1
00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:02,980
Looking for a solution that helps alleviate administrative

2
00:00:03,199 --> 00:00:05,599
tasks for your staff and also helps your

3
00:00:05,599 --> 00:00:07,599
patients cover their out of pocket health care

4
00:00:07,599 --> 00:00:08,099
expenses?

5
00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:11,199
Find what you're looking for from CareCredit because

6
00:00:11,199 --> 00:00:13,919
CareCredit is a credit card and more. It's

7
00:00:13,919 --> 00:00:16,375
a helping hand for staff and a flexible

8
00:00:16,375 --> 00:00:19,434
payment solution for patients. For over thirty years,

9
00:00:19,574 --> 00:00:22,934
CareCredit, a Synchrony solution, has offered patients a

10
00:00:22,934 --> 00:00:25,894
credit card with promotional financing options to get

11
00:00:25,894 --> 00:00:27,894
the care they want while helping staff do

12
00:00:27,894 --> 00:00:30,649
what they do best, provide care. To learn

13
00:00:30,649 --> 00:00:32,929
more, visit carecredit.com

14
00:00:32,929 --> 00:00:34,789
forward slash beckerspodcast.

15
00:00:35,890 --> 00:00:37,890
This is Gracelyn Keller with the Becker's Healthcare

16
00:00:37,890 --> 00:00:39,809
Podcast, and we are recording live at the

17
00:00:39,809 --> 00:00:42,710
thirty first annual business and operations of ASCs.

18
00:00:43,225 --> 00:00:46,504
I'm currently joined by doctor George Cybulski, who

19
00:00:46,504 --> 00:00:48,984
is the AI clinical leader and chief of

20
00:00:48,984 --> 00:00:52,344
neurosurgery at Humboldt Park Health. So thanks for

21
00:00:52,344 --> 00:00:54,424
being here. I'd love to kick off our

22
00:00:54,424 --> 00:00:56,104
conversation by having you share a little bit

23
00:00:56,104 --> 00:00:58,239
more about yourself, your work in the ASC

24
00:00:58,239 --> 00:00:59,840
space, and any opening remarks that you may

25
00:00:59,840 --> 00:01:02,239
have. Well, thank you, Grace. It's a pleasure

26
00:01:02,239 --> 00:01:02,979
to be here

27
00:01:03,519 --> 00:01:06,739
and, pleasure to be involved with the conference.

28
00:01:06,879 --> 00:01:09,280
I'm speaking tomorrow on a panel. So,

29
00:01:09,995 --> 00:01:11,194
these are always great,

30
00:01:11,915 --> 00:01:12,415
opportunities

31
00:01:13,034 --> 00:01:13,935
to share

32
00:01:14,234 --> 00:01:15,135
and acquire,

33
00:01:15,915 --> 00:01:18,555
information about what people are doing. So it's

34
00:01:18,555 --> 00:01:20,575
great to be here. I am a neurosurgeon.

35
00:01:21,194 --> 00:01:21,935
I still,

36
00:01:22,314 --> 00:01:23,375
practice neurosurgery,

37
00:01:24,959 --> 00:01:26,579
mainly spine procedures.

38
00:01:27,519 --> 00:01:27,920
But,

39
00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:31,439
I have this interest that I've developed over

40
00:01:31,439 --> 00:01:34,420
the last, ten years or so, which is,

41
00:01:35,439 --> 00:01:35,939
the

42
00:01:36,965 --> 00:01:37,465
support

43
00:01:38,325 --> 00:01:39,944
of spine operations,

44
00:01:40,885 --> 00:01:41,385
literally,

45
00:01:42,325 --> 00:01:43,204
with the,

46
00:01:43,604 --> 00:01:44,104
instruments

47
00:01:44,564 --> 00:01:45,545
that we use.

