Outpatient surgeries continue to rise in the U.S., with more than 65% of procedures now performed outside the hospital.
The shift accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic and has persisted, with outpatient volumes growing about 6% annually. The findings come from a December study published in Medical Care Research and Review.
The trend is especially pronounced in specialties such as orthopedics, ophthalmology and gastroenterology, as advances in technology allow more complex procedures, including joint replacements and spine surgeries, to be performed without a hospital stay. Federal regulators are also phasing out the inpatient-only list, beginning with 285 procedures in 2026 and continuing through 2028.
However, researchers identified disparities in access. Outpatient procedure volume fell 6% among patients in lower-income areas, while rising 5.2% in higher-income communities.
Cost savings have also not reached patients. While joint replacement costs dropped by about $6,000 to $7,000 per case, out-of-pocket expenses remained largely unchanged, the study found.
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