Cardiology is undergoing rapid transformation as demand surges, reimbursement shifts tighten margins and demographic trends reshape care models.
These five statistics illustrate why cardiology leaders say the next decade will bring both opportunity and significant operational pressure:
1. Heart failure prevalence is projected to surge 46% by 2030: Heart failure prevalence in the U.S. is expected to rise by 46% between 2012 and 2030, according to AMN Healthcare. This rapid increase, driven by an aging population and rising rates of chronic disease, will require cardiology practices to expand capacity, strengthen heart-failure management clinics and prepare for higher volumes across imaging, electrophysiology and interventional cardiology.
2. The cardiology workforce is aging, creating a widening supply-demand gap: Cardiology is facing an accelerating shortage as retirements outpace new entrants into the field. In 2019, 26.5% of cardiologists were 61 years or older, and projections show the industry could lose 547 cardiologists each year by 2031 due to retirements and a fixed number of fellowship positions.
As demand rises and patients grow older and sicker, practices are already experiencing longer wait times, increased caseloads and pressure to expand care-team models and telehealth strategies to preserve access.
3. Cardiology reimbursement is tightening while care complexity increases: Recent CMS physician fee schedule cuts, including a 2.83% reduction for 2025, have added pressure to cardiology practices already contending with rising labor, supply and outpatient complexity.
At the same time, commercial payers have been slower than Medicare to cover ASC-eligible cardiovascular procedures, delaying growth and reducing payment reliability for outpatient cardiology.
Even as cardiology ASCs report greater efficiency and shorter case times, revenue per case is not keeping pace with costs, particularly for device-intensive procedures. These reimbursement constraints, coupled with inconsistent coverage of new ASC-eligible cardiovascular interventions, are pressuring groups to renegotiate payer contracts and reassess the sustainability of outpatient cardiology expansion.
4. Procedures are shifting rapidly to outpatient settings: Outpatient cardiology continues to expand at a rapid pace as hospitals and ASCs invest heavily in ambulatory cardiovascular care.
The number of single-specialty cardiology ASCs has quadrupled from 55 in 2018 to 221 in 2023, and 234 Medicare-certified ASCs now offer cardiovascular services.
CMS has accelerated this shift by adding more cardiac procedures, including angioplasty, stenting and pacemaker placement, to the ASC-eligible list. As a result, outpatient cardiac procedures are projected to rise 25% by 2035, compared with just 8% growth for inpatient procedures.
This migration is reshaping where care is delivered and prompting facilities to build new outpatient centers, expand service capacity and adjust operational strategies to meet rising demand.
5. Cardiology is becoming a strategic battleground as consolidation and value-shifts accelerate: Cardiology is experiencing rapid consolidation as private-equity platforms and large health systems expand their footprint in the specialty.
The number of PE-backed cardiology platforms has more than doubled since 2022, and nearly half of private practices are now part of PE portfolios, while more than 70% of cardiologists are employed by hospitals or major systems.
As reimbursement tightens and administrative demands grow, many independent groups are aligning with larger organizations for financial stability and operational support, reshaping how cardiology care is organized and delivered.
