Surgery Center saves money

Over the last four years, the health care industry has been fraught with considerable upheaval. The increasing cost of health care is because of multiple factors, such as increased insurance premiums, advanced technology, increased cost of medical devices and medications, higher utilization from our aging population, malpractice insurance costs and education debt.

The proposed solutions are no less clear.

In Cedar Rapids, we've done a few things right over the years - focus on quality, manage to the margin, and look for innovative and viable health care alternatives, such as the Surgery Center Cedar Rapids.

For the last 10 years, the surgery center has existed as a hospital-physician partnership to provide a convenient, high-quality and cost-effective alternative for outpatient surgery. During the last several years, 18 percent to 20 percent of the 35,000 outpatient procedures in Cedar Rapids were performed at the Surgery Center. Because of their efficiency and lower cost structure, Medicare and commercial insurance companies reimburse outpatient surgery centers less than hospitals. On average, this savings represents 30 percent to 40 percent less out-of-pocket expense for patients. Since the inception of the surgery center, the estimated savings to all patients has totaled more than $14 million; to patients' insurance companies, more than $55 million, which helps keep premiums lower.

Over the last 10 years, the surgery center saved our community nearly $70 million, a notable anniversary milestone.

Dr. Bill Devine

PCI urologist