The More Things Change...

Welcome to the post-Covid era. Do we even know what that means? Vaccines were supposed to bring an end to the worldwide pandemic, but now the Delta variant has ushered in a new wave of infections. Now we are all talking about breakthrough cases and boosters. It appears Covid is here to stay. In many ways, this is a metaphor for the challenges we face in managing anesthesia practices. As the French always say, “Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.” The more things change, the more they stay the same. We constantly bounce back from the general to the specific.

With this issue of the Communiqué, we have striven to poll some of the most respected industry experts for their take on today’s challenges and opportunities. As always, we hope their insights and perspectives will help you craft a productive strategy for your practice.

We begin with our team’s update and advisory for what you can expect from the MIPS program next year. You will note that even though MIPS is scheduled to be phased out in five years, like Covid, it won’t end. We are all eager to learn what the MIPS Value Pathway will entail.

No one is better qualified to sort out the issues related to the buy-versus-make decision than our very own Bellinger Moody. His is a very enlightening discussion of in-house billing options versus outsourcing. It is very important to follow his logic to appreciate why outsourcing will better allow you to manage the cost, minimize the risks and maintain control of your practice.

As an experienced healthcare attorney, Mark Weiss provides an interesting perspective on the challenge of the disruptive physician. It is a useful reminder of the importance of collaboration and teamwork. Kelly Dennis shares some of the insights from her years of experience as an auditor in an interesting piece that reinforces for us just how important good clinical documentation and accurate coding are in revenue cycle management. Her piece has some very appropriate reminders for all of us, including just how tricky anesthesia billing can be.

Our own Jody Locke pulls the lens back to put some of the specialty’s recent developments in perspective. His historical perspective is good salve for the challenge of change. Too often, our sacred cows become our greatest impediment to survival.

Finally, we tap into the vast repertoire of experience that Will Latham brings to the table. Test yourselves: how many of Will’s boxes of success do you check in your practice? It is always good to learn from experts. As always, we welcome your comments and thoughts on our selection of topics. Feel free to let us know what are the hot topics in your world. We always strive to make this as productive a dialogue as possible.

With best wishes,

Tony Mira
President and CEO