48
00:01:45,924 --> 00:01:47,625
And, I've been involved,

49
00:01:48,004 --> 00:01:48,504
previously,

50
00:01:49,525 --> 00:01:51,384
with the last few years with the business,

51
00:01:52,004 --> 00:01:52,319
which,

52
00:01:54,319 --> 00:01:54,560
has,

53
00:01:55,439 --> 00:01:55,939
developed.

54
00:01:56,319 --> 00:01:58,640
I'm no longer with it, so no, no

55
00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:00,420
conflict of interest there. But,

56
00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:01,700
outpatient,

57
00:02:02,879 --> 00:02:03,379
spine

58
00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:04,260
instrumentation

59
00:02:05,359 --> 00:02:06,260
for ASCs.

60
00:02:07,325 --> 00:02:08,064
And so

61
00:02:08,685 --> 00:02:09,664
I think really

62
00:02:10,044 --> 00:02:11,584
the the big area

63
00:02:11,884 --> 00:02:12,384
for,

64
00:02:14,205 --> 00:02:14,705
development

65
00:02:15,324 --> 00:02:15,824
is,

66
00:02:16,205 --> 00:02:16,705
outpatient

67
00:02:17,004 --> 00:02:20,384
spine surgery. It's already done, obviously, in ASCs,

68
00:02:20,525 --> 00:02:20,685
but

69
00:02:21,389 --> 00:02:22,769
and, really to

70
00:02:23,069 --> 00:02:23,569
coordinate,

71
00:02:24,509 --> 00:02:25,009
with

72
00:02:25,709 --> 00:02:26,209
processing

73
00:02:26,509 --> 00:02:27,329
of the instruments

74
00:02:28,189 --> 00:02:31,250
at an off-site facility. Because most ASCs,

75
00:02:32,430 --> 00:02:35,044
they didn't they haven't been doing spine procedures

76
00:02:35,264 --> 00:02:37,365
ten year they weren't ten years ago.

77
00:02:37,745 --> 00:02:40,145
And now, there's an opportunity to do that,

78
00:02:40,145 --> 00:02:40,465
and,

79
00:02:40,944 --> 00:02:42,405
I think it's a great opportunity.

80
00:02:43,504 --> 00:02:45,585
Wonderful. Well, I'm eager to hear your thoughts

81
00:02:45,585 --> 00:02:47,284
on these questions we have here.

82
00:02:48,229 --> 00:02:49,989
So let's start off talking about the ASC

83
00:02:49,989 --> 00:02:52,229
market because in The US, it's projected to

84
00:02:52,229 --> 00:02:53,750
reach 60,800,000,000.0

85
00:02:53,750 --> 00:02:56,549
by 2030, and it continues to experience strong

86
00:02:56,549 --> 00:02:59,129
year over year growth. So from your perspective,

87
00:02:59,189 --> 00:03:01,209
what are the most significant trends in Marketforces

88
00:03:01,430 --> 00:03:04,205
driving this expansion, and how should ASC leaders

89
00:03:04,205 --> 00:03:05,344
be preparing today?

90
00:03:05,965 --> 00:03:06,444
Well,

91
00:03:06,844 --> 00:03:09,824
as I said, I'm a spine specialist. So,

92
00:03:10,284 --> 00:03:10,784
really,

93
00:03:11,165 --> 00:03:13,025
a few years ago, Medicare,

94
00:03:14,044 --> 00:03:14,544
really

95
00:03:14,844 --> 00:03:15,344
encouraged

96
00:03:15,949 --> 00:03:18,209
the movement of total joint procedures

97
00:03:18,750 --> 00:03:20,129
to the outpatient setting.

98
00:03:20,750 --> 00:03:22,750
And so that would be, like, total hip

99
00:03:22,750 --> 00:03:24,289
and total knee replacement.

100
00:03:24,830 --> 00:03:27,469
Obviously, that's not something I do, but that

101
00:03:27,469 --> 00:03:28,449
is a growing

102
00:03:29,045 --> 00:03:31,865
due to demographics of aging. That's a growing

103
00:03:32,405 --> 00:03:32,905
area

104
00:03:33,284 --> 00:03:34,585
of, of work.

