From operating room utilization to patient outcomes and supply chain costs, ASCs must closely monitor a range of performance data to deliver on their value proposition as a low-cost, high-efficiency alternative to inpatient surgery.
But many ASCs still struggle with data collection and analysis. This largely relates to the stratification of technology use across the industry. According to the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association’s July 2025 survey, only 76% of ASCs use an EHR.
While this is up from 55% in 2021, nearly 1 in 4 ASCs still rely on paper, and two-thirds of those said they plan to remain paper-based until regulations force a change. For the first time since 2021, the ASCA’s survey found data collection ranked as the most valuable EHR benefit, cited by 87% of users.
Raghu Reddy, chief administrative officer of MiOrtho Surgery Center in Southfield, Mich., recently joined Becker’s to discuss the biggest gaps in ASCs’ performance data and how they might be addressed.
Editor’s note: This response has been lightly edited for clarity and length:
Question: If you had to name the single biggest gap between the performance data your ASC collects and the decisions that data is actually informing, what would it be — and what’s standing in the way of closing that gap?
Raghu Reddy: For MiOrtho Surgery Center, the single biggest gap is not the lack of performance data, it is the gap between the data we collect and how consistently that data drives timely operational, financial, and strategic decisions, proactively rather than retrospectively.
We collect a significant amount of information across case volume, block utilization, payer mix, collections, [accounts receivable], implant and supply costs, staffing, quality indicators, patient experience, and surgeon utilization. However, too much of this information is still used retrospectively for reporting rather than proactively to guide decisions such as block allocation, case routing, payer contracting priorities, staffing models, supply standardization, implant cost management and physician engagement.
What stands in the way is fragmentation, timing and clear ownership. Our data comes from multiple systems and departments, including scheduling, revenue cycle, finance, clinical operations, and supply chain. While the data exists, it is not always organized into a simple, actionable dashboard with defined owners and expected actions. As a result, we may identify trends after the fact instead of using the information early enough to influence behavior and outcomes.
To close this gap, MiOrtho needs to continue moving toward a focused set of high-impact KPIs that are reviewed consistently by leadership, managers, physicians and the board. Each KPI should have an owner, a benchmark and a clear decision attached to it. The goal is to move from “here is what happened” to ”here is what we are changing now to improve case volume, profitability, access, quality and the overall surgeon and patient experience.”
At the Becker’s 32nd Annual Meeting: The Business and Operations of ASCs, taking place October 29-31 in Chicago, ASC leaders, surgeons and healthcare executives will explore strategies to drive growth, enhance operational performance, navigate reimbursement challenges and prepare for the future of ambulatory surgery. Apply for complimentary registration now.