The ambulatory surgery center industry continues to evolve as political, economic and regulatory issues swiftly change the tide of the industry.
There were several ASCs opening, closing, merging and forming joint ventures in 2015 with key specialties including orthopedics, spine surgery, gastroenterology, ophthalmology and pain management.
There are around 5,464 Medicare-certified ASCs in the United States and around 25 percent to 30 percent of ASCs are owned or managed by multi-facility chains, according to MedPAC 2015 data. Around 20 percent to 25 percent of ASCs have some hospital ownership, according to the VMG Health Intellimarker ASC Benchmarking study. Approximately 35 percent of ASCs are located in certificate-of-need states, as listed in Medicare's Provider of Services data file.
The number of ASCs in the United States has remained relatively flat over the past few years. But changing pressure in healthcare could make a difference going forward.
"Generally, ASCs are underappreciated in the world of healthcare and the role they could play," said Luke Lambert, CEO of Ambulatory Surgical Centers of America. "However, there are certain payers taking advantage of the low cost, high quality setting and driving cases to the ASC. In many markets, the local hospital may be enormously dominant. In those situations, having an independent ASC can be a check on the dominance of power."
January:
The Integrity Wellness Center, a 5,600-square-foot surgery center, will open in Coppell, Texas, by the end of February.
Laser Spine Institute opened a new ambulatory surgery center in Creve Coeur, Mo. This is the second Laser Spine Institute facility opened in the Midwest, and a third is planned.
Physician practice Fichte, Endl & Elmer Eyecare plan to open The Niagara (N.Y.) Medical and Surgical Park in 2015. The practice's new location will include 12,000 square feet of office space and an ambulatory surgery center. The ASC is expected to open in fall of this year,
February:
Baptist Health, based in Miami Beach, Fla., proposed a five-story surgery, urgent care and diagnostic center.
Eastern Niagara Hospital in Lockport, N.Y., held a grand opening for its new, $3 million ambulatory surgery center.
The board of trustees of Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Centerin Chanute, Kan., unanimously voted to issue $12.25 million in hospital revenue bonds for a new surgery center.
Orange Regional Medical Center in Middletown, N.Y., is planning a new, five-story medical office building and ambulatory surgery center.
Pomona (Calif.) Valley Hospital Medical Center opened the Robert and Beverly Lewis Outpatient Pavilion. The pavilion houses a number of outpatient services, including a surgery center.
UConn Health, based in Farmington, Conn., opened its $203 million outpatient pavilion. The new pavilion consolidates a number of the health systems outpatient services.
March:
The Christ Hospital plans to open a $50 million outpatient center in Montgomery, Ohio, that will include a surgery center and women's center.
Saline Memorial Hospital in Benton, Ark., broke ground on a new campus that will include an outpatient surgery center.
UMass Memorial Health Care, based in Worchester, Mass., and Shields Health Care Group, based in Quincy, Mass., plan to open 40,000-square-foot, freestanding ambulatory surgery center in Shrewsbury, Mass.
Tampa (Fla.) General Hospital and Florida Hospital in Orlando created the jointly owned non-profit company West Florida Health will begin construction on a 100,000-square-foot clinic this year that will include an ASC.
SimonMed Imaging plans to build a 200,000-square-foot health campus in Glendale, Ariz., that will include a surgery center and other outpatient providers.
An $11 million medical office building near South Texas Medical Center in San Antonio will include a 9,000-square-foot ambulatory surgery center.
April:
Driscoll Children's Hospital in Corpus Christi, Texas, is adding a building as part of an $80 million renovation project, which will include an outpatient surgical center.
Aurora Health Care launched plans to build an outpatient surgery center and medical office in Sheboygan, Wis., and recently the project received the city's Common Council zoning approval.
Aurora Health Care also will spend $38 million on a new medical office building and outpatient surgery center in Germantown, Wis., which will be open within a year.
