The ambulatory surgery center (ASC) landscape continues to evolve with different ownership and management models, one being the ASC and office-based lab (OBL) hybrid, in which operators combine the services of both facilities under the same roof. This model is particularly popular in cardiology, William Hoffman, a shareholder at the law firm Polsinelli, told ASC News. But the hybrid approach also works in other specialties, including ophthalmology, according to Joseph D’Agostino, ASC … [Read more...]
Baxter Restarts Second IV Line, Releases First Product Manufactured After Hurricane Helene
Baxter announced a significant milestone in its recovery efforts at the North Cove, North Carolina, manufacturing facility, which was severely impacted by Hurricane Helene. The company has successfully restarted a second IV solutions production line, following the relaunch of the first line in late October, the company announced in a Nov. 14 update. Together, these lines now represent 50% of the site’s pre-hurricane production capacity and 85% of its one-liter IV solution output – critical … [Read more...]
ASC Execs Secure Their Businesses Against Supply Chain, Staffing, Medicare Advantage Threats
In the wake of Hurricane Helene, which severely disrupted the supply of intravenous (IV) solutions in the United States, ambulatory surgery center (ASC) operators are thinking more seriously about resilience. The recent fluid shortages were a major challenge that taught operators valuable lessons about supply chain vulnerabilities, Dr. Vishal Mehta, president and managing partner at Fox Valley Orthopedic Institute, said at a recent industry conference. Fox Valley operates multiple ASCs in … [Read more...]
Trump’s Return: How the New Administration Could Shape Future of Ambulatory Surgery Centers
The 2024 presidential election has ushered in Donald Trump’s return to the White House. With it, questions arise about the future of health care policy and implications for the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) industry. “President Trump was president for four years, so it’s not like we’re walking into this completely blind,” J. Blake Peart, managing director at health care advisory firm Vertess, told ASC News. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) remains a critical issue, Peart said. During his … [Read more...]
Average ASC Facility Fees Are $3,000 Lower Than Hospital Fees
The average facility fee for ASCs is significantly lower than for hospitals across a variety of common outpatient procedures, which carries implications for policies such as certificate-of-need laws. That’s according to a recent study published in The American Journal of Managed Care which found that hospitals, on average, charge facility fees more than twice as high as those negotiated by ASCs for the same procedures. Hospital fees exceeded ASC fees by $3,077 on average, with mean … [Read more...]
Tenet CEO Anticipates More Favorable Regulatory Landscape for ASC Consolidation
With the potential for regulatory changes on the horizon, particularly regarding antitrust policies, Tenet Healthcare Corporation (NYSE: THC) CEO Saum Sutaria said that a more favorable environment for mergers and acquisitions in the coming years could support further healthcare consolidation. Such a change would support ambulatory surgery center (ASC) dealmaking, although Sutaria noted that ASC merger and acquisition activity is unlikely to trigger antitrust concerns under any circumstances … [Read more...]
VMG: 88% of ASC Leaders Expect 2025 Financial Performance to Meet or Exceed 2024
Despite ongoing challenges, ambulatory surgery center (ASC) leaders remain hopeful about financial performance in 2025. In fact, 88% of ASC operators surveyed by health care consulting and business performance firm VMG Health expect their financial performance to be similar to or better than in 2024. Sentiment about the market is positive, according to the survey. Among respondents, 42% anticipate a positive change in EBITDA, while 46% expect stability. Still, a significant challenge for … [Read more...]
Gramercy Group President Jeffrey Flynn on Expanding Access to Quality Surgical Care, Navigating the ASC Regulatory Landscape
In 2002, the late Katy Chiang saw that New York needed a surgery center, and decided to take matters into her own hands. The wife of a podiatrist and a health system manager, she knew how such an organization should run, too. In founding Gramercy Surgery Center, Chiang became the first woman, and non-physician, to wholly own an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) in the state. Today, Gramercy operates multi-specialty ASCs in Manhattan and Queens, with another opening on Staten Island in … [Read more...]
Surgery Partners CEO Bullish on High-Acuity ASC Growth, Mum on Company Sale Rumors
Executives with Surgery Partners (Nasdaq: SGRY) conveyed a bullish message on the potential for growth and remained quiet on the rumors of a potential company sale during Tuesday’s Q3 2024 earnings call. High-acuity procedures and strategic acquisitions are, and will continue to be, core drivers of growth, the leaders said. “Transition into the ASC setting – that shift in site of care – is in the early innings, and we are well-positioned, with our recruiting team and our portfolio of … [Read more...]
The Critical Role of ASCs During National Emergencies
In the face of unprecedented national emergencies, such as hurricanes or pandemics, ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) have increasingly demonstrated their potential to serve as vital lifelines. The COVID-19 pandemic revealed just how crucial ASCs could be, stepping in to relieve overburdened hospitals and providing a safe space for essential procedures. With both natural disasters and health crises becoming more frequent, ASC operators and policymakers are re-evaluating how these centers can … [Read more...]