August 12, 2022 – The latest national survey commissioned by Avanza Healthcare Strategies, a leading expert on ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) and outpatient services, found most hospitals and health systems are planning to increase investments in ASCs.
This fourth annual survey of senior healthcare executives and clinical leaders, available here, provides insight into hospital-owned and hospital-physician joint venture ASC trends. The results emphasize the growing importance of ASCs to hospital systems attributable to a multitude of factors, including the ongoing shift of surgical procedures into the outpatient setting, growing competition for physicians and cases, and the value-based care movement.
Key findings include:
- Hospital systems are expanding their ASC portfolios, and many are converting hospital outpatient departments to ASCs.
- More than 80 percent of hospital systems surveyed have one or more of their ASCs as joint ventures with physicians, and more than half are allowing employed physicians to invest in their ASCs.
- Third-party management and partnerships continue to decline.
Avanza Founder and President Joan Dentler notes, “It comes as no surprise to see our new survey indicate that hospital systems are pursuing a variety of ASC initiatives — often in partnership with physicians — that will allow them to broaden their surgery center and outpatient portfolios. As surgical care continues its migration out of the inpatient setting, hospital systems are recognizing the need for at least one ASC — and increasingly multiple centers — in their portfolios.”
Dentler also points to the maturity of the ASC industry. “In the early days of ASCs, management services were often a necessity to running a viable surgery center. But thanks to the proliferation of support services and technologies for the industry and growth of those professionals with ASC experience, the need to give up valuable equity and enter expensive management agreements is no longer a requisite for ASC success.”