Several specialties, traditionally believed to be mainstays of the hospital setting, are moving significantly toward ASCs, according to L.E.K. Consulting's "2024 ASC Insights Study."
The five "emerging" specialties showing signs of accelerated movement toward ASCs in the near future include cardiovascular, spine, ear-nose-and-throat, orthopedics and urology. The study also measured the percentage of procedures in these specialties being performed in ASCs, as of 2023. This included:
- Urology, with nearly 30% of procedures being performed in ASCs in 2023, is expected to see about a 4% compound annual growth rate toward ASCs in the future.
- Ear, nose and throat, with about 23% of procedures being performed in 2023, is expected to reach over 4% CAGR in the future.
- Orthopedics, with expected CAGR in ASCs projected at over 8%, saw about 23% of orthopedic procedures performed in ASCs in 2023.
- Spine, with expected CAGR among ASCs projected at about 9%, performed only about 12% of procedures in 2023.
- Cardiovascular, with less than 3% of procedures being performed in ASCs, is projected to grow at approximately 6% CAGR in the future.
The study identified podiatry, pain management, gastroenterology, plastics and ophthalmology as "relatively mature specialties," with a high share of procedures already being performed in ASCs.