ASC News

 Here are the top-read stories on Becker's ASC Review for the week of Oct. 19-23:

Five employees at Albuquerque, N.M.-based UNM Health's outpatient surgery center recently tested positive for COVID-19, local news affiliate KRQE reported Oct. 21.

The shift of more complex orthopedic, spine and cardiology procedures to the ASC has accelerated over the past few months. That transition will likely continue in the coming years with CMS’ proposal to remove 266 orthopedic procedures, including 67 spine…

Houston Metro Ortho and Spine Surgery Center asked the appeals court for the 14th District of Texas to vacate an $8 million award Harris County District Court awarded Richard Francis, MD, because of the language in Dr. Francis' employment contract,…

  A New York otolaryngologist and lawmaker allegedly arranged to sell pills to a woman for sex at a Goodwill store parking lot, according to an NBC4 report Oct. 20.

During an Oct. 14 panel led by Scott Becker at the Becker's ASC Virtual Event, industry experts gathered to discuss where they see the potential for growth in ambulatory surgery center chains.

During an Oct. 15 panel led by Scott Becker at the Becker's ASC Virtual Event, industry experts gathered to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic and their priorities going into 2021.

Here are the top five companies by number of centers in the ambulatory surgery space and the people who lead them:

More than 300 members of two healthcare-focused unions in Hawaii protested in response to Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente's decision to close an ASC and discontinue gastroenterology services at Wailuku (Hawaii) Medical Office, Pacific Business News reports. 

The Colorado Court of Appeals reversed a $7 million judgment against Surgery Center at Lone Tree (Colo.) on Oct. 15, saying the ASC should not have been held vicariously liable for a spine surgeon's alleged malpractice.