ASCA NEWS  |  AUGUST 2018

Celebrate National ASC Month

For more than a decade, ASCs have used National ASC Week as an opportunity to promote awareness of ASCs by inviting elected officials, the media and members of their community to open houses and facility tours.

Due to the increasing number of local and federal legislators visiting ASCs, ASCA has decided to expand National ASC Week into National ASC Month. This year, for the entire month of August, ASCs around the country will open their doors to their communities.

Hosting policymakers in your facility creates personal connections that can directly affect ASC-related legislation and regulations. These events raise the profile of ASCs, help educate the public about the high-quality care ASCs offer and can secure support for ASCs during key policy-making deliberations.

Congress is in recess during the month of August, so this is the perfect time to host a facility tour for your representative(s). To get started, email Danielle Kaster and she will assist you in coordinating a tour. For more information, visit ASCA’s Facility Tour page.

Make Plans Now to Attend ASCA’s 2019 Meetings

In 2019, ASCA will host two meetings that will provide you with opportunities to attend educational sessions, network with fellow ASC professionals from around the country and acquire state-of-the-art products and services for your ASC.

Get the year off to a great start with ASCA’s 2019 Winter Seminar, January 17–19 in Austin, Texas. The seminar will feature three specialized tracks:

• Infection Prevention Techniques for ASCs will examine best practices in sterilization, instrument reprocessing and the policies and procedures you need to sustain a comprehensive infection prevention program in your ASC.
• Coding Update & Reimbursement Strategies will ensure that you maximize reimbursements at your center by preparing your ASC for the upcoming coding and billing changes in 2019.
• ASC Management Essentials (new in 2019) will examine the best ways for ASCs to remain compliant and in control of changes this new year.

Join your fellow professionals, May 15–18, 2019, at the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tennessee, for ASCA 2019 Conference & Expo. Registrants for ASCA’s annual conference can look forward to getting the latest clinical, regulatory, business and financial information from expert speakers. ASCA 2019 also will provide many networking opportunities and the chance to explore new technology and innovative products and services that can help cut costs, improve quality and boost your ASC’s bottom line.

Apply for ASCA Foundation’s Medical Mission Scholarships

Nurses, surgical techs and scrub techs interested in medical mission opportunities with One World Surgery are invited to apply for the ASCA Foundation’s new scholarship program.

During One World Surgery’s weeklong medical missions, clinical and nonclinical participants come together to perform life-changing surgeries at the Holy Family Surgery Center in Honduras. This world-class surgery center, which One World Surgery funds and operates, is located on the 2,000- acre ranch of the children’s home Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos (NPH), approximately one hour northeast of Tegucigalpa.

The ASCA Foundation is pleased to provide medical mission scholarships for eligible ASCA members. Scholarships will be awarded in amounts to cover the program fee—including food and lodging, ground transport in Honduras, and emergency medical and evacuation insurance—as well as one coach round-trip airfare.

Read an interview with the executive director of the program. Learn more about this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and apply today.