The ambulatory surgery center (ASC) industry enters 2026 with undeniable momentum – and a growing sense that the “easy” part of the outpatient shift is over. More procedures are moving out of hospitals, yes. And it’s true that payers, employers and patients all continue to favor lower-cost (and more convenient) sites of care. What’s more, regulators are expanding what ASCs can do, and investors still view the sector as one of health care’s few durable growth stories. But the operating … [Read more...]
2025’s Hidden-Gem Stories: Pediatric ASCs, CMS Experiments and the Next Big Surgery Center Platform
Not every story that shapes the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) industry does so with splashy headlines or massive traffic numbers. Some of the most consequential developments unfold more quietly: through pilot programs, early-stage platforms, regulatory experiments or strategic bets that signal where the market may be headed next. In 2025, ASC News published several such stories that didn’t dominate the click charts but offered insight into how outpatient care is evolving beneath the … [Read more...]
Inside Regent’s Bet on Pediatric ASCs – And Why It Could Redefine Outpatient Surgery
Colorful, friendly cartoon characters that educate children and families about upcoming medical procedures. Specialized recovery areas designed to help young patients reorient themselves after surgery. Waiting rooms that provide comfort to anxious parents. Many families find pediatric procedures — especially those in hospitals — to be stressful and intimidating. However, it doesn’t have to be that way. Two innovative partners are using patient-centered strategies to transform this experience … [Read more...]
Regent Surgical Enters Pediatric ASC Market with Patches Kids Care Joint Venture
The pediatric ambulatory surgery center (ASC) space continues to attract attention. And as parents, payers and health systems look for ways to deliver safe, cost-effective care for children, operators are beginning to stake their claim in a market historically dominated by hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs). Regent Surgical, a Nashville-based developer and operator of ASCs, is the latest to place a bet on the future of pediatric outpatient surgery. The company on Sept. 3 announced a … [Read more...]