NORTHSTAR ANESTHESIA MAINTAINS EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY STANDARDS THROUGH THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

IRVING, Texas, Dec. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- NorthStar Anesthesia, an industry leader in providing modernized anesthesia care for nearly two decades, maintained exceptional quality and performance standards amid unprecedented challenges in 2020.  

In 2019 before the pandemic hit, 92% of NorthStar's clinical sites received an "Exceptional Performance Payment Adjustment" score under the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Then in 2020, this rose to 96% amid numerous COVID-19 challenges and an increasingly difficult threshold to receive the exceptional payment adjustment from CMS.

"Our teams performed incredibly well under the difficult circumstances of 2020, and we are pleased to see that our efforts around clinical quality and performance are making a positive impact for both patients and providers," said NorthStar CEO, Adam Spiegel. "We've established an industry leading infrastructure focused on quality improvement and have a dedicated team working to drive these positive outcomes for patients."

NorthStar maintains an Office of Clinical Quality, led by Dr. Josh Lumbley, Chief Quality Officer, and Desirée Chappell, CRNA, Vice President of Clinical Quality, to create the best strategy for improved performance and overall quality. This Office explores case-specific data submissions for all anesthetics performed, examining 20 different clinical quality and operational metrics in real-time using the Provation reporting tool.

The data collected is used to provide insights on performance and can help NorthStar determine if additional training or educational initiatives are needed for specific facilities or providers. NorthStar's clinical leadership also maintains local-level performance data, allowing for real-time feedback and integration of continuous clinical improvements.

NorthStar is committed to investing in high quality care, as demonstrated by the Office of Clinical Quality. Dr. Lumbley recently published an article in ASA Monitor explaining how NorthStar prioritized well-being during the pandemic. Provider well-being initiatives help to ensure quality is maintained for patients by alleviating immediate stressors for clinicians, communicating with transparency, and providing exceptional mental wellness resources.

NorthStar will continue to focus on quality and performance, as the company looks to recruit the best and brightest providers in the new year.

To learn more about NorthStar Anesthesia, visit www.northstaranesthesia.com

About NorthStar Anesthesia
NorthStar Anesthesia is a company of caregivers, founded by an anesthesiologist and a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). With more than 2,000 anesthesiologists and CRNAs under its banner, NorthStar partners with more than 180 health care facilities to deliver a more productive and efficient model of anesthesia care. Its "care team" approach focuses on the provision of high-quality care while measurably improving operating room performance. For more information, visit www.northstaranesthesia.com.

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SOURCE NorthStar Anesthesia