“If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.”
– Henry Ford.
The changing landscape of health care, along with a rising trend among patients for more affordable, manageable, and specialized solutions, has made ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) gain noticeable traction as a preferred surgical option. The value ASCs provide to patients, providers, and insurers is a perfect combination of convenience, safety, and cost savings. Here are ten data- and research-driven reasons ASCs work for several types of surgeries.
1. Cost-effectiveness. ASCs equate to massive savings for everyone: consumers, insurers, and the health care system as a whole. ASCs are stand-alone centers that perform only outpatient procedures, which means lower overhead costs than hospitals and therefore a lower procedure cost overall. According to Health Care Bluebook, the average price for a procedure in an ASC is 17 percent–57 percent less expensive than in a hospital setting. For example, a knee arthroscopy costs $3,000 at an ASC vs. $8,000 at a hospital. As a result, insurers return some of these savings to their members, helping drive down the cost of care nationwide. Such health savings are particularly beneficial for patients with high-deductible plans, who shoulder more of their own health care costs amid rising prices.
2. Reduced infection rates. Infection risk is a key consideration with any surgical procedure, and ASCs are a lower-risk setting. ASCs have infection rates significantly below those of hospitals, according to CDC data — less than 0.5 percent for ASCs compared with nearly 3 percent for hospitals. The lower risk is partly because ASCs often focus only on elective surgeries, reducing the chance a patient will encounter the wider range of infections commonly found in hospitals that handle more complex and emergency procedures. ASCs also have stringent sterilization and infection control procedures, providing a safe environment.
3. Quicker services and efficiency. ASCs have a reputation for high efficiency, completing operations and moving on to the next case faster and with less OR downtime than hospitals. Another reason ASCs are popular among patients is that procedures are more likely to start on time: according to a study in Health Affairs, 95 percent of surgeries started on time at an ASC versus just 66 percent at hospitals. Hospitals must balance emergency and elective surgeries, inevitably causing delays and cancellations. In contrast, ASCs exclusively perform scheduled outpatient procedures, which makes the entire process more efficient and speeds up turnover for patients. This translates to better care in fewer patient hours and allows providers to see more patients in less time.
4. Improved patient satisfaction. Patient satisfaction is an important metric of quality in health care, and ASCs have been shown to achieve higher levels of patient satisfaction than hospitals. ASCs are usually associated with shorter wait times, convenience, individualized care, and faster recoveries for patients. According to Press Ganey, 92 percent of ASC patients said they were “very” or “extremely” satisfied with their experience, compared with 76 percent of hospital patients. ASCs are more personalized and able to provide care that is better suited to the patient’s needs. Patients also experience shorter recovery and discharge times, allowing them to recover at home, which increases patient satisfaction.
5. Advanced safety and strict regulations. Federal and state regulators impose stringent quality, safety, and regulatory standards to protect patient safety at ASCs. They are state-licensed, regulated at the federal level by CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services), and often hold accreditation from AAAHC (Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care) or another national accreditor. ASCs undergo frequent inspections and are required to meet stringent infection control, surgical protocols, and patient safety measures to receive Medicare certification. These regulatory practices give patients confidence that they will receive high-quality care at an ASC.
6. Dedicated personnel and resources. ASC staff are often specifically trained for their roles and focus almost exclusively on outpatient care, providing accurate, timely service. Ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) are purpose-built for rapid surgery and recovery, operated by staff following standardized protocols to improve proficiency and reduce errors. ASCs are designed specifically for outpatient procedures, and they prioritize safety. By specializing in these types of facilities and personnel, patients benefit from a more skilled, dedicated, and efficient team during surgery.
7. Reducing the cost burden on patients. As high-deductible health plans become more prevalent, awareness around health care costs is growing, and the ASC model meets that demand by offering lower-cost alternatives. Patients typically pay $363 less on average for outpatient surgery at an ASC than at a hospital, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. This cost difference translates into significant savings for patients paying out-of-pocket, allowing ASCs to offer individuals and families high-quality surgical care at an affordable price point.
8. Faster recovery and same-day discharge. ASCs are designed for outpatient services, meaning a person can go home the same day as their procedure. ASC patients can go home in just hours, and recovery from comparable procedures in a hospital is significantly faster, MedPAC notes. Increased comfort and quicker recovery are also ensured when patients return home sooner. This setup requires fewer overnight hospital stays, thereby lowering costs and offering a better experience for patients and their families.
9. Contributes to health care system efficiency. Utilizing ASCs helps improve the efficiency of our health care system by handling elective and non-emergent procedures, allowing hospitals to concentrate their resources on critical and emergency care. According to a Becker’s Health Care report, ASCs relieve hospitals of nearly 26 percent of operating room time, enabling hospitals to coordinate urgent or more complex cases. Dividing services allows for effective distribution of patient volumes, ensuring that patients in need of urgent care are treated quickly and others benefit from specialized outpatient services at ASCs.
10. Economic development and job creation. ASCs not only generate jobs and contribute to the economy but also help lower health care costs. According to the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA), ASCs represent more than 340,000 jobs in the United States and contribute nearly $90 billion per year to the national economy. ASCs also reduce costs for public insurance programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, by providing quality surgical care at a lower cost. Moreover, ASCs reduce the burden of outpatient needs on hospital facilities, creating savings for patients, payers, and taxpayers.
Conclusion
The benefits that ASCs offer patients, providers, and the health system are plentiful. ASCs are a 21st-century surgical paradigm aligned with the objectives of value-based health care: decreasing costs and infection rates while enhancing patient satisfaction and operative efficiency. Overcoming the high costs and longer recovery period that is often coupled with a hospital procedure, ASCs offer safe, reliable, and affordable surgical services for patients. Even amidst the continued transformation of health care, ASCs will remain central to delivering convenient and efficient care for everyone involved.
Shakeel Ahmed is a gastroenterologist.
