Brentwood, Tenn.-based Surgery Partners is accelerating its push into higher-acuity musculoskeletal procedures, with total joint replacements performed in its ASCs growing 14.6% year over year in the first quarter of 2026, executives said in a May 5 first-quarter earnings call transcribed by Motley Fool.
Over the past several years, Surgery Partners has made orthopedics and total joints a centerpiece of its long-term strategy, investing heavily in surgical robotics and physician recruitment to position its ASCs as a viable alternative to the traditional hospital setting for complex procedures.
The company now operates 73 surgical robots across its portfolio, adding double-digit numbers of units annually for several consecutive years. Executives described robotics as the primary unlock for physician adoption of higher-acuity ASC cases, closing the technology gap that previously made surgeons reluctant to move complex joint procedures out of hospital settings.
“We remain focused on thoughtfully deploying this technology to enhance our capabilities where it drives clinical value and enables us to earn more complex, higher-acuity cases,” CEO Eric Evans said.
Roughly 70% of Surgery Partners’ facilities are currently equipped to perform musculoskeletal procedures, with a meaningful runway remaining to expand robotic capabilities within that existing footprint.
“One of the reasons I joined Surgery Partners is its positioning in the market,” said Justin Oppenheimer, the company’s newly appointed COO and president, who has spent much of his first four months visiting Surgery Partners facilities across the country. “The tailwinds in this sector are real, and you can really see them on the ground.”
That recruiting effort is running in parallel. Surgery Partners added approximately 140 physicians in the first quarter, with a heavy concentration in orthopedics. Management noted that this year’s recruiting class is generating higher net revenue per physician than last year’s.
“As we’re out recruiting, one of the things we have to be very focused on is how do we match up technology and capacity in a way that’s attractive to physicians,” Mr. Evans said. “I think our team does that very, very well.”
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.