s reached out to USPI and will update this […]

The post USPI sued for alleged discriminatory insurance surcharges appeared first on Becker’s ASC.

The cost of nurse turnover: 5 things ASCs need to know 

The average cost of turnover for a single staff registered nurse increased to $61,110 over the course of 2024, according to the 2025 NSI National Health Care Retention & RN Staffing Report.  The report surveyed 450 hospitals in 37 states on registered nurse turnover, retention, vacancy rates, recruitment metrics and staffing strategies.  Here are five […]

The post The cost of nurse turnover: 5 things ASCs need to know  appeared first on Becker’s ASC.

CMS is reshaping ASC payments — here’s how to stay ahead 

In its 2025 Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment System rule, CMS made major changes to its reimbursement framework, which is reshaping how ASCs operate and  bill, according to a blog post from billing company Info Hub Consultancy Services.  Here are six things ASCs need to know about the proposals, […]

The post CMS is reshaping ASC payments — here’s how to stay ahead  appeared first on Becker’s ASC.