Becker's ASC Review

8 THOUGHT LEADERSHIP The next 5 years for ASC growth By Patsy Newitt A SC leaders are optimistic about the future, citing opportunities for growth over the next five years, including the migration of cardiology procedures to ASCs and increasing patient interest. e more than 38 leaders featured in this article are speaking at Becker's 30th Annual Meeting: e Business and Operations of ASCs, set for Oct. 30 to Nov. 2 at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago. As part of an ongoing series, Becker's is connecting with healthcare leaders who will speak at the event to get their insight on thought-provoking questions within the industry. e following are answers from event speakers, lightly edited for clarity. Question: What do you see as the biggest opportunity for growth in the ASC industry over the next five years? Alejandro Badia, MD. Founder and Chief Medical Officer at Badia Hand to Shoulder Center (Miami). e greatest opportunity for ASC growth lies in capturing the patients in specialized outpatient centers that have a direct relationship with an ASC. Once a patient is seen in a hospital emergency room, for example, that patient will likely undergo surgery at that facility, oen whether urgent or not. Collaboration between a convenient walk-in facility, for example, an orthopedic urgent care center and as ASC, will drive up musculoskeletal surgical volume, while lowering overall healthcare system costs; contributing greatly to "e Triple Aim." Braden Batkoff, MD. Chief Medical Officer of United Cardiology Partners: Continued migration of higher acuity cases to the ASC setting, particularly in spine and cardiac areas. Adam Bruggeman, MD. CEO and Spine Surgeon of Texas Spine Care Center (San Antonio): Site-neutral legislation has the opportunity to dramatically shi the landscape towards the ASC industry and create tremendous growth. e success or failure of ASCs will depend on the specific language utilized in the ultimate site neutral bill that passes. Janet Carlson. Executive Director of ASCs at Commonwealth Pain & Spine: e biggest opportunity for growth in the ASC industry for the next five years will be specific to interventional pain management -- most surgical cases should and could be performed safely in an ASC. Furthermore, I believe the specialties of cardiovascular, vascular, interventional radiology, neurosurgery for higher acuity spinal fusions and the on-going migration of orthopedics focusing on total joint replacements and total joint revisions. More surgeons are researching the benefits of dedicated block time in an ASC and are revisiting opportunities for ASC partnership. I also see healthcare professionals seeking employment opportunities in the ASC site of service as they are wanting a better work life integration away from the demands of larger health system employment to work nights, weekends, holidays and on-call shis. Karen Davidson. Operations Consultant at Advanced Heart and Vascular Center of New Mexico (Carlsbad): I see one of our biggest opportunities in ASC as the expansion of cardiac and vascular services in our environment. I may be biased as our facility is strictly cardiovascular, but see a lot of upside to continuing to expand our procedure base. Harel Deutsch, MD. Co-Director of Rush Spine Center (Chicago): I believe spine will continue to be an area of growth as new technology allows for increasingly minimally invasive procedures to replace surgeries that were traditionally only possible in the hospital inpatient setting. Ashvin Dewan, MD. Orthopedic Surgeon in Sugarland, Texas. e healthcare staffing shortage is one of the most pressing challenges we face, and it disproportionately impacts ASCs due to their constrained budgets and tighter margins compared to hospitals. However, this challenge also presents a tremendous opportunity for growth through innovation. ASCs are already recognized for delivering cost-effective, specialized care, and the next evolution of this model lies in embracing technology — particularly AI. AI can address staffing shortages by streamlining workflows, enhancing decision-making and automating routine tasks, enabling constrained clinical teams to focus on providing high-quality patient care. From predictive analytics for scheduling and inventory management to advanced tools that enhance surgical precision and post-operative care, AI will play a key role in making ASCs more efficient and competitive. By adopting these innovations, ASCs can bridge staffing gaps and position themselves as leaders in delivering accessible, high- value care over the next five years. Lisa Donaldson. Director of Nursing at Baylor Scott & White Surgicare Fort Worth (Texas): Currently, I am working for Tenet/ USPI which has 8.5% of the ASC market. Our revenue growth at my facility was up 9% this year. e reason is we allowed a higher acuity of patients. Based on the average patient having more comorbidities, we must educate our nursing staff to be better equipped to deal with these types of patients. My past few years in leadership has allowed me to reinforce the knowledge of my staff to include critical thinking. Using the critical care background allows us to handle more complex patients in a higher acuity of care within the ASC environment. My biggest push in moving forward for 2025 is to offer convenience and efficiency in a safe environment. e push for minimally invasive surgical procedures should move to the ASC setting to allow for decreased cost per case. is includes DaVinci XI surgical procedures. Edward Dixon. Manager of the Sterile Processing Department at Sutter Health (Sacramento, Calif.) e biggest opportunity for growth in the ASC industry over the next five years lies in enhancing patient satisfaction and transforming perceptions of ASCs. As ASCs expand their scope of procedures and locations across the country, patient access to safe, cost-effective and high-quality care will grow significantly. My employer, Sutter Health, is fully aligned with this vision through its five-year plan – Vision 2030 — which focuses on equitable healthcare access and meeting patients where they are. As part of this initiative, Sutter plans to add multiple ASCs across Northern California to improve access and convenience for our communities. With this increased accessibility, I believe ASCs will emerge as the preferred destination for outpatient surgeries, providing a safe and high-quality alternative to traditional hospital settings. is shi will help dismantle the stigma that ASCs are a lower level of care. Instead, they will be recognized as innovative, patient-centered facilities delivering exceptional care tailored to individual needs. By prioritizing patient satisfaction, cost efficiency, and excellent clinical outcomes, the ASC industry is poised to redefine how surgical care is both delivered and experienced, supporting Sutter Health's commitment to transforming healthcare for the better.

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