105
00:03:34,965 --> 00:03:37,385
And then the spine procedures, which,

106
00:03:38,405 --> 00:03:38,905
microdiscectomies,

107
00:03:39,525 --> 00:03:40,025
laminectomies,

108
00:03:41,169 --> 00:03:43,590
spine fuse lumbar spine fusions,

109
00:03:44,050 --> 00:03:45,669
anterior cervical discectomies,

110
00:03:46,689 --> 00:03:48,610
really all things that could be done in

111
00:03:48,610 --> 00:03:49,349
an outpatient,

112
00:03:50,050 --> 00:03:50,550
setting.

113
00:03:50,930 --> 00:03:53,189
And so I think that's a tremendous

114
00:03:53,730 --> 00:03:54,790
area for

115
00:03:55,495 --> 00:03:56,474
increased growth.

116
00:03:57,094 --> 00:03:57,574
And,

117
00:03:58,215 --> 00:03:59,675
ASCs will be able

118
00:04:00,455 --> 00:04:03,995
to step up and include those, in their

119
00:04:04,615 --> 00:04:06,794
list of procedures that they can do.

120
00:04:07,620 --> 00:04:10,340
And from AI and robotic surgeries to advanced

121
00:04:10,340 --> 00:04:13,219
EHR systems, technology remains both a make or

122
00:04:13,219 --> 00:04:15,300
break factor and a critical driver of ASC

123
00:04:15,300 --> 00:04:16,680
operations at scale.

124
00:04:17,060 --> 00:04:19,080
So how do you see deeper tech integration

125
00:04:19,139 --> 00:04:21,824
shaping the way ASCs deliver care and manage

126
00:04:21,824 --> 00:04:23,685
their business over the next few years?

127
00:04:24,225 --> 00:04:24,625
Well,

128
00:04:25,185 --> 00:04:28,305
so so I am a a clinical AI

129
00:04:28,305 --> 00:04:29,925
leader at my hospital.

130
00:04:30,225 --> 00:04:32,805
So I'm very interested in artificial intelligence.

131
00:04:33,425 --> 00:04:35,524
And I think artificial intelligence,

132
00:04:35,904 --> 00:04:36,725
as with

133
00:04:37,100 --> 00:04:38,399
any other process,

134
00:04:38,860 --> 00:04:39,600
will be

135
00:04:39,980 --> 00:04:40,480
very,

136
00:04:41,980 --> 00:04:42,480
beneficial

137
00:04:43,259 --> 00:04:45,120
in connecting the silos

138
00:04:45,579 --> 00:04:48,399
that is the checklist, if you will,

139
00:04:48,699 --> 00:04:49,990
that we need to,

140
00:04:50,875 --> 00:04:52,735
satisfy in order to

141
00:04:53,115 --> 00:04:54,634
get patients approved,

142
00:04:55,115 --> 00:04:55,615
evaluated,

143
00:04:55,995 --> 00:04:57,295
approved for surgery,

144
00:04:58,395 --> 00:04:59,214
getting their,

145
00:04:59,675 --> 00:05:01,935
their preliminary testing blood work

146
00:05:02,849 --> 00:05:05,589
checked and, and getting clearances,

147
00:05:06,289 --> 00:05:10,050
from their family doctors because anything that I'm

148
00:05:10,050 --> 00:05:11,509
involved with is a specialty.

149
00:05:12,050 --> 00:05:14,129
So we need the primary care doctors to

150
00:05:14,129 --> 00:05:17,605
be involved. So I think AI especially is,

151
00:05:19,024 --> 00:05:19,764
a tool

152
00:05:20,144 --> 00:05:22,884
that will help to connect all of these

153
00:05:23,425 --> 00:05:26,165
what has been in the past, these siloed

154
00:05:26,704 --> 00:05:27,204
disparate

155
00:05:28,069 --> 00:05:30,170
groups and help with the communication

156
00:05:30,550 --> 00:05:31,209
for sure.