McKay-DeeHospital in Ogden, Utah,broke ground on a new orthopedics and surgery center. The new, 82,000-square-foot center will house six operating rooms, a physician clinic, physical therapy services, imaging center, pharmacy and bistro, and will cost $27 million.
MetroHealth System, based in Cleveland, plans to open the 60,000-square-foot outpatient Brecksville (Ohio) Health Center.
Turnersville, N.J.-based Kennedy University Hospital is under a $200 million renovation of their facilities in Cherry Hill. Phase I will include expanded ambulatory services as well as specialty physician office.
Nemours Children's Health System plans to open an ambulatory surgery center and specialty care center in Deptford, N.J., slated to be completed in summer of 2016.
South Florida Baptist Hospital in Plant City has opened its newly-renovated Pete Beatty Surgery Center, which focuses on laparoscopic and robotic surgery.
UK HealthCare has opened an 85,000-square-foot outpatient center in Lexington, Ky. The new center, UK HealthCare at Turfland, consolidates several of the health system's primary care and specialty outpatient clinics.
Despite Catholic Health's objections, a revote has resulted in the approval of Kaleida Health's Orchard Park, N.Y., surgery center project. Both health systems are based in Buffalo, N.Y., and Kaleida Health is working with a group of physicians to open the $2.66 million, 16,082-square-foot Southtowns Ambulatory Surgery Center.
The Orthopaedic Institute for Children Ambulatory Surgery Center in Los Angeles had a groundbreaking. The ASC is 13,000 square feet and expected to cost $10 million.
May:
Doctors Hospital of Manteca (Calif.) and Tenet Healthcare broke ground on a new outpatient surgery center, with Tenet investing $7 million. The center will include three operating rooms and two procedure rooms.
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia opened its Specialty Care and Ambulatory Surgery Center in King of Prussia, Pa. The new center has four floors and the capacity to expand up to 195,000 square feet.
Gramercy Surgery Center in New York opened a new satellite location in Queens, N.Y. The new 11,000-square-foot facility has four operating rooms and is expected to have a $20 million impact on the community.
Montefiore Health System in Bronx, N.Y., opened a new eye surgery center at its Westchester Square Campus. The facility has five operating rooms.
Bergenfield (N.J.) Surgical Center celebrated its grand opening last month. The ASC includes orthopedic surgery, podiatry, pain management, gynecology and pain management.
Fromer Eye Center, led by Medical Director Mark Fromer, MD, opened in Bronx, N.Y. The surgery center offers retinal surgery, cataract surgery, glaucoma care and emergency care.
Nameer Haider, MD, a spine- and pain-focused physician, plans to open the Omni Surgical Center in South Utica, N.Y. The ASC is expected to open in October.
Daniel Lieberman, MD, founded Phoenix Spine Surgery Center in Goodyear, Ariz., with three clinical exam rooms and two surgical suites. The center was formally located in Phoenix and known as the ArizonaCenter for Neurosurgery.
June:
The Bascom Palmer Eye Institutes opened a new location in Naples, Fla., with the facility's ambulatory surgery center expected to open on the building's second floor early next year.
The new outpatient surgery center at WellStar East Cobb Health Park opened.
New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai is a joint venture partner in two new ambulatory surgery centers in the New York metropolitan region: Empire State Ambulatory Surgery Center, located in the Bronx, and North Queens Surgical Center, located in Queens.
The University of Colorado Health acquired a $9.6 million plot of land to develop a new acute care hospital and ASC.
Penn Medicine opened a $28 million facility that is scheduled to open an outpatient surgical center later this year with services like gynecology, orthopedics, cardiology, otolaryngology, gastroenterology and pediatrics.
SurgCenter Development is partnering with a group of physicians to build a joint venture surgery center in Athens, Ohio, for $2 million.
HCA Midwest Health will open its SurgiCenter of Kansas City in a larger location.
