ASCs across the country are dealing with staffing shortages, rising inflation and declining payer reimbursement.
But some issues are region-specific. Becker's compiled regional data and spoke with ASC leaders to provide a glimpse into the Western, Southern, Northeastern and Midwestern ASC markets.
Note: Becker's used U.S. Census regions to determine ASC regions.
Western market: Many leaders say the Western market, particularly California, is primed for ASC growth.
In California, COVID-19 regulations required hospitals and ASCs in the area to coordinate equipment, staffing and patient needs in the area, highlighting the benefits of care within ASCs.
Read more about the Western market here.
Southern market: The South is the region where ASCs have the highest annual revenue and perform the most cases, according to VMG Health's "Multi-Specialty ASC Benchmarking Study" for 2022.
But according to Stewart Burchett, executive director of Oklahoma Lithotripter Associates and Oklahoma Kidney Stone Center in Oklahoma City, ASCs in the South are facing obstacles to securing investments.
Read more about the Southern ASC market here
Northeastern market: The Northeastern market is expansive, with most states having certificate of need policies, which require physicians and owners to obtain approval to open or expand ASCs, and the market being dominated by hospice care.
Two ASC leaders joined Becker's to discuss what makes the Northeast market unique and how surgery centers can thrive there.
Read more about the Northeastern ASC market here.
Midwestern market: The Midwestern market is primed for growth — with states in that region offering some of the highest physician pay, according to Physicians Thrive's "2022 Physician Compensation Report," and a new ASC management company targeting Midwest states with certificate of need laws.
Read 15 key stats on the Midwestern ASC market here.