As Alabama’s aging population drives up demand for vision care, ophthalmology group TriaVision is expanding its clinical model by opening its first ambulatory surgery center (ASC). With a Certificate of Need (CON) granted in May 2025, the Birmingham-based eye care group is preparing to launch a two-operating-room ASC in Jefferson County, an effort aimed at delivering faster, more cost-effective cataract and glaucoma surgeries while maintaining a tightly integrated care model with its existing … [Read more...]
AI Surgery Debate Heats Up After Elon Musk’s Robot Prediction
A social media post from Elon Musk set off a flurry of commentary across the surgical community over the last week. To recap, Musk – the billionaire entrepreneur and technology guru best known for building companies like Tesla and SpaceX – believes that AI-powered robots will soon take over a lot of the highly skilled functions surgeons perform in the operating room. Leaders in the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) space aren’t convinced his forecast is realistic, however. “Robots will … [Read more...]
Smaller ASCs See Big Revenue Gains Amid Rising Orthopedic Demand, Lower Claim Denials
2024 was defined by a marked increase in cardiology procedures, with OR times for these procedures decreasing by about 28% compared to the previous year. This has big implications for ambulatory surgery center (ASC) operators. “You combine this improving efficiency with high net revenue per case, which we see as $4,600 on average per case, and those two combined mean that we’re seeing very impressive improvements in overall revenue per minute of operating time,” Bill Prentice, CEO of the … [Read more...]
Baxter Restarts Second IV Line, Releases First Product Manufactured After Hurricane Helene
Baxter announced a significant milestone in its recovery efforts at the North Cove, North Carolina, manufacturing facility, which was severely impacted by Hurricane Helene. The company has successfully restarted a second IV solutions production line, following the relaunch of the first line in late October, the company announced in a Nov. 14 update. Together, these lines now represent 50% of the site’s pre-hurricane production capacity and 85% of its one-liter IV solution output – critical … [Read more...]
Trump’s Return: How the New Administration Could Shape Future of Ambulatory Surgery Centers
The 2024 presidential election has ushered in Donald Trump’s return to the White House. With it, questions arise about the future of health care policy and implications for the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) industry. “President Trump was president for four years, so it’s not like we’re walking into this completely blind,” J. Blake Peart, managing director at health care advisory firm Vertess, told ASC News. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) remains a critical issue, Peart said. During his … [Read more...]
Bon Secours Mercy Health, Compass Surgical Partners, AlignedCardio to Open Cardiovascular ASC
Bon Secours Mercy Health, Compass Surgical Partners and AlignedCardio have announced plans to open a cardiovascular ambulatory surgery center (ASC) in the Short Pump area of Henrico, Virginia. Driven by technological advancements and data demonstrating safety, cardiovascular procedures are increasingly being performed in ASCs. The new facility, Short Pump Cardiovascular Ambulatory Surgery Center, is set to open in late 2025. The 8,000-square-foot center will offer a range of procedures, … [Read more...]
Citing Affordability and Patient Satisfaction, ASC Stakeholders Keep Pushing for CMS Cardiovascular Codes
There is a growing movement in the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) industry to include more cardiovascular codes in the Covered Procedures List (CPL). ASCs have been positioned to transform cardiovascular care in the U.S. since the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) added percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) to its covered procedure list in 2020. What’s more, cardiovascular procedures in ASCs are becoming more and more common due to technological advancements, … [Read more...]
Heart Health in ASCs: Preparing for the Shift to Cardiovascular Procedures
Not too long ago, it may have seemed far-fetched to have your heart surgery performed outside of the traditional hospital setting. But that’s increasingly happening, as more types of cardiovascular procedures are being shifted into the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) setting. The trend is likely to continue, too, prompting more ASC operators to consider solidifying their cardiovascular strategies. About 121.5 million people are diagnosed with heart disease each year, though only 6.5 … [Read more...]