The number of surgical services and facilities funded and acquired by private equity firms has increased over the past 20 years, according to a cross sectional study published Nov. 1 in JAMA Surgery.
The study examined acquisition and funding of surgical practices and facilities from Jan. 1, 2000, to Oct. 30, 2020, using financial databases Zephyr, S&P Global and Privco.
Six things to know:
1. The study found that 193 investments were made by 101 PE firms to acquire or fund facilities.
2. Fifty-two percent involved ASCs, and 48 percent involved surgical services
3. Most investments, 61 percent, led to the acquisition of the facility.
4. The number of PE investments increased each year — from four in 2000 to 19 in 2019.
5. The mean price of the acquisitions was $143 million.
6. Most practices acquired and funded by PE firms were in the South, however, after 2016, the number was similar among census regions.