When hospitals shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic, some ASCs saw caseloads increase when surgeries were unable to be performed in hospital settings.
Here are two ASCs that grew during the pandemic through partnerships with hospitals:
1. Raleigh (N.C.) Orthopaedics
Raleigh Orthopedic, a privately owned, midsize physician group with two ASCs, saw an increase of their total joint volume by 40 percent in 2020.
"We're doing about 170 cases a week throughout the surgery center. During COVID-19, we were pushing about 200 a week," CEO Brian Bizub said. "We've kind of normalized a little bit, but that continues to grow."
Mr. Bizub said aligning with primary care and hospitals helped harness the growth.
"We're lucky enough that we have about 58 percent of the market share in Wake County," he said. "We've aligned ourselves with UNC Rex Hospital and UNC for the ambulatory service or surgery center service line. That's been extremely helpful and has allowed us into some of their networks.
2. 90210 Surgery Medical Center
Beverly Hills, Calif.-based 90210 Surgery Medical Center also saw substantial growth in 2020.
The center is an affiliate of nonprofit hospital Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, which was helpful in increasing caseload during the pandemic, administrator Benita Tapia told Becker's ASC Review.
When the hospital had a surgery backlog from pandemic delays, the center opened its operating rooms to surgeons whose patients had medically necessary surgeries. Some surgeons have continued performing surgeries at the center even as backlog has abated.
"We're busier than we've ever been," said Andy Ball, the center's chief executive. "We can accommodate these surgeons, so they could have access to operating room times, and they realized they don't need to go back to the hospital."