Police in Cobb County, Ga., are working to identify the victims of Paul Patrick Serdula, CRNA, who allegedly sodomized, molested and assaulted patients under anesthesia and documented his crimes on video.

After arresting Mr. Serdula, 47, on Nov. 18 for electronic eavesdropping in an Atlanta dentist's office, police searched his home and found recording equipment and computer hard drives that contained hundreds of videos of Mr. Serdula abusing patients during surgical procedures in dental offices and surgical facilities, plus footage of women using the bathroom.

Authorities say they've only identified a handful of victims, including a child, at present. Detectives spent last weekend examining the videos, many of which haven't yet been viewed. "We've only scratched the surface," says Sgt. Dana Pierce of the Cobb County Police Department.

Apparently self-employed, Mr. Serdula is licensed to practice in Georgia and Florida, and may also have worked in California, says Sgt. Pierce. He is currently jailed without bond in Marietta, Ga., on charges of assault, sodomy, child molestation and electronic eavesdropping, according to police. The Georgia Board of Nursing suspended his license on Nov. 25.

Mr. Serdula's arrest followed the discovery of a small video camera in the plumbing insulation beneath a sink in a dental office's women's restroom. This camera contained footage of Mr. Serdula's alleged assaults, which led police to search his home, says Sgt. Pierce.

Police are requesting anyone who has hired or worked with Mr. Serdula to contact detectives Christopher Twiggs or William Caldwell of the Cobb County Police Department at (770) 499-3945.

Kent Steinriede

The U.S. Senate began debating its version of a proposed overhaul for the nation's healthcare system Monday, an $848 billion bill that would impose a 5% tax on cosmetic surgery and place new restrictions on physician-owned hospitals.

The main focus of the legislation is expanding coverage to millions of currently uninsured Americans, but at least 2 of the bill's provisions have drawn fire in the ambulatory surgery community:

A cosmetic surgery tax. Any procedure that doesn't address deformities caused by disease, congenital conditions, accidents or trauma would be subject to a 5% tax. Patients would be responsible for paying the tax, but doctors would have to collect it. Physicians have expressed concerns about the possible burden of determining which procedures are cosmetic and which are necessary. Phil Haeck, MD, president-elect of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, argues that the tax could increase the appeal of medical tourism and expose more patients to its potential risks.

Physician ownership restrictions. By restricting the growth of existing physician-owned hospitals, preventing the development of new ones, and prohibiting Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements for services provided at such facilities, the Senate bill would "eventually [phase] them out of existence," warns the Indiana Orthopaedic Hospital, a physician-owned facility in Indianapolis. Lawmakers who support the restrictions say physician ownership drives up costs, and can lead to overutilization and cherry-picking.

For a closer look at what's in the House and Senate healthcare reform proposals, see the Kaiser Family Foundation's side-by-side analysis.

Irene Tsikitas

Outpatient Surgery Magazine subscribers who participate in our 2009 Showcase Stocking Stuffer Contest this week can learn about new surgical products while earning the chance to win great prizes, including an Apple iPhone 3GS, a Barnes & Noble Nook eReader, a Nintendo Wii, a Garmin GPS and other merchandise.

It's easy, fun and educational. Just point your Web browser to our contest Web page. You'll need your subscriber number (located on your mailing label) and a copy of the November 2009 Product Showcase (which was mailed with November's issue) to participate. But hurry: The deadline for contest entries is Dec. 4.

Stephen Archibald

It's generally assumed that ASC facility fees will drop and resemble Medicare reimbursements more closely if Congress includes a Government-sponsored "public option" in its healthcare reform legislation. Let us know how healthcare reform will affect your business in this week's InstaPoll. We'll report the results in this space next week.

Last week we asked how your 2009 case volume compared to that of 2008. It's hard to say, given the 47 responses we received during a holiday-shortened week.