Here are three issues reported by Becker's that have the potential to positively affect the ASC industry.
ASCs may have an edge in the physician shortage. The ongoing shortage of physicians has been a pressing concern for healthcare professionals. However, ASCs seem to be taking less of a hit compared to that of large health systems and hospitals. In Doximity's "Physician Compensation Report" for 2024, practice settings were asked how severely they are affected by physician shortages.
Thirty-six percent of clinicians from hospitals said their practice has been "severely" affected by the ongoing shortage of providers. For hospitals, that percentage was 40%. For comparison, 22% and 29% of single and multispecialty groups, respectively, said the shortage has had a severe impact on their practices.
ASCs remain attractive to large health systems. More than 7 out of 10 health systems surveyed by ASC expert group Avanza Healthcare Strategies said they intend to continue investing in and affiliating with ASCs.
Clinicians who practice in ASCs may prefer the outpatient surgery setting. April Aud, BSN, RN, the administrator of Black River Ambulatory Surgery Center in Poplar Bluff, told Becker's that having worked in both a hospital and an ASC as a registered nurse, she has loved the ASC setting "since day one." She highlighted scheduling consistency provided by ASCs, closer-knit practice teams and being able to provide more personalized care to patients.
"The ASC I work in is small, so everyone has a close working relationship, and everyone has the same goal: to give our patients the best care and go home to our families," Ms. Aud said. "Hospitals have larger staff and it can be more difficult to connect with co-workers."