Athens (Ala.)-Limestone Hospital proposed a $35 million surgery center, filing the certificate of need. The hospital hopes to open the new facility in 2017.
Beloit Health System in Roscoe, Ill., received the certificate-of-need to add a surgery center to the NorthPointe Health and Wellness Campus.
July:
WellStar Health System in Marietta, Ga., opened a new surgery center at the WellStarEastCobbHealthPark including a three-operating room surgery center.
Dayton Children's Hospital is planning a $47.5 million expansion to the Springboro, Ohio, campus including an outpatient surgery center.
Excelsior Orthopaedics in Buffalo, N.Y., broke ground on a new $9.5 million ASC in Amherst, N.Y.
Canton-Potsdam (N.Y.) Hospital is planning a $33 million project that will include an outpatient surgery center and physician offices.
Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based Mercy Medical Center plans a hospital outpatient department in Hiawatha, Iowa, in the fall of 2016, pending a certificate-of-need request and approval.
Physicians in Colchester, V.T., filed a certificate of need application for a new outpatient surgery center, Green Mountain Surgery Center.
River Health in Provo, Utah, broke ground on a new facility in Salem that will include an ASC.
High Plains Surgery Center and Covenant SurgiCenter in Lubbock, Texas, merged with John M. Sautter Jr., as administrator. The ASC is now affiliated with Lubbock-based Covenant Health.
August:
Surgery Center Services of America plans to develop a new surgery center in Latham, N.Y., pending approval by town planners. The ASC would be in a 12,000-square-foot facility.
Rush Medical Center and Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush in Chicago proposed building a new ambulatory surgery center in Oak Brook, Ill., that would include a four-story facility with an ASC and medical office space, athletic program space and rehabilitation services.
Shriners Hospital for Children Medical Center in Lexington, Ky., will include an ASC. The project will likely be completed in 2017.
Revere Health in Provo, Utah, began a project to construct a new building that will house an ambulatory surgery center in addition to physician offices and a pharmacy in Salem, Utah.
Truecare Surgery Center, focused on plastic surgery, opened in Chino Hills, Calif.
The Mendelson Professional Building in Livonia, Mich., will include the Mendelson Kornblum Orthopedic & Spine Specialists practice and an outpatient surgery center in a 42,000-square-foot medical office building.
UC Health Longmont (Colo.) moved forward with constructing a new ambulatory surgery center, estimated to cost $125 million.
Orthopedic Associates of Wisconsin began construction on a $20 million surgery center and clinic in Waukesha that is slated to open in June 2016.
September:
Norwalk (Conn.) Hospital opened a new facility that includes an ASC.
ProMedica in Toledo, Ohio, is still working on a new surgery center expected to complete in the spring.
Carolinas HealthCare Systems Blue Ridge, based in Morganton, N.C., broke ground on a new surgery center in part of a two-year project.
Hauser-Ross Eye Institute in Sycamore, Ill., plans to open its own surgery center in October.
Doctors Hospital at Renaissance in Edinburgh, Texas, opened a new outpatient surgery center with eight operating rooms and 80 beds.
Bristol, Pa.-based Lower Bucks Hospital plans to reopen an ASC on the hospital's campus that closed its doors several years ago.
The Empire State Ambulatory Surgery Center, a joint venture between New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai, Ambulatory Surgical Centers of America and 15 physicians, opened in New York.
Tricity Pain Associates broke ground on a new facility in New Braunfels, Texas, that will include an ASC that's expected to open in early 2016.
Orland Park, Ill.-based Preferred Surgicenter opened as a multispecialty 23-hour ASC for pain management, cardiology, orthopedics, podiatry, urology and plastic surgery procedures.
Cleveland Clinic Florida plans to expand its Weston location to include an ASC.
October:
Doctors Hospital of Manteca (Calif.), in partnership with Tenet, plans to open a $7 million outpatient surgery center in March 2016.
