Increasing outpatient surgical capacity is the top reason hospitals and health systems own or affiliate with ASCs, a position it has held for three consecutive editions of the 7th Hospital Leadership ASC Survey from Avanza + MedHQ, conducted with HealthLeaders Media.
Respondents could choose up to three reasons. Here are all nine, ranked by share of respondents:
- Increase outpatient surgical capacity: 38%
- Reduce costs: 37%
- Prevent physicians from taking cases outside the hospital or system: 36%
- Enhance physician relationships: 35%
- Recruit surgeons: 34%
- Respond to consumer-driven trends: 32%
- Support a value-based strategy: 32%
- Payer pressure: 29%
- Enter new markets: 27%
The spread is narrow. With nine options and three picks each, a reason chosen at random would land near 33%, so the clustering reflects modest differences in emphasis, the report said.
The order has shifted over time. Reducing costs and keeping physicians from taking cases outside the system have each climbed several spots since the 2023 edition. Enhancing physician relationships, a top-three reason as recently as the sixth edition, has fallen toward the middle. Recruiting surgeons, historically one of the lower-ranked reasons, has moved up.
Recruitment shows up elsewhere in the survey. Ninety-seven percent of respondents said having an ASC helps with surgeon recruitment, and 14% called it a requirement for most recruits. Systems are also offering ASC equity to employed physicians and using it to recruit both employed and independent physicians into surgery center projects, according to the report.
Payer pressure ranked near the bottom as a motive, even though nearly all respondents reported pressure from commercial payers to move services into outpatient settings.
Entering new markets ranked last but was still cited by more than a quarter of respondents. The report said that’s evidence ASC strategy is becoming a growth lever, not just a defensive one.
Additionally, 75% of respondents describe their planned pace as aggressive or moderate, while 63% expect modest expansion, 21% will expand only as opportunities arise and 12% plan rapid expansion.
Eighty-nine percent have at least one ASC affiliated, owned or under development, and 53% report five or more. In 2021, 46% of hospitals and health systems had at least one ASC.
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.
