Bon Secours Mercy Health and Compass Surgical Partners have opened a new ambulatory surgery center (ASC) in Newport News, Virginia, a project notable for clearing one of the toughest regulatory hurdles in the country.
The JV partners had to secure Virginia’s Certificate of Need (CON) approval, a requirement that enables the facility to serve Medicare patients. Historically, Virginia has been one of the rougher CON markets, limiting ASC development in the state.
The Coastal Virginia Surgery Center, a 20,000-square-foot facility with four operating rooms, began performing cases this month. The center will specialize in orthopedic care, including total joint replacements, extremity surgeries, spine and pain management procedures.
Local physicians are equity partners in the venture, which executives said helped shape the ASC’s design and operations.
“Coastal Virginia Surgery Center is led by surgeons who live and practice in this community,” physician partner Dr. Boyd W. Haynes, III, a fellowship-trained Sports Medicine specialist at Orthopaedic & Spine Center in Newport News, said in a press release. “We have a direct hand in how it is designed, staffed and equipped, which means it reflects what we believe patients deserve: a safe, efficient, and highly personalized surgical experience.”
For surgeons, the new facility expands the ability to move more complex cases out of hospitals and into outpatient settings.
“With the new Coastal Virginia Surgery Center, we’ll be able to safely expand same-day spine procedures, reducing both hospital stays and recovery times while delivering exceptional outcomes,” Dr. Jeffrey R. Carlson, a spine surgeon at Orthopaedic & Spine Center, said in the release.
The launch underscores how health systems and their partners are leaning on joint ventures to gain scale in outpatient surgery, a segment that continues to draw investment for its lower costs and favorable patient outcomes.
Pat Davis-Hagens, market president for Bon Secours Hampton Roads, said the ASC reflects the system’s push toward a more robust outpatient strategy.
“By investing in outpatient care that’s both cost-effective and high-quality, we’re making it easier for patients to get the care they need close to home,” Davis-Hagens said in the release.
Compass, based in Raleigh, North Carolina, has been aggressively building out its network alongside Bon Secours Mercy Health, with centers already operating or in development in Ohio, Illinois, South Carolina and other parts of Virginia.
“Coastal Virginia Surgery Center exemplifies the high-performance model that’s possible only through strong, intentional alignment with physicians,” Compass President Sean Rambo said.
