Having nurse administrators at the helm of an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) can help the facility better weather staffing shortages. It can also help centers come up with more “creative” solutions, some industry leaders believe. “There’s a place for folks that are non-clinicians in ASCs, but I just don’t think it should be as the administrator,” Janet Carlson, executive director of ambulatory surgery centers for Commonwealth Pain & Spine, told Ambulatory Surgery Center … [Read more...]
Debt, Knowledge Gaps Pose Barriers for Younger Physicians on Path to ASC Ownership
As more procedures transition to outpatient settings, new opportunities are emerging for physicians to become ambulatory surgery center (ASC) owners or partners. Yet younger physicians, in particular, face several hurdles on the path to ownership. “[Younger physicians] don't know about the value proposition of an ASC short and long term,” Janet Carlson, executive director of ambulatory surgery centers with Commonwealth Pain & Spine, told Ambulatory Surgery Center News. “They don't see … [Read more...]
Regent Surgical Expands Executive Team, Sets Out to Strengthen ASC Partnerships
Regent Surgical, a partner for health systems and physician practices specializing in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), has expanded its C-suite. The company recently appointed Kendall Hagood as chief commercial officer and promoted Riley Orr to COO. “The addition of Kendall and Riley to our leadership team represents further investment in our commitment to excellence and to being a true, additive partner to health systems and physicians,” Travis Messina, Regent Surgical’s CEO, said in … [Read more...]
TOC Expands Orthopedic Footprint with Orthopedic Surgery Center, Names New CEO
With orthopedic providers across Florida seeing more procedures shifting to the outpatient setting, the Tallahassee Orthopedic Clinic (TOC) is poised to embrace this change with expanded services and new leadership. In early February, TOC officially announced the opening of its Spine and Joint Surgery Center, along with the appointment of its longtime CFO, Kelby Tardi, as the organization’s new CEO. TOC has long been a major player in the region, with 35 physicians, 10 regional offices … [Read more...]
Key Insights from ASC Leaders: The Quotes That Have Defined 2024
You can often take the pulse of any industry by analyzing the words of its leaders. And while there were plenty of interesting quotes from ambulatory surgery center (ASC) leaders in our reporting this year, a few stood out for their thoughtfulness, candor and relevance. From pricing transparency and strategic partnerships, to navigating compliance and the growing shift towards high-acuity procedures, these quotes capture the essence of the challenges and opportunities facing ASCs … [Read more...]
ASC Ownership Showdown: Physician, Corporate or Joint Venture
The ambulatory surgery center (ASC) landscape in the United States is made up of several thousand facilities, which can be broadly categorized as physician-owned, corporate-owned, and joint ventures between physicians, health systems and operating partners. Each category carries distinct advantages and disadvantages, making it essential for ASC stakeholders to understand the nuances of each model thoroughly, industry leaders told ASC News. “There are many new and different ASC ownership … [Read more...]
Beyond the Operating Room: How Bend Surgery Center Turned Culture into an Asset
Bend Surgery Center has steadily grown over the years, making a name for itself in the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) industry. A big part of its success has been its organizational culture and commitment to excellence, according to administrator Todd Currier. Founded in the late 1990s, Bend Surgery Center has expanded from relatively modest beginnings to become a roughly 44,00-square-foot multi-specialty ASC with several operating rooms. Today, the surgery center has a patient volume of … [Read more...]
From Anesthesia Coverage to Rising Expenses: Industry Leaders Share Thoughts on 2024’s Top ASC Challenges
While every year brings new challenges and opportunities, 2024 has been especially interesting for ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) and the patients they serve. The narratives shaping this year include the ongoing shift of higher-acuity procedures into the ASC setting and continued workforce challenges, especially around anesthesiology capacity. Storylines defining 2024 also include robust M&A and joint venture activity, including rumors swirling around one of the largest ASC operating … [Read more...]
‘It’s Exciting Stuff’: AMSURG COO Keith Hennegan Discusses the ASC Titan’s Next Chapter, Growth Outlook
It has been a busy summer for AMSURG, one of the largest ambulatory surgery center (ASC) operators in the country. In the past three months, the Nashville, Tennessee-based company, which operates a network of approximately 250 surgery centers nationwide, announced several new joint ventures across a range of specialties in California, Oregon and Nevada. And there are more partnerships in the pipeline, according to AMSURG Chief Operating Officer Keith Hennegan. Hennegan recently … [Read more...]
Cardiovascular Logistics Appoints Kristen Richards as VP of Ambulatory Care
Cardiovascular Logistics has named Kristen Richards as vice president of ambulatory care, aiming to enhance support for its cardiac catheterization labs, ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) and office-based labs (OBLs). Richards, with over 20 years of health care experience, previously served as VP of cardiovascular operations at Atlas Healthcare Partners. “ASCs need to ensure they have the right staff, technology and accreditation to perform [cardiac] procedures safely,” Richards told ASC … [Read more...]