In 2025, 33% of cardiac procedures will take place at ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), reshaping the future of cardiac care.
Uncover key insights and emerging challenges in the 2024 Ambulatory Surgery Center Market Report.
- Explore emerging trends in site of care shifts
- Unlock ambulatory surgery center ownership insights
- Discover the top procedures shifting from hospitals to ASCs
Market At-A-Glance
The U.S. ambulatory surgery center (ASC) market is valued at $45.6 billion in 2024. The market is projected to grow 21% to $55.3 billion by 2029 as more procedures become minimally invasive and care shifts from the inpatient to outpatient setting. Outpatient surgical volumes are projected to reach 109.6 million cases by 2033, an 18% increase from 2023 levels. In the second quarter of 2024, there were over 6,300 Medicare-certified ASCs in the U.S.
ASCs Increasingly Perform High-Acuity Procedures
Advancements in technology, growing patient demand, and cost savings are leading the shift of high-acuity procedures such as joint replacements and spine surgeries to ASCs. Specialties including cardiology and pain management are experiencing significant growth within ASCs. By 2025, 33% of cardiology procedures are projected to be performed in ASCs.
Reimbursement Disparities And Rising Costs Among Top Hurdles For ASCs
ASCs face ongoing reimbursement disparities and rising operational costs. Procedures performed in hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs) can be up to 58% more expensive than those performed in ASCs or physician offices. These reimbursement gaps, coupled with increasing labor and operational costs, threaten the financial stability of ASCs. Legislative efforts to address reimbursement disparities were reintroduced in Congress in February 2024.
ASCs Tap Automation And Bonuses To Attract And Retain Staff
Staffing remains a critical challenge for ASCs, with nearly 70% of ASC leaders reporting increased difficulty recruiting staff in 2023 compared to 2022. Filling positions for registered nurses and surgical technologists took an average of three months in 2023. To combat staffing challenges, ASCs are enhancing their recruitment strategies by offering flexible schedules, adopting workflow automation, and providing signing bonuses to attract and retain staff in 2024.
States Loosen Certificate Of Need Laws, Inviting ASC Expansion
Ten states altered their certificate of need (CON) laws in 2023, leaving 12 states without a CON program. Notably in 2023, South Carolina repealed all CON requirements for most medical facilities and North Carolina removed CON regulations for urban ASCs starting in 2025. As states continue to reform and repeal their CON laws, the ASC market could experience growth from new facility development and expanded access to services.
Market Consolidation Continues As Hospitals Invest In Outpatient Services
Over 70% of surveyed hospital and health system leaders reported a plan to increase their ASC investments and affiliates in 2023. Hospital ownership of ASCs rose as a total of 27 ASC mergers and acquisitions occurred in 2023. Increasing their outpatient surgical capacity and reducing costs were among the top reported reasons for hospital ownership of ASCs.
Table of Contents
- Executive Summary
- ASC Market Overview
- ASC Patient Volumes Continue To Grow Each Year
- Complex, High-Revenue Procedures Migrate From Hospitals To ASCs
- Cardiology And Pain Management Among Top Growth Areas For ASCs
- Total Joint Replacements Shifting To ASCs While Care Costs Rise
- CMS Approves New Procedures For ASCs
- Cataract Removal Remains Most Common ASC Procedure In 2023
- Hybrid ASC/Office-Based Lab Model Continues To Appeal To Cardiovascular Facilities
- Robotic-Assisted Surgery Makes Outpatient Care More Efficient And Accessible
- Eased Certificate Of Need Laws Could Boost ASC Development
- Single-Specialty ASCs Maintain Majority Share Of ASC Market
- 250 ASCs Earned Medicare Certification In 2023
- Five Largest Companies Account For Nearly A Quarter Of ASC Market
- ASCs Still Struggling With Staff Recruitment, Despite Reduced Turnover
- Reimbursement Disparities Between ASCs And HOPDs Drive Commercial Payers Towards ASCs
- Five ASC Procedures Expected To Experience Declining Reimbursements In 2024
- Patient Experience Quality Measures Added To ASC Quality Reporting Program
- ASC Market Consolidates Further As New And Existing Players Invest In Outpatient Facilities
- Orthopedic Surgical Sets Lead As Top Product Distributed To ASCs
- Clarivate Lists Top Products Sold To ASCs Through Distribution
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