Gastroenterology is the most common ASC specialty, and cataract surgeries are among the procedures with the highest volume, according to data from MedPAC and Definitive Healthcare.
MedPAC's 2019 commission report to Congress outlined data on ASC characteristics, including the most common specialties. Most ASCs billing Medicare in 2017 specialized in a single area. In 2017, 61 percent of ASCs were single-specialty and 40 percent were multispecialty.
The top ASC specialties:
1. Gastroenterology: 21 percent
2. Ophthalmology: 21 percent
3. Pain management: 8 percent
4. Dermatology: 4 percent
5. Urology: 3 percent
The top 5 procedures:
1. Cataract surgery with intraocular lens implant, 1 stage: 848,563
2. Aspiration from or injection into a major joint (shoulder, hip, knee): 592,390
3. Injection of drug into the eye: 225,248
4. Injection of transforaminal epidural into lumbar.sacral spine: 218,745
5. YAG Laser Capsulotomy; after cataract laser surgery: 181,564