Several healthcare leaders see a bright future for ASCs and expect the market to grow in 2023.
Three healthcare leaders connected with Becker's to answer, "What does 2023 have in store for the ASC industry?"
Editor's note: Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Braden Batkoff, MD. Chief Medical Officer at United Cardiology Partners:
- Continued ASC growth as more care moves to the lower cost, more patient friendly ASC environment.
- Expansion to the ASC of historically hospital-based procedures, particularly cardiology, as CMS has approved payment for many cardiology procedures in the ASC setting and as providers become more comfortable performing these procedures outside of the hospital setting given the accumulation of safety data supporting this migration.
- Anticipate further health system partnerships with physicians and investor-backed companies to satisfy the anticipated demand in this area.
Neil Mangus. Senior Director of Business Development of ASCs at Orlando (Fla.) Health: I believe we'll see continued growth of ASCs; in numbers, size and specialties, following CMS' payment rate increases and additions to covered procedures to include more cardiovascular and now interventional radiology. Much of the growth will likely be driven by health systems looking to free up their hospital operating rooms for more acute cases. We're seeing more and more multiple-site acquisitions as well as the development of larger ASCs with 10 or more operating rooms — either multispecialty or your more traditional orthopedic, neurosurgery and spine.
Mike Piver. Executive Director of Ambulatory Services at Infirmary Health (Mobile, Ala.): 2023 will offer ASCs an opportunity for continued growth as more and more procedures migrate into the outpatient surgical arena. This growth will be driven by payers, patients and self-insured employers looking for less expensive alternatives for outpatient surgery versus a hospital setting. Growth will also be driven by continued technological advancements in the minimally invasive surgical instrumentation area, hospitals looking for creative ways to partner with surgeons through joint venture agreements in ASCs, and improved anesthesia techniques geared to early ambulation while controlling pain. However, this growth may be hindered by the availability of ASCs to find anesthesia coverage along with the continued increase in salaries, wages, benefits and supply costs.