Surgery Center of Conway partners with AMSURG Physician-owned Surgery Center of Conway and AMSURG have partnered to improve the ophthalmology and retina-focused ambulatory surgery services at the facility. The center in Conway, South Carolina, will use AMSURG’s operational, clinical and financial expertise to enhance its business while maintaining its culture of patient-centered care and physician clinical autonomy, according to a press release highlighting the partnership. Nashville, … [Read more...]
Demographic Insights Help ASC Leaders Understand Resource Intensity, Scheduling Patterns
Demographic data can reveal so much about an ambulatory surgery center’s (ASC’s) patient population, revenue sources and scheduling challenges. And understanding that data can be key to a surgery center’s success. New data from HST Pathways help underscore this idea. HST researchers analyzed over 5.3 million cases across 635 ASCs from Q1 2020 to Q2 2025 to create descriptive benchmarks, aiming to illustrate the procedures different populations undergo and how those procedures appear in … [Read more...]
First-of-its-Kind Pilot Finds Aquablation Feasible for BPH Treatment in ASCs
A recent study published in the medical journal Urology found that performing aquablation for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) at an ambulatory surgical center (ASC) is both safe and effective – potentially shifting toward less invasive, same-day treatments for men with enlarged prostates. Researchers at Potomac Urology Center in Alexandria, Virginia, conducted the first-ever pilot trial to assess the feasibility of aquablation as an outpatient procedure for men with moderate-to-severe … [Read more...]
UCLA Health Closes 2 ASCs, But Market Outlook Remains Strong
UCLA Health officials have confirmed the closure of two small community ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), adding to a string of facility closures over the last two years. The closures are reportedly a cost-cutting measure, and the closure date provided was Dec. 5. “As part of a restructure to improve efficiency, UCLA Health has made the difficult decision to close operations at two small community ambulatory centers in Santa Clarita and Thousand Oaks,” a UCLA Health spokesperson told … [Read more...]
Physician Growth, Anesthesia Pressures Top of Mind for ASC Leadership
Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) are facing complex challenges as they approach 2026. Costs are increasing, physician recruitment is becoming more competitive, and anesthesiology coverage remains a concern. This was all revealed in the recently published VMG Health 2026 Leader Expectations Survey. In September, VMG surveyed 97 leaders from independent and joint-venture ASCs to gain better insight into industry trends and priorities. While ASC leaders remain optimistic about the … [Read more...]
ASC Expansion Driven by Technology, Demographic Changes and Strategic Mergers
The health care industry anticipates substantial growth in outpatient services over the next decade as technology progresses, and an aging population demands more frequent and complex care. That’s based on a new report by Colliers on the growth of ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). Outpatient care is expanding into new regions and service areas to enhance efficiency and patient treatment, creating new opportunities for partnerships and acquisitions for both national and regional hospital … [Read more...]
ASCs Save Both Insurers and Consumers Money Over HOPDs
Outpatient surgeries at ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) are more cost-efficient than those at hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs). That’s according to a study recently published in the American Journal of Managed Care. Outpatient surgery remains a sizable and expanding sector in the U.S. Between 2017 and 2021, per-capita spending on outpatient facilities for commercially insured individuals rose by 19%, according to the Health Care Cost Institute. This trend is likely to persist, … [Read more...]
ASC Pipeline: Mass General Brigham Plans $7.5M ASC; Dignity Health Breaks Ground on Advanced ASC
Mass General Brigham plans $7.5M ASC with Regent Surgical Mass General Brigham (MGB) has signaled plans to develop a standalone ambulatory surgery center (ASC) in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in collaboration with Regent Surgical Health. The project is estimated to cost around $7.5 million, based on a Determination of Need filing submitted to the state’s Department of Public Health (DPH). In February, MGB announced plans to partner with Regent to expand ASC capabilities throughout New England. … [Read more...]
Shifting Joint Replacements to ASCs Boosts Outcomes, Cuts Costs at Hospitals
Ambulatory surgery centers can improve hospital efficiency and outcomes in total joint arthroplasty (TJA), even as hospital-patient acuity rises, a new study has found. The study – published in JAAOS Global Research & Reviews – analyzed 7,775 total hip and knee arthroplasties performed at a single hospital from 2018 to 2023. Researchers compared hospital-based TJA cases before and after the launch of a joint-venture ASC affiliated with the hospital, to assess how shifting healthier … [Read more...]
The States, Cities with the Most High-Performing Ambulatory Surgery Centers
There are thousands of high-performing ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) operating across the United States. But some cities and states have far more high-performing ASCs than others, a new industry ranking from U.S. News & World Report suggests. U.S. News & World Report released its Best Ambulatory Surgery Centers ratings for 2025 on Tuesday. To compile its list of top ASCs, the organization evaluated 4,357 surgery centers in four specialty areas: colonoscopy and endoscopy, … [Read more...]