Robotic surgery can help surgeons perform complex procedures with greater precision, flexibility and control. As a result, the robotic surgery market is growing quickly – especially in orthopedics. In 2024, the global market for robotic surgical procedures was valued at over $11 billion. The market is expected to grow from $13.3 million in 2025 to $42.2 billion in 2032, according to data from Fortune Business Insights. North America dominated the robotic surgical procedures market, … [Read more...]
‘From the Ground Up’: Service Expansion, Rapid Growth on Horizon for Joint Replacement Center
The Joint Replacement Center of Louisiana opened in Lake Charles in January 2023. Just two years later, the center has experienced 20% year-over-year growth in 2025 and expanded to include pain injections, oral maxillofacial dentistry and cosmetic plastic surgery. ASC News interviewed Administrator Jenny Bono to learn more about the center’s strategy and upcoming plans for further growth and expansion. The conversation below has been edited for clarity and length. Can you provide an … [Read more...]
CMS Proposal to Drop Inpatient-Only List, Grow ASC List Sparks 3,900 Comments
The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) floated big changes to the outpatient surgery landscape when the agency shared its 2026 proposed payment rule for ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) on July 15. To recap, CMS’ proposal included doing away with the Medicare Inpatient Only List (IPO), adding to the ASC Covered Procedures List (ASC-CPL) and giving ASCs a relatively modest payment adjustment. CMS likewise proposed changes to the Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality … [Read more...]
ASC Industry Braces for More Red Tape as CMS Pushes Medicare Prior-Authorization Demo
Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) in 10 states will soon face new prior-authorization requirements for a handful of procedures, as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) expands its oversight efforts into the space. The five-year demonstration, announced earlier this month, is designed to test whether earlier documentation review can reduce improper payments while still protecting beneficiary access, according to CMS. CMS has long turned to prior authorization as a way to … [Read more...]
FTC’s New Noncompete Inquiry Raises Questions for ASC Staffing
The Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) latest move on employee noncompete agreements is keeping the issue squarely in the spotlight. Ambulatory surgery center (ASC) leaders are paying close attention. “The ability of ASCs to recruit and retain staff has always been tied to how noncompetes are written and enforced,” Michael McClain of Leftcoast Health told ASC News. “My fear would be that if businesses continue to expand noncompetes in a tight labor market, it’s only going to increase the … [Read more...]
‘We’ve Quietly Built a Strong Portfolio’: Solara Using ‘Boutique Approach’ to Scale Its ASC Network Nationally
One of the more recent joint ventures in the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) landscape is the partnership between Solara Surgical Partners and Orlando Health, announced in July. Initially, the JV will strengthen Florida’s ASC ecosystem. But the partnership between Solara and Orlando Health also sets the stage for expansion into other markets across the U.S., executives told ASC News. “This JV marks an important milestone for Solara – not only in terms of growth but in reinforcing our … [Read more...]
ASCs Still Struggling with Prior Authorization Despite Payer Pledges
Prior authorization has long been one of the most frustrating challenges in outpatient surgery. For ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), where speed and access are supposed to be big advantages, prior authorization often feels like the opposite, sources told ASC News. And even with the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and major payers promising change, ASC leaders and technology vendors say the problem is still very much there. “Prior authorizations have been the bane … [Read more...]
Inside the TEAM Model: CMS Bundled-Payment Model Could Push More Surgeries into Outpatient Settings
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM) will launch in 2026, requiring hospitals to take responsibility for the cost and quality of care for select surgeries. While the model is aimed at hospitals, it also has big implications for ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), especially for procedures that can be performed in both inpatient and outpatient settings. “The team model is the largest mandatory bundled payment model ever … [Read more...]
Bone and Joint Institute Surgery Center CEO Geri Eaves on Tech, Talent and the Future of Outpatient Care
At the Bone and Joint Institute Surgery Center in Franklin, Tennessee, growth has remained steady despite post-COVID staffing hurdles and ongoing financial pressures. Geri Eaves, the center’s CEO and administrator, recently spoke with Ambulatory Surgery Center News about the shift toward higher-acuity orthopedic and spine cases, how her team navigated labor shortages without stipends, and why technology is at the center of her 2025 investment strategy. The conversation – edited for style, … [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...]