SAAK Health opens new ASC

SAAK Health has opened a new ambulatory surgery center (ASC) in Brookfield, Wisconsin. The center will offer a wide range of minimally invasive procedures, including diagnostic catheterizations and stent placement. 

“The new surgery center is designed to provide advanced surgical care, ensuring that our patients receive the best care available close to home,” SAAK Health surgeon Dr. Ramagopal Tumuluri said in a press release. “This event signifies the beginning of a new chapter in health care for our community, and we are thrilled to share it.”

SAAK Health operates a hospital, also located in Brookfield, which offers services in cardiology, urogynecology, family practice and wound care. 

There was a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new ASC at the end of July.

HCA Healthcare approved for $21 million Virginia ASC

Nashville-based HCA Healthcare (NYSE: HCA) has secured approval from the Virginia Department of Health to build a $21 million ASC in Hanover County, marking the first phase of a larger hospital project.

The center will feature three operating rooms. It is expected to begin construction in 2026, with completion slated for 2027, according to reporting in the Richmond Times Dispatch.

The approval comes after two previous rejections by the state for HCA’s proposals to develop health care facilities at the same site. HCA said the ASC is intended to enhance access to outpatient surgical services for the growing and aging population in Hanover. 

HCA plans to eventually expand the site into a full-service hospital, with additional phases that may include a freestanding emergency room, medical office buildings, and a 60- to 90-bed hospital.

Despite the approval, the project has faced opposition from Bon Secours, which operates the only hospital in Hanover, according to reporting in the Richmond Times Dispatch.

Nashville, Tennessee-based HCA is one of the largest health care companies in the U.S. The system includes 188 hospitals and more than 2,400 ambulatory sites of care, including ASCs via its Surgery Ventures arm.

Upper Mississippi Surgery Center to open in Southwest Wisconsin

Ten surgeons from Dubuque-area practices, including Dubuque Podiatry and Dubuque Orthopaedic Surgeons, are building an ASC in Jamestown, Wisconsin, that will focus on outpatient procedures such as hernia repairs and carpal tunnel releases. 

The facility, which is expected to open in October, is designed to meet the growing demand for lower-cost surgical care, as insurance companies increasingly favor surgery centers over hospitals for same-day operations, surgeons told local news. 

The Upper Mississippi Surgery Center began construction in 2023.

Munson Healthcare to expand with new ASCs in Gaylord and Cadillac

Munson Healthcare is adding new ASCs at its Otsego Memorial Hospital in Gaylord and Cadillac Hospital in Wexford County, Michigan, according to local news sources. 

These ASCs will focus on providing outpatient surgical services, allowing the hospitals’ main operating rooms to concentrate on more complex procedures that require overnight stays.

The new ASC in Gaylord will be located diagonally across from Otsego Memorial Hospital on West North Street, where the current Home Healthcare Office is situated. 

The Gaylord center is expected to be completed within 18 months.

“ASCs are really focused on efficiency,”  Kirsten Korth-White, regional president for Munson Healthcare, told local news. “So by providing a lower-cost option, that’s a focus for health care. How do we keep the costs down? It’s the same great care that they receive in the hospital, it’s just in a more efficient setting. So it’s good for our patients.” 

Eagan Specialty Center opens 36,100-square-foot surgical facility

Midwest Surgery Center, an ASC that is a joint venture between St. Paul Eye Clinic and Midwest ENT, has officially opened the Eagan Specialty Center, a 36,100-square-foot Class-A surgical facility in Eagan, Minnesota. 

Midwest Surgery Center opted to build a new facility to address its needs for expanded capacity. The center will specialize in a range of outpatient procedures primarily focused on ear, nose and throat (ENT) care, as well as ophthalmology.

St. Paul Eye Clinic is an ophthalmology practice with multiple locations in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota. Their clinics offer a wide range of services, including routine eye exams, cataract surgery, LASIK, glaucoma management, and treatment for retinal diseases. 

Meanwhile, Midwest ENT is based in Missouri, and provides a variety of ENT-related surgeries and medical treatments.