Image by Gerd Altmann from PixabayMore and more ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) are leveraging AI to streamline administrative processes, boost operational efficiency, improve patient care and ensure safety.
And that’s a trend likely to pick up in 2026, industry insiders told Ambulatory Surgery Center News.
“Baby boomers are reaching their high-demand years for health care needs, joint replacement surgery, orthopedic surgery,” Dr. Alexander van der Ven, head of the joint replacement division at Baptist Health Orthopedic Care in South Florida, told ASC News. “Joint replacement surgery is one of the most significant sections and components of Medicare, specifically on the surgical side. AI robotics are helping us optimize the patient experience, clinical outcomes and the clinical longevity of joint replacement surgery.”
For some ASCs, AI primarily serves as a support tool, automating repetitive tasks and providing data-driven insights to enhance human decision-making.
Some ASCs are also using AI throughout the entire perioperative process, from patient scheduling and preoperative assessment to intraoperative support and postoperative monitoring.
“Our scheduling platform uses AI to anticipate bottlenecks and adjust block times dynamically,” Marc McComas, vice president of regional operations for Solara Surgical Partners, told ASC News. “It has helped us balance efficiency with surgeon preference while keeping usage high. The result is smoother transitions, fewer delays and more predictable days for both staff and patients.”
Solar Surgical Partners offers operational management for existing ASCs, with locations in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Southlake, Texas.
Creating efficiencies
Solara Surgical Partners began adopting AI solutions to address a combination of operational and clinical needs, according to McComas.
“ASCs run lean and small inefficiencies add up quickly,” he said. “We started looking at AI to streamline scheduling, optimize room usage and identify patterns that could improve both patient flow and clinical safety. It wasn’t about chasing new technology – it was about solving persistent pain points that affect efficiency and patient experience.”
McComas said his team assesses AI solutions the same way they evaluate any new process or device. The tool must clearly improve results or reduce costs without adding complexity.
“We look for measurable ROI metrics like reduced turnover time, fewer same-day cancellations or improved on-time starts,” he said. “We also consider soft metrics like staff satisfaction and reduced administrative workload because those directly affect long-term operational health.”
Decision-making is a collaborative approach when it comes to adopting new technologies, McComas said. He explained that he works closely with clinical leadership, information technology partners and key vendor teams to vet tools before they are incorporated into workflows.
Surgeons and nurses are deeply involved early on because they can immediately tell whether the tool will be integrated smoothly or cause friction.
From his perspective, McComas said AI has enhanced patient safety, surgical results and efficiency.
“Predictive analytics have helped us anticipate case complexity and optimize staffing, which translates to fewer delays and safer operations,” he explained. “Real-time data on turnover and equipment readiness has cut wasted minutes between cases. Even small gains add up to meaningful improvements in patient flow and safety.”
Solara’s scheduling platform leverages AI to predict bottlenecks and modify block times, McComas noted. It has assisted the team in balancing efficiency with surgeon preferences while maintaining high usage.
Minneapolis-based Allina Health is also leveraging AI to optimize its operations.
With AssistIQ, a health care technology company leveraging AI and computer vision to add efficiency to supply and implant management, the nonprofit health system gains real-time insights across its procedural areas.
By ensuring that every supply and implant is accurately documented at the point of use, AssistIQ provides data to record charges and support better-informed operational decisions.
“Having complete and reliable data on the supplies and implants used in procedures allows our teams to work more efficiently to serve our patients better,” Tom Lubotsky, chief supply chain officer at Allina Health, said. “With this new technology, every product is captured consistently, giving us the foundation to understand our product costs, waste and use and roll out a single reliable system across our facilities.”
Early deployment has reportedly shown measurable improvements, with teams capturing more billable products, strengthening revenue integrity and easing the documentation burden on staff.