157
00:05:31,910 --> 00:05:33,910
Absolutely. And I guess a follow-up to that,

158
00:05:33,910 --> 00:05:36,310
I'm curious as a clinical AI leader, is

159
00:05:36,310 --> 00:05:38,790
there a specific technology or innovation that stands

160
00:05:38,790 --> 00:05:40,490
out to you as especially transformative?

161
00:05:41,615 --> 00:05:43,235
That's a great question. So,

162
00:05:44,254 --> 00:05:45,875
as we know from,

163
00:05:46,574 --> 00:05:48,975
just reading, let's just say, The Wall Street

164
00:05:48,975 --> 00:05:51,855
Journal Mhmm. Or on our, phones,

165
00:05:52,334 --> 00:05:52,834
news,

166
00:05:54,175 --> 00:05:55,235
you know, stories,

167
00:05:56,060 --> 00:05:56,960
It's just exploding

168
00:05:58,139 --> 00:05:58,540
the,

169
00:05:59,020 --> 00:05:59,520
number

170
00:06:00,379 --> 00:06:01,120
of companies

171
00:06:01,660 --> 00:06:04,160
that are getting into health care,

172
00:06:05,180 --> 00:06:06,879
utilizing artificial intelligence.

173
00:06:07,740 --> 00:06:10,220
And so before I came in here today,

174
00:06:10,220 --> 00:06:12,814
I took a quick tour through the

175
00:06:13,115 --> 00:06:14,975
exhibits here at the Becker,

176
00:06:15,675 --> 00:06:18,335
meeting, and there are tremendous

177
00:06:19,115 --> 00:06:19,615
number

178
00:06:19,995 --> 00:06:21,055
of companies

179
00:06:21,754 --> 00:06:23,615
that get that and are offering

180
00:06:24,235 --> 00:06:25,055
these services.

181
00:06:26,269 --> 00:06:27,649
From my point of view,

182
00:06:28,110 --> 00:06:29,330
the key will be

183
00:06:29,870 --> 00:06:31,490
how valuable they are,

184
00:06:32,110 --> 00:06:33,810
to a provider.

185
00:06:34,670 --> 00:06:35,170
And

186
00:06:35,709 --> 00:06:38,050
because a lot of these I mean, obviously,

187
00:06:38,430 --> 00:06:39,089
the development

188
00:06:39,629 --> 00:06:40,769
of AI platforms

189
00:06:41,069 --> 00:06:41,569
is

190
00:06:42,335 --> 00:06:42,995
high powered,

191
00:06:43,935 --> 00:06:44,435
development,

192
00:06:46,254 --> 00:06:46,754
technological

193
00:06:47,134 --> 00:06:47,634
development.

194
00:06:48,335 --> 00:06:50,814
So really coordinating it with,

195
00:06:51,215 --> 00:06:52,754
providers, with surgeons

196
00:06:53,295 --> 00:06:54,355
and specialists

197
00:06:55,134 --> 00:06:56,754
is really gonna be the key.

198
00:06:57,180 --> 00:07:00,000
So at the moment, I can't name one,

199
00:07:00,139 --> 00:07:01,680
but I know that

200
00:07:01,980 --> 00:07:04,160
people get that, and it's coming along.

201
00:07:04,699 --> 00:07:05,199
Absolutely.

202
00:07:05,819 --> 00:07:08,939
And shifting gears a little bit, with 60%

203
00:07:08,939 --> 00:07:11,819
of health systems considering ASC joint ventures and

204
00:07:11,819 --> 00:07:14,274
many ASCs already partnering with systems in their

205
00:07:14,274 --> 00:07:14,774
communities.

