Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1412045
22 ASC MANAGEMENT Thousands of physicians joined the 3 biggest ASC companies in 2021 By Laura Dyrda T he largest ASC companies and physician groups in the U.S. added thousands of physicians in the first half of 2021 and have more acquisitions planned for the back half of the year. United Surgical Partners International, a Dallas-based company and part of Tenet Healthcare, added 570 physi- cians in the second quarter and has grown its network by 1,100 physicians since Jan. 1. e company had 317 ASCs and 24 surgical hospitals as of June 30. USPI is also focused on orthopedics, reporting 120 percent growth in the total joint replacement service line and 21 percent growth in spine for the second quarter. Optum, part of UnitedHealth Group, reported adding more than 5,000 physicians and clinicians in mid-July, and boasted it was more than halfway to its goal of wel- coming 10,000 physicians this year. Surgical Care Affiliates, an OptumCare company, has more than 250 surgical facilities and 8,500 physicians in its network. Many of the surgical facilities are ASCs focused on orthopedics, and earlier this year SCA welcomed Global 1, a bundled payments convener, to its organization. Brentwood, Tenn.-based Surgery Partners added 24 percent more new physicians during the first half of the year than the same period last year, according to CEO Eric Evans. "We continue to see increased demand from new physi- cians for our short-stay surgical facilities and our targeted physician recruitment approach has focused its efforts on the highest quality physicians," Mr. Evans said during an Aug. 4 earnings call, as transcribed by e Motley Fool. Surgery Partners now has more than 4,000 physicians in its network. Mr. Evans also said the company has deployed $100 mil- lion of capital in 2021 so far and closed on four facility acquisitions in the second quarter, including its first in New York. e company has $200 million in additional acquisitions under letters of intent, with plans to close in the coming months. n OrthoIllinois ASC in Wisconsin back on table after rezoning change By Marcus Robertson T he Beloit, Wis., Plan Commission passed a medical rezoning change Aug. 18, paving the way for a proposed ASC from Rockford, Ill.-based OrthoIllinois, Beloit Daily News reported. The proposal replaces "hospital" as a use category with the term "medical facility" that includes ASCs, nursing homes, hospitals and medical clinics as potentially allowed developments. Supporters argued the changes would foster competition and provide residents with more healthcare options. Beloit Health Sys- tem representatives dissented, saying the presence of a new for- profit OrthoIllinois ASC could harm the health system's services offerings, leading to possible staff reductions. The Beloit City Council will have the final say on whether the zoning changes take effect. AmSurg in 2021: 6 updates By Patsy Newitt N ashville, Tenn.-based AmSurg is one of the largest ASC developers and has been a key player in the industry for decades. Here are six things to know in 2021: 1. The company has more than 250 surgery centers, more than 10,000 affiliated physicians and 34 states with centers. 2. Jeff Snodgrass has been the president of AmSurg since 2020. He previously served as president and CEO of Azura Vascular Care and National Cardiology Partners. Nina Goins joined AmSurg in 2019 as vice president of quality and clinical services. Before AmSurg, she served as vice president of quality and performance improvement with Ardent Health Services. 3. AmSurg and New York City-based Mount Sinai Health System released research in May supporting the new recommendations to lower the screening age for colorectal cancer from 50 to 45. 4. AmSurg originally focused on endoscopy and eye centers, but the chain now includes orthopedic centers like the Orthopaedic Surgery Center of Ocala (Fla.) and Phoenix-based OrthoArizona. 5. The company merged with Nashville, Tenn.-based physician ser- vice provider Envision in 2016. The company accounts for around 15 percent of Envision's revenue, according to a 2018 report. 6. Envision Healthcare filed a lawsuit May 28 against United- Healthcare, claiming its network contracts with New Jersey hospi- tals violate state policy. n