Avanza Healthcare Strategies

As the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) industry heads deeper into 2026, many of the most consequential forces shaping its future are not the ones making headlines. Beyond the familiar debates over reimbursement, procedure migration and consolidation, a sometimes quieter set of dynamics is emerging – issues that are unfolding incrementally, often outside formal rulemaking or earnings calls, but with the potential to materially alter how ASCs operate, compete and grow. To surface these … [Read more...]

Instrument sterilization inside any health care facility is crucial for patient safety. Failing to sterilize properly can lead to serious consequences. In May, Parkwest Surgery Center, an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) based in Knoxville, Tennessee, was sued by four patients claiming they contracted an unusual bacteria during knee procedures in 2023. This resulted in multiple emergency room visits and repeat surgeries after their initial surgeries failed to heal, according to Knoxville news … [Read more...]

If 2026 is shaping up to be a defining year for the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) business model, it is also one that will test its limits. Rising labor costs, payer complexity, anesthesia shortages and margin pressure are operational realities that executives are confronting daily. The shift of higher-acuity cases into outpatient settings continues, but the economic and workforce infrastructure needed to support that growth has not always kept pace. For many operators, the challenge is … [Read more...]

The ambulatory surgery center (ASC) industry is entering 2026 with plenty of momentum, fueled by a shifting regulatory landscape plus rising demand from patients and payers alike. But there are sizable hurdles ASC operators will need to clear as they move forward. To help set the scene, Ambulatory Surgery Center News connected with 12 ASC leaders and market experts, asking them about the trends, challenges and opportunities likely to define 2026 most. Those who participated in this … [Read more...]

When the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced its new Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction (WISeR) Model this summer, the agency framed the program as an effort to cut down on unnecessary spending, fraud and abuse in Medicare.  But for ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), the six-year test could mean new layers of prior authorization, administrative work and uncertainty around how advanced technologies will be applied in clinical decisions. The voluntary … [Read more...]

Already looking ahead to 2026, ambulatory surgery center (ASC) leaders are making plans for where they’ll put their dollars to work. Outpatient demand continues to climb, and with the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) steadily opening the door to more procedures in the ASC setting, operators are thinking carefully about how to match that growth with the right investments. To get a better sense of what’s on the radar of surgery centers, ASC News asked operators to pull … [Read more...]

Hospital and health system ownership of ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) is reaching new heights. That’s according to the recently released 6th Avanza Intelligence Hospital Leadership ASC Survey. “Hospital systems were faced with a choice,” explained a report based on the survey. “They chose ASCs.” The accelerated hospital and health system interest in ASCs comes as organizations continue to prioritize outpatient surgery as a strategic imperative tied to patient, payer and physicians … [Read more...]

As hospitals continue to seek ways to reduce costs and increase efficiency, many are turning to the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) model. One emerging strategy is converting hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs) into ASCs. This trend is gaining traction as payers push for more care to be delivered in lower-cost settings and patients increasingly prefer the convenience of outpatient procedures. However, the transition from an HOPD to an ASC is not as simple as flipping a switch. While … [Read more...]

Certificate of need (CON) laws have long shaped the development of health care facilities across the United States, originally enacted to control costs, reduce duplication of services and make sure resources were distributed in line with community needs.  However, these regulations have increasingly come under scrutiny by ambulatory surgery center (ASC) operators who argue the laws restrict growth, limit physician autonomy and stifle free-market competition.  Several states, most recently … [Read more...]

One of the most significant, sector-shaping trends in health care is the migration of care out of the traditional hospital and into lower-cost outpatient settings. Ambulatory surgery center (ASC) market growth reflects this idea. In light of this overarching theme of care shifting into non-traditional settings, the ASC industry has entered into a period of rapid change and fast-paced growth that’s certain to extend into 2025. More private equity investors will turn their attention to … [Read more...]