Minneapolis-based Allina Health is moving higher-acuity procedures such as spine and orthopedic cases from hospital outpatient departments to newly developed outpatient surgery centers, according to the Star Tribune.
The 11-hospital system currently is developing an ASC in Brooklyn Park, Minn., in partnership with Surgical Care Affiliates, and aims to begin work on two other surgery centers this year.
"Any same-day procedure, most notably orthopedic and spine, we've been working to really create [an] opportunity for them to move off-campus," Lisa Shannon, chief operating officer at Allina, told the Tribune.
Like most health systems, Allina has seen demand for healthcare services increase in late 2020, which has continued into 2021 — but Ric Magnuson, Allina's chief financial officer, said he doesn't think "we'll ever be back to 'normal,'" according to the report.
Two major changes he highlighted were the shift to virtual care and moving many surgical procedures to the outpatient setting, which has become a focal point of Allina's strategy.
Over the next five years, Allina plans to open or acquire about 12 ASCs as part of its joint venture with Surgical Care Affiliates.