St. Luke's Magic Valley broke ground on a new outpatient surgery center after the hospital recorded a 33 percent increase in outpatient surgical volumes.
Truman Medical Centers opened an outpatient specialty care and surgery center in downtown Kansas City, Mo.
The Cypress Creek Medical Pavilion in South Florida is planning a $30 million medical pavilion that will include an 18,000-square-foot outpatient surgical center.
Erie VA Medical Center cut the ribbon on a new 9,500-square-foot ASC with outpatient operating rooms and two endoscopy rooms.
UnityPoint Health began construction on a new Ankeny, Iowa-based medical park that includes an outpatient surgery center.
SurgCenter Development and the Orthopaedic Associates of Zanesville broke ground on a new 5,000-square-foot ASC focusing on orthopedics.
Morgantown-based West Virginia University Medicine broke ground on a new outpatient surgery center slated for completion in 2017.
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphiain Glen Mills, Pa., opened the Brandywine Valley Specialty Care and Ambulatory Surgery Center, a 44,000-square-foot facility including more than 20 medical and surgical specialties.
Jamaica (N.Y.) Hospital opened a new 3,500-square-foot center.
TRIA Orthopaedic Center, in partnership with Health Partners, is constructing a new orthopedic clinic and surgery center in Woodbury, Minn.
November:
North Pines Surgery Center, focusing on pain management, is opening in Texas. Stephen Sims, MD, and Anisa Goplani, MD, are opening the center.
Advantia Health is opening a 10,000-square-foot surgery center in Maryland.
Nelson E. Valaszquez, DO, Frank Polond, DO, and Suresh Manon, MD, opened Dermatology Associates and Surgery Center in Charleston, W.Va.
St. Mary Mercy Hospital in Livonia, Mich., opened a surgery center with two procedure rooms and 10 recovery rooms after the hospital's main operating rooms reached capacity.
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center plans to open a freestanding outpatient surgery center in Manhattan — the Josie Robertson Surgery Center.
Physicians Surgical Care Center opened in Orlando as a partnership between Jewett physicians, Florida Hospital, Surgical Care Affiliates, JLR Center for Pain Medicine and The Ear, Nose & Throat & Plastic Surgery Associates.
Children's Hospital and Medical Center in Omaha is planning a 10,000-square-foot outpatient surgery center that will open in spring 2016.
BayCare Clinic in Wisconsin is planning a new 12,000-square-foot outpatient surgery center.
Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center in Chanute, Kan., broke ground on a $12.25 million project with a new obstetrics department and surgery center. The surgery center will have four surgical suites and two procedure rooms.
Joint Implant Surgeons in Athens, Ohio, opened a new outpatient surgery center, Southeast Ohio Surgical Suites, and performed the first outpatient knee surgery there in December.
December
Muve Healthcare, affiliated with Nueterra, plans to open a total joint replacement center in a 24,000-square-foot building in Lakeway, Texas, which will include an ASC facility.
Citizens Memorial Hospital in Bolivar, Mo., completed a $18.6 million expansion of Douglas Medical Center that will include an ASC.
St. Vincent's Health System in Birmingham, Ala., completed a $15.6 million expansion project that includes an ASC and urgent care center.
Nicklaus Children's Hospital opened a new pediatric ASC in Florida.
Roanoke Valley Center for Sight broke ground on a new outpatient surgery center.
The University of Maryland Midtown Campus in Baltimore is planning a $56 million ambulatory care center.
The Department of Veterans Affairs planned to request funds for an outpatient surgical center in Rochester, N.Y.
Great Lakes Eye Care in St. Joseph, Mich., began construction on a new 35,000-square-foot, three-operating room ASC.
The Hamburg (N.Y.) Industrial Development Agency gave two final approvals to build the Premier Ambulatory Surgery Center with Vishal Sharma, MD, and Nisha Sharma, MD, as leaders.
Malcolm Grow Medical Center and Surgery Center construction in Joint Base Andrews, Md., is underway.