Ambulatory surgery center (ASC) growth in 2025 wasn’t evenly distributed across the map. In line with historic trends, it clustered in a handful of large states and metropolitan markets where competition is intense. That’s according to recently released data from ASC Data’s Q4 2025 Insights Report. The report affirmed how out of the more than 6,500 Medicare-certified ASCs operating nationwide, nearly all are concentrated in urban areas. Specifically, about 91% carry an urban designation, … [Read more...]
Executive Outlook, Part III: Under-the-Radar Issues ASCs Must Monitor
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...]
Executive Outlook, Part II: The Challenges That Could Define 2026 for ASCs
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 Technology Needs to Offer a Good User Experience’: Keys to Successful ASC AI Adoption
There’s no denying that artificial intelligence is influencing ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) by enhancing efficiency. And leaders are further exploring how AI can streamline tasks while building staff trust in the technology. The ongoing improvement of administrative tasks is important; however, these tools must be user-friendly to gain support. Dr. Greg Horner, a general partner at Seattle-based venture capital firm Untethered Ventures, noted that the number of administrative … [Read more...]
ASC Leaders Embracing AI to Enhance Efficiency, Patient Safety
More and more ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) are leveraging AI to streamline administrative processes, boost operational efficiency, improve patient care and ensure safety. And that’s a trend likely to pick up in 2026, industry insiders told Ambulatory Surgery Center News. “Baby boomers are reaching their high-demand years for health care needs, joint replacement surgery, orthopedic surgery,” Dr. Alexander van der Ven, head of the joint replacement division at Baptist Health Orthopedic … [Read more...]
Where ASC Leaders Plan to Invest in 2026
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...]
‘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...]
Solara Surgical Partners, Orlando Health Announce New ASC Joint Venture
The ambulatory surgery center (ASC) industry has its newest joint venture. Solara Surgical Partners and Orlando Health are teaming up to form a national JV. Representatives from the two organizations shared the news via email with ASC News on July 28. “This joint venture enables us to establish a national footprint and deliver excellent care more efficiently by streamlining the processes of our surgical services to meet the needs of our patients and providers,” Arthur Grimberg, assistant … [Read more...]