Coronavirus: A Game-Changing Event

Just when we thought we had seen it all and successfully managed innumerable practice management challenges, along comes a virus so insidious and so contagious that every aspect of the economy will be affected. Americans have been laid off in record numbers. Surgical case volumes have dropped precipitously. Once well-managed anesthesia practices are scrambling to cobble together a strategy for survival. As your business partners, we are exploring all options and will be updating you with our research and insights. This collection of articles is just a small sample of the wisdom of our eminently qualified industry experts.

Kate Hickner, Esq. discusses one of the most interesting policy developments to come out of this crisis: new guidelines for telemedicine. While it is not entirely clear how this will impact anesthesia providers, these new guidelines are sure to be a preview of coming developments. Clearly, treatment paradigms are going to change.

Will Latham draws our attention to the importance of group governance in a very interesting discussion of some of the most common governance problems groups face. He shares the insights of his years of experience managing all manner of practices. His piece consists of many very practical suggestions for today’s practices.

Mark Weiss, JD poses a very intriguing question: who really owns your anesthesia group? However valuable your contract at a given facility, he submits that, in many ways, groups have sold out to the facilities they serve. Is it any wonder that so many practices have decided to sell their practices? It is a very thought-provoking piece.

One of our ever-loyal contributors, Kelly Dennis, presents some interesting thoughts with regard to the potential of an audit and the specific requirements of medical direction. It is hard to imagine that payers will be turning to audits in the current environment and yet audits tend to peak when money is short. This is a timely reminder.

ABC’s own Kendall Lutz sheds some light on one of the most fundamental questions in anesthesia: is it better to be a generalist or a specialist? His piece on boutique anesthesia practices raises some interesting questions about the value of focusing on a niche or boutique market.

Michael Bronson, MD of Mission Viejo Anesthesia Consultants and our own Jody Locke provide a fascinating profile of a ketamine clinic in southern California. This is a line of business that many practices are considering but few, as yet, are pursuing. We believe this is a very timely and relevant case study for your review.

Who knows how long the current crisis will last and what its lasting impact will be on the specialty of anesthesia. The rate of infection continues to rise and, despite government intervention, it is entirely unclear how most practices will survive the economic implications of the current environment. Just know that we are all in this together. Your success is our success.

With best wishes,

Tony Mira
President and CEO