Becker's ASC Review

6 ASC MANAGEMENT Health systems are taking notice: a 2024 VMG Health survey found that 60% of system executives were considering outpatient surgery joint ventures, the highest level of interest among all potential specialty partnerships. 5. Small ASCs pose new benefits New data suggests that smaller ASCs may hold an edge in today's evolving market. HST Pathways' latest "State of the Industry Report" found that leaner, more specialized centers are thriving. HST Pathway's survey of 590 ASCs found a stark contrast in revenue performance between small and large ASCs. From 2023 to 2024, ASCs operating with just two operating rooms reported a 22% increase in year-over-year revenue. In contrast, facilities with 15 or more ORs saw their revenue decline by 8%. "is surge may indicate that smaller ASCs are becoming more efficient or are better positioned to adapt to market demand," the report said. "ese trends suggest a shiing dynamic in ASC performance, with smaller centers thriving while larger ones face headwinds." n ASCs closing the cardiac care gap: 5 study notes By Francesca Mathewes A nationwide study found that ASCs treat 15% more patients in socially vulnerable areas for cardiac interventions compared with hospital outpatient departments. According to a May 1 news release from the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions, ASCs could be an important key in closing healthcare gaps in vulnerable populations. Here are five other takeaways from the study: 1. The study was presented at the SCAI 2025 Scientific Sessions in Washington, D.C. It evaluated data from more than 400,000 Medicare patients, specifically looking at patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention in ASCs and the outcomes at 30 days. 2. Among 408,060 patients who underwent outpatient PCI from 2020 to 2022, 7,494 (1.8%) were in ASCs and 400,566 (98.2%) were in HOPDs. 3. Patients treated in ASCs were more often in the Southern region of the U.S. and in socially vulnerable areas (36.6% vs. 21.9%), and fewer patients underwent multivessel PCI (3% vs. 5.9%). 4. At 30 days, adverse events such as mortality, stroke, pericardial effusion and tamponade, and access-site bleeding were comparable between groups. Patients treated in the outpatient hospital setting had higher rates of all-cause hospitalization and acute myocardial infarction, while ASC patients had a higher rate of repeat PCI. 5. "Patients are drawn to care at ASCs due to the lower costs and greater convenience, which correlates to the shift we're seeing in PCIs being done at ASCs. We're also seeing a trend of physicians thoughtfully selecting patients to undergo PCIs in this setting — something we anticipate will increase in the future," said Katerina Dangas, MD, a research fellow at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston and lead author of the study. "Looking forward, participation in national registries, such as the American College of Cardiology's Cardiovascular ASC Registry suite, will be an important step toward establishing national quality benchmarks tailored to the risk profile of patients treated in the ASC setting." n The blueprint behind this health system's integrated ASC strategy By Patsy Newitt AdventHealth is reimagining how ASCs can operate in harmony with — rather than competition against — their hospital counterparts. At the heart of this transformation is a strategic decision to manage ASCs as distinct entities with tailored operations, financial structures and physician partnerships, while aligning with the broader goals of the health system. "We all grow together," Shyroll Morris, senior vice president and chief strategy officer of Altamonte Springs, Fla.-based AdventHealth's East Florida division, told Becker's. "at's been key, and now everyone sees the value of having these additional service locations in the market. It helps consumers, and it helps us grow overall market share." is organizational shi allows ASCs to run with the flexibility and efficiency they require while still remaining an integral part of the larger system. Operationally, the shi hasn't been a heavy li for AdventHealth, largely because the organization has approached ASC management with a joint venture mindset from the beginning. "We've run them like a joint venture partnership business from the start, and that's worked really well," she explained. is model allows for agile decision-making and leaner operations. "You can't run an ASC like a hospital," she said. "e overhead is completely different, and the margins are much thinner."

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