A new national study found racial, ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in shoulder arthroscopy, a procedure that is increasingly performed in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). Researchers analyzed the 2019 Nationwide Ambulatory Surgery Sample and estimated that 340,892 shoulder arthroscopies were performed across the country that year, with an average charge of $32,910. “There are well-defined disparities in the use of orthopaedic surgery among different patient populations in the … [Read more...]
EHR Adoption in ASCs Reaching Record Highs
Electronic health record (EHR) usage among ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) continues to climb. That’s according to the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association’s (ASCA) July 2025 60-Second Survey. The survey found that 76% of ASCs now use an EHR. That’s the highest percentage since ASCA began asking the question in 2021, reflecting the increasing importance of EHR technology. “It's probably a few industry [and] health care trends happening simultaneously,” ASCA regulatory counsel Alex … [Read more...]
How ASCs Can Turn Audit Stress into Strategy
Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) rarely welcome the moment a letter arrives announcing an audit, investigation or accreditation survey. But a strong compliance strategy can make that experience a more positive one. “In all the years I’ve even worked for a regulator, and all the years I’ve been doing this, I have found very few people, including myself, who can always nail the audit request and really not stress when they get that letter,” Jessica Zeff, CEO of Simply Compliance, said … [Read more...]
Report Finds ASCs Deliver Billions in Savings Compared to Hospitals
Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) can play an important role in reducing health care spending, with facility-level data showing steep price differences between hospital outpatient departments and surgery centers for the same procedures. This is according to a new report from Trilliant Health that looked across five common outpatient surgeries and found that ASC rates were consistently lower than those at hospitals. And while ASC rates were lower in aggregate, the analysis found significant … [Read more...]
From Audits to Accreditation: Why Compliance Culture Matters for ASCs
Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) are facing unprecedented scrutiny as payers lean on artificial intelligence and advanced analytics to identify billing anomalies. But compliance doesn’t need to be overcomplicated, industry experts advise. “We’re just seeing an increased focus on program integrity,” health care attorney Robert Saltaformaggio said on the Advancing Surgical Care Podcast. Both federal and commercial payers are driving this surge, using AI tools to flag potential … [Read more...]
Evolve Orthopedic Partners Launches with OrthoNY Deal, Names Jerry Tillinger CEO
Evolve Orthopedic Partners, a new physician-led management services organization (MSO), has officially launched with its first partnership and a veteran executive at the helm. The MSO announced on Aug. 12 that it has partnered with OrthoNY, a New York-based orthopedic group that operates a network of orthopedic ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) across the state. Backed by health care investment firm Zenyth Partners, Evolve will provide orthopedic practices and ambulatory surgery centers … [Read more...]
Argosy-Backed OR Staffing Solutions Taps New Leadership for National Expansion
O.R. Staffing Solutions (ORSS), a specialized provider of operating room workforce solutions for hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), has appointed Brent Bormaster as CEO. The company also added two health care staffing veterans to its board. The move comes on the heels of a recapitalization and growth partnership with Argosy Healthcare Partners (AHP). Bormaster joins ORSS after serving as president of AHS Staffing, part of American Health Staffing Group (AHSG), where he … [Read more...]
How ASCs Are Navigating Case-Mix Transformation
Ambulatory surgery center (ASC) operators are no strangers to change. But as procedure migration accelerates and specialties like cardiovascular care become more common in the outpatient setting, ASC leaders are being forced to rethink everything from payer strategy to staffing models. “We all have costs. We all see the increase in costs,” Todd Currier of Bend Surgery Center in Oregon said at the Arizona Ambulatory Surgery Center Association’s 2025 Annual Conference in Scottsdale. “Having … [Read more...]
Great Hill Partners Acquires Majority Stake in Blue Cloud Pediatric Surgery Centers
Great Hill Partners has acquired a majority interest in Blue Cloud Pediatric Surgery Centers from TPG’s The Rise Fund. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Founded in 2011, Blue Cloud opened its first centers in Texas. The company now operates 32 facilities in 12 states and sees more than 60,000 pediatric cases a year. "Blue Cloud addresses a critical gap in the U.S. health care system: affordable, high-quality dental and oral surgery for vulnerable populations,” Craig Byrnes, managing … [Read more...]
Bundled Payments Linked to Lower Spending for Outpatient Spine Surgery
Participation in Medicare’s first bundled payment model for outpatient spine surgery can be linked to fewer readmissions and lower costs, according to a recently published study in JAMA Health Forum. Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania examined outcomes for 14,280 Medicare beneficiaries who had outpatient back and neck surgery without spinal fusion between 2013 and 2019. They compared hospitals participating in the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement Advanced (BPCI Advanced) … [Read more...]