The vast majority of ambulatory surgery center (ASC) operators participate in the Ambulatory Surgery Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR) Program, a new industry survey suggests. The ASCQR Program requires ASCs to report specific quality measures to the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA) looked at participation in a recent survey, publishing results on Aug. 30. The survey collected 321 responses from surgery centers across … [Read more...]

TPG Inc. (Nasdaq: TPG) and UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) have emerged as potential suitors for ambulatory surgery center (ASC) operating company Surgery Partners (Nasdaq: SGRY). UnitedHealth Group is the parent company of both UnitedHealthcare and Optum, its health care services arm. The health care giant is no stranger to the ASC space, with Optum taking over SCA Health for $2.3 billion in 2017. Meanwhile, TPG is a global alternative asset manager with $229 billion in assets under … [Read more...]

Montecito Medical has purchased an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) property in Indiana. Announced on Aug. 13, the transaction adds to the recent M&A activity surrounding ASC operators and facilities. Financial terms of Montecito Medical’s acquisition were not disclosed. “We are excited to add this high-quality ASC asset to our portfolio as we expand our footprint in the Greater Chicago MSA,” Rus Gudnyy, senior vice president of investments at Montecito Medical, said in a company … [Read more...]

MyMichigan Health at the start of August completed its acquisition of Ascension Michigan’s locations in Saginaw, Tawas and Standish. Officially announced on Aug. 1, the transaction includes Ascension St. Mary’s of Saginaw, Ascension St. Mary’s Towne Center, Ascension St. Joseph in Tawas and Ascension St. Mary’s of Standish, plus all related sites of care and related physician practices of Ascension Medical Group. The deal includes an ambulatory surgery center (ASC). “We’re honored to be … [Read more...]

The U.S. hospital sector is in serious distress. While many of the largest hospital systems in the nation are doing well financially, hundreds of facilities are in danger of shutting their doors, especially ones located in rural areas. One ripple effect of the hospital struggles could be increased dealmaking activity in the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) space. If a hospital system is struggling financially, it could seek to offload some of its more valuable assets – such as an ASC – to … [Read more...]

SurgNet Health Partners Inc., a Nashville-based ambulatory surgery center (ASC) development and management company, has acquired Tuscaloosa Endoscopy Center, a provider of gastrointestinal diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopic procedures in Alabama.  The center, which was established 40 years ago, is led by board-certified gastroenterologists Dr. AB Reddy, Dr. Rekha Khurana and Dr. Kartika Reddy.  “We could not be more excited to partner with Dr. Reddy and the team at Tuscaloosa Endoscopy … [Read more...]

American Vision Partners is acquiring Eye Care Services from Evernorth Care Group. Phoenix-based American Vision Partners is a fast-growing eye care physician services organization that operates in Arizona, Texas, New Mexico and Nevada. It has more than 137 locations in its network, including several ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). Just a handful of its ASCs include the Barnet Dulaney Perkins Eye Center, Southwestern Eye Center and West Valley Peaks, which American Vision Partners … [Read more...]

Surgery Partners (Nasdaq: SGRY) is rumored to be exploring strategic alternatives, including a potential sale. But that doesn’t mean it’s coming out of acquisition mode. According to a post from legal firm Husch Blackwell, Surgery Partners recently worked with the Orthopedic Institute of Wisconsin to acquire 14 Wisconsin-based practice groups and two ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). “Partners Tom Shorter and Jack Enea led the deal, which brings broad network access and value to patients … [Read more...]

AMSURG, a provider of ambulatory surgery center services, has acquired an ownership interest in River Road Surgery Center, an outpatient surgery center in Salem, Oregon.  The facility is multi-use, AMSURG executives told ASC News, though it has a focus on ear, nose and throat (ENT) procedures.  “The outstanding team at River Road Surgery Center offers an opportunity to further AMSURG’s support for multi-use surgery centers,” John Lamberth, senior vice president of development at AMSURG, … [Read more...]

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a final rule on June 24 that established disincentives for health care providers who practice information blocking.  That could include ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). Under the 21st Century Cures Act, the secretary of the HHS has exercised the department’s authority to establish "disincentives" for health care providers who knowingly engage in practices that unreasonably interfere with the access, exchange or use of … [Read more...]