Episode 293 - Getting Ready for the CMS Ambulatory Specialty Model, the Proposed Bon Secours-Surgery Partners Deal, and an Interview with Daren Smith on QAPI and Quality Studies - October 28, 2026

In this episode of the ASC Podcast with John Goehle, a mandatory CMS specialty payment model starting in January puts quality and cost scores on the line for the specialties ASCs live on, and a proposed $5.7 billion deal would put a health system behind one of the big ASC management companies. Then John sits down with Daren Smith of Surgical Information Systems on building a QAPI program around outcomes instead of boxes — and the difference between a QI activity and a real QI study.

This episode is sponsored by Surgical Information Systems, RFX Solutions, Medserve and Ambulatory Healthcare Strategies.

Notes and Resources from this Episode:

‘Consolidation of Consolidators’: Unpacking the $5.7B Bon Secours-Surgery Partners Deal — Ambulatory Surgery Center News (October 27, 2026): ascnews.com

HealthSpan Partners to Acquire Surgery Partners (proposed; expected to close in the first quarter of 2027, subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals) — Surgery Partners press release, SEC Form 8-K Exhibit 99.1 (October 26, 2026): sec.gov

CMS Ambulatory Specialty Model (ASM) — mandatory specialty payment model; performance years 2027–2031, payment adjustments 2029–2033 (heart failure & low back pain, two-sided risk) — CMS: cms.gov | ASM FAQs | ASM Model Fact Sheet

ANNOUNCEMENT - Live Conference Week recordings now available for individual purchase - Premium Access members get all four free: asc-central.com - Conferences & Programs

Infection Control Oversight 101 (IC101): asc-central.com/ic101-2026

Infection Control Coordinator Training (IC 201): asc-central.com/ic201-2026

Quality Improvement & Peer Review (QAPI): asc-central.com/qapi-2026

Article 28 Mastery, New York D&TC and ASC: asc-central.com/article-28-2026

INFORMATION ABOUT THE ASC PODCAST WITH JOHN GOEHLE

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Patron Membership — $25/month, individual: the full resource library (policies, forms, drill kits, templates), weekly drop-in Zoom sessions, all six recorded conferences, the member forum, the complete podcast library, and The Survey Guide for ASCs, 2026 Edition with Appendices A–N. Become a Patron Member

Premium Access — $3,995/year, covering your entire surgery center (not per person): everything in Patron, plus the Administrator, Director of Nursing and Business Office Manager Bootcamps, the ASC Leadership Mastery Course, Infection Control 101 & 201 (CAIP preparation), Annual Mandatory Education, compliance tools and self-assessments, certificates with AEUs and IPCH credits, every new conference we release, and up to five hours of private consulting a year. Sign up for Premium Access

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