perioperative and post-operative clinical pillars. He'll detail the inclu-
sion criteria he's established to confirm patients are suitable for sur-
gery in the outpatient setting, the standardized order sets that ensure
surgeons follow the same steps during every case and the group's
post-op recovery and pain management protocols.
• Financial picture. Donna Garvey, the group's practice administra-
tor, will discuss how the team makes the joints program financially
viable, including the essentials of negotiating and managing bundled
payments. She says it's important to understand what a 90-day
episode of care looks like both in terms of your facility's budget and
the payer's perspective.
"You must fully understand the expenses involved, from day-of-
surgery case costs to post-acute care spends like physical therapy,"
she explains. "You'll learn about managing bundled payments and the
importance of communicating with payers and the downstream
providers you contract with to achieve the best possible outcomes."
Case managers are also key, adds Ms. Garvey. "They remain in con-
stant contact with patients," she explains. "They also report back to
our surgeons if any issues arise during the post-op period. The ulti-
mate goal is to keep recoveries on track and avoid costly emergency
room visits."
• Questions, please. There will be plenty of time during the work-
shop to ask the questions you want answered. "We've presented on
this topic on several occasions and it's never difficult to get the con-
versation started," comments Dr. Lucey. He's prepared to share what
it takes to get payers to the negotiating table and how to agree on a
fair and profitable bundled payment for an entire episode of care,
which begins as soon as patients schedule surgery and ends 90 days
after their procedures. He's also ready to discuss how to manage the
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