Calisher & Associates - Helping Ambulatory Healthcare Facilities Through the Medicare Certification Process

Any ambulatory healthcare facility in the early stages of development should have Medicare Certification at the top of their to do list. The process of obtaining certification can be a lengthy one and ample time must be allotted to ensure completion.  Calisher & Associates has helped countless facilities though the certification process and offers the following advice for facilities seeking Medicare certification.

Obtaining a National Provider Identifier (NPI) through the National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES) is the first task in Medicare certification.  This step can be expedited by going through the online system at NPPES.

Medicare enrollment through the state channel is the next step.  Online enrollment can be completed through the Provider Enrollment, Chain and Ownership System or by filling out paper form 855b and filing it with the Medicare Administrative Contractor for your state.  Enrollment with the state needs to be reevaluated every five years.

Conditions for Coverage (CFCs) is the next condition for certification. This requirement pertains to all aspects of an ASC including operations, facility design and patient services. ASCs also have two additional requirements that are needed for certification that include the Survey Procedures and Interpretive Guidelines for Life Safety Code Surveys and the Guidelines for Determining Immediate Jeopardy.

In addition to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, the following private entities are also able to determine if an ASC has achieved compliance with all CFCs:  The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care, Health Care Facilities Accrediting Program and the Joint Commission and the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities, Inc.

Calisher & Associates - Advice For Growing Your Business

Calisher & Associates has been a steadily growing business since their inception over twenty-five years ago.  In their early years, Calisher and Associates aided in the construction and development of health care facilities, consulting clients throughout the process on regulatory rules, state laws and facility administration.  The company has grown to include full scale management of health care facilities throughout the country.  The company offers this advice for growing and expanding business endeavors.

Be Aware of the Risks

Taking risks in business can be intimidating, but taking measured risks can aid the growth of your business.  If you can determine the downside of a possible business venture, then you can prepare for that scenario.  Focusing on the benefits of the risk and working to make the venture come to fruition is the ultimate reward.

Be Aware of the Competition

Competition in business is healthy as it can bring out the best in all parties as they compete to be better, offer a stronger service, or offer more cost effective strategies.  Businesses can also learn from those successful in their field by determining what makes them stand out, and then striving to do better.

Always Offer the Highest Level of Service 

Providing a great service to clients is the cornerstone of any successful business.  By offering great service, businesses also create great rapport with their customers, ensuring not only repeat business, but also recommendations from happy clients.  Testimonials from satisfied clients remains to be one of the best avenues for growing business.

Calisher & Associates thrives on offering the best of service to all of their clients.  Over the course of 25 years, the company has grown to serve a myriad of clients in the healthcare field in more than 30 states.

Calisher & Associates - What Is Endoscopy?

Calisher & Associates have been providing services to the medical field for over two decades, mainly in the development and management of Ambulatory Surgery Centers, including Endoscopy Centers.  Endoscopy Centers provide a valuable health service—a place where patients can receive various types procedures on an outpatient basis.

Endoscopy is any procedure that uses an endoscope to look inside the body to determine any ailments going on within a specific region.  Endoscopy is unlike other imaging procedures such as X-rays and CT’s, which do not require inserting devices into the body.  There are many types of endoscopes, each entered into a specific part of the body to view a certain body part.  Endoscopes are inserted through the nose, cuts in the skin, mouth, anus, vagina and urethra.  The name of each procedure using an endoscope determines which body part is being looked at and there are a variety of different endoscopes.

Endoscopy was first introduced to look at body parts that couldn’t be viewed any other way.  Now endoscopy can be used for a wide variety of medical reasons including early detection of ailments, prevention, diagnosis and even treatment of certain cancers.  Examples of diagnostic procedures include colonoscopy for those with blood in their stools, laryngoscopy to determine the cause of chronic hoarseness, and upper endoscopy for patients that have pain while swallowing.

Calisher & Associates has worked with a multitude of Endoscopy Centers throughout the nation over the past twenty-five years.  The company has aided in the development, management and operations of countless endoscopy centers, aiding in patients receiving affordable, convenient and state of the art treatment for all endoscopy needs.