Orlando (Fla.) Health and Southlake, Texas-based Solara Surgical Partners launched a national ASC joint venture in July, and the deal is about more than expansion.
The move reflects a growing shift in the ASC industry. As independent physician opportunities shrink and consolidation accelerates, ASC management companies are increasingly turning to health systems as their primary growth engine.
The partnership pairs Orlando Health’s clinical infrastructure with Solara’s ASC development and management expertise, with an initial focus on optimizing Orlando Health’s existing ASC portfolio and accelerating new center development in Florida and other target regions.
Steve Hockert, chief development officer of Solara, told Becker’s the partnership’s initial focus over the next year will be “operational refinement — drawing efficiencies from existing facilities, improving utilization, outcomes and performance across [Orlando Health’s] ASC portfolio.”
Solara also plans to work alongside Orlando Health’s hospitals to identify where ASC development best supports community needs.
“Given the size of the account, that’s a top priority, and we anticipate growing alongside them,” he said.
Florida — and the broader Southeast — will be a strategic focus for Solara moving forward.
“There may be consolidation opportunities, and we’ll likely shift partially toward an acquisition-based growth model over the next five years, with emphasis on that region,” he said.
The partnership also reflects what Mr. Hockert described as a “foundational shift” in Solara’s growth strategy from its historical approach of forming joint ventures with independent physicians toward deeper health system affiliations.
That shift, he said, is being driven in part by the shrinking pool of independent practice opportunities. In 2024, at least 47% of physicians were employed by or affiliated with hospital systems, up from about 30% in 2012, according to a report from the Government Accountability Office. Corporate entities, including insurers and private equity-backed companies, employed 23% of physicians in 2024, up from 15% in 2019.
“What was available then isn’t as available today,” he said. “You have to pivot with the changes to continue to grow and survive. Health system alignment is a priority focus. We don’t want to dismiss independent physician opportunities, but private equity consolidation and health system acquisitions have made those opportunities far less frequent.”
The pivot also underscores the broader acceleration of health system ambulatory strategies, as both payers and patients increasingly recognize the cost and convenience advantages of ASCs. In a 2025 VMG Health survey of health system executives, outpatient surgery ranked as the top service line for joint venture partnerships, with more than 60% of respondents naming ASCs as a primary growth interest.
Several similar partnerships were inked in 2025. In December, Brentwood, Tenn.-based Surgery Partners partnered with Dallas-based Baylor Scott & White Health to jointly own a 16-bed hospital in Bryan, Texas. The two organizations will jointly own The Physicians Centre Hospital alongside physicians at the facility.
“When we align with health systems, it’s to support their mission,” Mr. Hockert said. “ASCs are increasingly a big pillar of that support, and we’re well positioned to help them deliver on that.”
