ASC administrators are planning to cut costs as preparation against the declining revenues, increased overhead and burdensome regulations that healthcare reform might bring, according to a recent survey.

For the survey, the Irving, Texas-based supply chain improvement firm Provista asked 359 administrators from across the healthcare spectrum about the factors that could influence their purchasing patterns over the next 12 months. Not surprisingly, the continuing issue of healthcare reform played a big role in their forecasts.

Of the ASC respondents, 72% believe a shifting landscape could cause a decline in reimbursement rates, 66% foresee increased operating costs and 38% fear increased regulations.

While 72% of ASC respondents say they "are confident in their abilities to adapt to healthcare reform," 76% say their centers are cutting costs, 39% are expanding and diversifying their services and 13% are even considering entering into hospital joint ventures.

Still, 45% don't expect their capital equipment purchases to change, and 73% say physician preferences won't either. The top items on ASCs' shopping lists include OR equipment (49%), computers and software (37%) and monitoring equipment (23%).

David Bernard