Through participation in the Leapfrog ASC Survey and engaging in the public comment process, ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) continue to demonstrate their commitment to transparency. This empowers employers and purchasers to find the highest-value care while giving consumers the lifesaving information they need to make informed decisions. Hospital and ASC Survey Results are publicly reported on Leapfrog’s website so stakeholders can compare hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs) and ASCs side-by-side. Participating ASCs are also eligible for consideration for awards programs including the Leapfrog Top ASCs designation.
Since the inaugural launch of the Leapfrog ASC Survey in 2019, Leapfrog has worked with ASCs, its Board of Directors, Regional Leaders, our national expert panel, the research faculty at Johns Hopkins Medicine, and purchaser members to develop Survey content. We also work with and rely upon our Ambulatory Surgery Center Advisory Committee, launched in March 2022, to advise on key issues related to ASC safety, quality, and efficiency.
Leapfrog’s scientific experts review the latest evidence and literature to refine the current measures included in the Survey and propose changes for each upcoming year. We then seek public comment on the proposed changes and use stakeholder feedback to finalize the Survey.
Leapfrog would like to highlight a proposal to greatly reduce NHSN reporting requirements by collecting data on ASC-1, ASC-2, ASC-3, and ASC-4 directly from the CMS Care Compare website, as part of the Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR) program. Leapfrog will no longer require ASCs to report the Same Day Outcome Measures (SDOM) Module to NHSN.
These changes, detailed in Section 3C, are part of Leapfrog’s effort to substantially reduce the staff time associated with Survey submission. Leapfrog invites additional comments on further opportunities to streamline the Survey and encourage ASCs new to Leapfrog to publicly report their data.
Leapfrog is now accepting public comments on the Proposed Changes to the 2025 ASC Survey (below). We encourage ASCs and other stakeholders to pay special attention to the following Proposed Changes:
- Public Reporting: Proposal to update public reporting timeframes.
- Policy Update: Proposal to add questions regarding availability of data due to cybersecurity events, natural disasters, and changes in ownership.
- Section 1B: Billing Ethics: Proposal to add a response option, update the scoring algorithm for available pricing information, and to clarify how the itemized billing statement is provided.
- Section 1C: Health Care Equity: Proposal to add a response option and FAQ for patient self-identified demographic data, add a question for reporting the website URL where ASCs publicly share their efforts to identify and reduce health care disparities, and add an optional fact-finding question regarding the implementation of Federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) standards.
- Section 2: Medical, Surgical, and Clinical Staff: Proposal to add a response option for ASCs that only care for pediatric patients aged 13-17.
- Section 4B: NHSN Outpatient Procedure Component Module: Proposal to update the reporting period and scoring algorithm.
View the Proposed Changes to the 2025 Leapfrog ASC Survey (PDF).
Submit a Public Comment Here.
Comments will be accepted until midnight ET on December 13, 2024.