Feature
Opportunities and challenges of the OBL model
By Hope Racine
the proliferation of office-based labs (OBLs) and ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs), according to presenters at SIR 2023’s “OBL 1” scientific session.
O
The first of five sessions dedicated to discussing the future of outpatient care, OBL 1 reviewed the differences, benefits and risks associated with
This article initially ran in SIR Today. To read more
coverage from SIR 2023, visit
sirtoday.org.
36 IRQ | SUMMER 2023
ffice-based surgery has existed since the beginning of medicine—but the practice is evolving and growing with
choosing an OBL model over a traditional hospital system.
“As interventional vascular procedures have become more common, improvements in technology and techniques have led to an increase in outpatient/same-day procedures,” said panelist Warren Swee, MD, MPH.
He pointed to the boom of freestanding dialysis centers that began in the late 1990s, calling it a “real breakthrough” for IR. The success of this model led to future opportunities, enabled by the improvement of payment schedules for freestanding facilities and OBLs, which made procedures such as arterial angioplasty and stenting more feasible in the OBL space.
“OBLs have clear benefits,” Dr. Swee said. In addition to strong reimbursement rates, the OBL model also fosters efficiency, patient satisfaction, safety and lower costs.
The model also provides an alternative practice model for IRs who wish to work outside a radiology group, hospital or academic center and is ideal for those who want to have a dedicated, clinical IR practice.
This freedom of practice, which also enables direct competition without the constraints of a hospital or radiology group, has led to a significant increase in the number of IR interventions held in the OBL setting, especially in the area of PAD.
“There are well over 800 OBLs across the country, with huge expectations for future IR growth,” Dr. Swee said, and market analysis suggests that this trend will continue well into the next decade.
OBL models Part of the freedom offered by OBLs is that there are many practice models to choose from—from determining whether you wish to have an OBL or an ASC.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40