206
00:07:15,314 --> 00:07:18,035
What opportunities do you see for collaboration, whether

207
00:07:18,035 --> 00:07:20,514
with other providers or vendors to strengthen patient

208
00:07:20,514 --> 00:07:21,975
care and operational efficiency?

209
00:07:23,154 --> 00:07:24,855
Well, it has to happen.

210
00:07:25,199 --> 00:07:27,279
That's that's what we need to have. And

211
00:07:27,279 --> 00:07:29,039
I had mentioned I had written a book,

212
00:07:29,680 --> 00:07:31,680
which is a a number one bestseller on

213
00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:32,180
Amazon.

214
00:07:32,959 --> 00:07:35,220
Can we manage to save health care?

215
00:07:35,759 --> 00:07:37,759
I talk about in that book in in

216
00:07:37,759 --> 00:07:38,979
regard to your question,

217
00:07:39,795 --> 00:07:41,095
Health care is tremendously

218
00:07:41,555 --> 00:07:42,055
fragmented.

219
00:07:42,514 --> 00:07:44,375
Mhmm. There are just different

220
00:07:44,995 --> 00:07:46,134
types of,

221
00:07:46,995 --> 00:07:50,134
entities that are involved with it, health insurance,

222
00:07:51,634 --> 00:07:52,615
federal programs,

223
00:07:52,915 --> 00:07:53,975
Medicare, Medicaid.

224
00:07:54,435 --> 00:07:54,935
So

225
00:07:55,370 --> 00:07:56,990
there's a tremendous opportunity

226
00:07:57,610 --> 00:07:58,110
to

227
00:07:58,569 --> 00:08:00,189
that must be seized

228
00:08:00,649 --> 00:08:03,069
in order to get this collaboration

229
00:08:03,770 --> 00:08:04,430
to occur.

230
00:08:04,810 --> 00:08:08,020
And the people who are are able to

231
00:08:08,020 --> 00:08:08,520
create

232
00:08:09,345 --> 00:08:12,305
platforms to do that will contribute the most

233
00:08:12,305 --> 00:08:14,164
value, and they will be the successful

234
00:08:14,865 --> 00:08:15,365
entities.

235
00:08:16,544 --> 00:08:18,785
Absolutely. Well, thank you so much for joining

236
00:08:18,785 --> 00:08:20,544
me today. Is there anything that we didn't

237
00:08:20,544 --> 00:08:22,144
touch on or final thoughts you'd like to

238
00:08:22,144 --> 00:08:22,644
share?

239
00:08:23,290 --> 00:08:25,050
Would love to just have people check out

240
00:08:25,050 --> 00:08:27,210
my book. It's a number one best seller

241
00:08:27,210 --> 00:08:27,949
on Amazon,

242
00:08:28,650 --> 00:08:29,150
and,

243
00:08:30,009 --> 00:08:31,689
people have enjoyed it. I've gotten a lot

244
00:08:31,689 --> 00:08:34,090
of five star reviews on it. So, if

245
00:08:34,090 --> 00:08:36,009
you would spread the word, I'd really appreciate

246
00:08:36,009 --> 00:08:38,585
that. My idea with that book is to

247
00:08:38,884 --> 00:08:39,384
identify

248
00:08:39,764 --> 00:08:40,904
the pain points

249
00:08:41,524 --> 00:08:43,065
that we need to address

250
00:08:43,524 --> 00:08:44,665
in order to

251
00:08:45,285 --> 00:08:47,625
make the flow of patient care better.

252
00:08:48,458 --> 00:08:50,298
Wonderful. Well, again, thank you so much for

253
00:08:50,298 --> 00:08:51,898
your time, and we are recording live at

254
00:08:51,898 --> 00:08:54,378
the thirty first annual business and operations of

255
00:08:54,378 --> 00:08:54,878
ASCs.

256
00:08:55,658 --> 00:08:56,558
Thank you, Grace.