Network expansion, health system alignment and scalable ambulatory growth are expected to be top priorities for Compass Surgical Partners following its appointment of Mark Langston as chief development officer. The Raleigh, North Carolina-based ambulatory surgery center (ASC) development and management company announced Langston’s hire on April 24. Langston previously served as CDO at SCA Health, where he led ambulatory growth initiatives for health systems nationwide. In his new role, … [Read more...]
Contract Disputes, Compliance Gaps and AI Denials Among Growing ASC Legal Risks
Contractual disputes, compliance pitfalls and insurance denials driven by artificial intelligence are among the many legal issues that should be on ambulatory surgery center (ASC) operators' radar in 2025. Generally, legal experts expect litigation involving ASCs to rise this year, attorneys at ArentFox Schiff wrote in a recent JD Supra post, pointing to expanding case volume tied to operational, regulatory and transactional friction points. As more high-acuity procedures shift from … [Read more...]
Debate Grows Over Impact of Site Neutrality on Outpatient Care
The site-neutrality movement, aimed at standardizing payments across outpatient health care settings, has rapidly emerged as an important discussion among ambulatory surgery center (ASC) operators. While potentially beneficial in driving procedures into lower-cost environments by eliminating hospital facility fees, industry leaders have mixed perspectives on its implementation. Michael McClain, managing partner at Left Coast Healthcare Advisors, told Ambulatory Surgery Center News his … [Read more...]
Majority of ASCs Now Administering OAS CAHPS Survey, ASCA Finds
A new survey from the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA) found that a significant majority of ambulatory surgery centers are now actively administering the Outpatient and Ambulatory Surgery Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (OAS CAHPS) Survey, following its mandate as part of the Medicare ASC Quality Reporting (ASCQR) Program. The March 2025 ASCA 60-Second Survey, which gathered responses from 261 facilities across 44 states, showed a marked shift since last … [Read more...]
Patient Selection: How ASC Operators Can Ensure a Safe Surgical Experience
For ambulatory surgery center (ASC) operators, everything comes down to making sure patients get the right care in the right place. As more complex procedures are moving into the outpatient setting, it is important to understand the factors that may make a patient a good fit for outpatient surgery. Ambulatory Surgery Center News connected with Dr. Glenn Snyders, medical director and head of anesthesiology at DISC Surgery Center in Carlsbad, to go over some of the best patient selection … [Read more...]
AMSURG, Compass, Destin Surgery Center Leaders Discuss the Future of ASCs
Leaders across the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) industry agree on one point: ASCs have never been more essential to the nation’s health care ecosystem. “I think as we see more acute care cases move into our world, we’re all getting really comfortable with the joints, the spine [cases], and now we’re moving into two, three level spines as the codes and and things change,” Deb Yoder, vice president of facility development at Compass Surgical Partners, told Ambulatory Surgery Center News at … [Read more...]
ASC Pipeline: Louisiana Orthopaedic Specialists Opens New Surgery Center; DISC Surgery Center at Tarzana to Open in Q3 2025
LOS launches new ASC Louisiana Orthopaedic Specialists (LOS), the largest orthopedic and spine care provider in Acadiana, has opened a new ambulatory surgery center in Lafayette. The LOS Surgery Center features eight operating rooms and two procedure rooms equipped with the latest surgical technology, including robotics, and is designed to support a broad spectrum of orthopedic, spine and joint replacement procedures. The center will serve as a regional hub for outpatient musculoskeletal … [Read more...]
UnitedHealth Group’s Push for Immediate Cyberattack Loan Repayment Shakes Independent Practices
UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) is reportedly demanding that health care providers repay loans they received from the insurer in the wake of a massive cyberattack last year on subsidiary Change Healthcare. In February of last year, a ransomware attack brought down a swath of Change Healthcare’s payment and processing systems. This shutdown lasted for months, causing far-reaching disruptions that impacted providers across the country. Physicians, ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) and … [Read more...]
‘Pit Crew’ Approach Slashes OR Turnover Time, Boosts ASC Efficiency
For ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), success across a variety of areas can be linked back to operating room efficiency. OR efficiency is critical for ASCs because it directly impacts a facility's ability to maximize case volume and revenue within limited operating hours. Efficient OR booking ensures optimal utilization of surgical time, while fast, safe turnover between procedures minimizes downtime, improves patient flow and enhances surgeon satisfaction. Together, these efficiencies … [Read more...]
ASC Dealbook: Beacon Health System to Buy Ascension’s Southwest Michigan Hospitals, ASC; US Urology Partners Receives Growth Investment from General Atlantic
Beacon’s big buy Beacon Health System has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Ascension’s health care network in Southwest Michigan, including four hospitals, 35 outpatient clinics and an ambulatory surgery center (ASC). The deal, which is pending approval from attorneys general in both Indiana and Michigan, is expected to close this summer. Financial terms were not disclosed. “Expanding our reach deeper into Southwest Michigan broadens access to high-quality, affordable care for … [Read more...]