The future of ASCs may prove to be simultaneously bright and challenging.
Six ASC leaders connected with Becker's to answer, "What is the future of ASCs in one word and why?"
Note: Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Barbara Clancy-Sweeney. Administrator of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital (Philadelphia): Boundless. As advances continue to be made in medicine and technology, more and more procedures become outpatient and are pushed to the ASCs by the payers.
Andres Duran. Administrator of Brownsville (Texas) Surgery Center: Growth. Ambulatory surgery centers will continue to grow via acquisitions and de novo facilities. As healthcare transitions to value-based care, ASCs will be vital to that transition, as they perform outpatient procedures at lower rates [compared to] hospitals without affecting patient outcomes or quality. Managed care organizations see the value in that, as do patients.
Laura Galeazzi. Administrator of Antelope Valley Surgical Institute (Lancaster, Calif.): Challenging! The rising cost of registered nurses in a very competitive market will continue to drive costs up and potentially cause private centers to evaluate their reasons for why their surgery center should or should not remain open. Additionally, some centers are still struggling with rising costs of anesthesia providers. Providers with varying degrees of experience and expertise continue to increase facility cost and challenge surgery centers.
Mary Rose Graham, BSN, MSN. Director of Southtowns Surgery Center (Orchard Park, N.Y.): Growth. ASCs will continue to grow more business as a more cost-effective alternative to the hospitals. Insurances are pushing surgeons to do more cases in the ASC due to lower cost to patients and payers. This will continue in the future.
Robert Lerma. Administrator of Coronado Surgery Center (Henderson, Nev.): Agile.
Blane Uthman. CEO of Spine Center of Excellence (Bossier City, La.): Ascendant.