The Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society (TASCS) serves as the public policy advocate for ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), outpatient facilities that provide same-day surgical care.
Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society (TASCS) President Adam Hornback and Executive Director Krista DuRapau kicked off the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) tour season last week in Houston.
The first stop was Pulse Surgery Center to meet with Gaurav Aggarwala M.D. FSCAI, MBA, an interventional cardiologist and TASCS board member, and Caitlin Sims, the center’s administrator.
A Letter From Your TASCS President, Adam Hornback
I hope everyone is having a great 2026. Last year, I know we were all busy with our centers, running wild to help patients get their procedures done before the fourth quarter, and then the holidays were here and gone. January started off at a fast pace, and the recent ice storms really didn’t help. I sympathize with everyone who had center closures and damage from the ice and freezing temperatures. I can tell you firsthand it affected me and my center. Hopefully that is the last of the bad weather for Texas, and we’ll just have to get prepared for the heat that inevitably comes in the summer.
January is Glaucoma Awareness Month, a time to learn about and educate others on glaucoma, an eye condition that damages the optic nerve and is the leading cause of vision loss and blindness in the United States.
To find out more, the Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society spoke with David Szynkarski, MD, MBA, an ophthalmologist at Mann Eye Institute in Houston, Texas.
Founded in 2003, the Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society (TASCS) serves as the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) industry’s public policy advocate in the Lone Star State. Its mission is to provide education, offer regulatory information & resources, assist with operational optimization, and promote optimal & affordable surgical care for patients.
As a member-supported advocacy association, TASCS also:
While we can’t believe it’s already December, we wanted to take this moment to reflect on another successful year for the Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society (TASCS).
In February 2025, TASCS held its 2nd Annual Survey Readiness Workshop, providing insider tips from accreditation organizations, and its advocacy day at the Texas Capitol. Members had a full day of meetings with legislators, discussing the high-quality, low-cost procedures centers offer to patients, and February 25 was officially recognized as Ambulatory Surgery Center Awareness Day.
More patients than ever are walking into surgery while taking GLP-1 medications like Ozempic or Wegovy. These drugs have undoubtedly transformed diabetes and weight management, but they've also brought new concerns and challenges into the pre-op process, especially around delayed gastric emptying. For ASCs, that delay can mean anesthesia complications, case cancellations, or even hospital transfers.
I've worked with more than one surgery center that was surprised to learn a patient had continued a weekly GLP-1 injection right up until the procedure. The team had followed fasting guidelines, but the patient still had residual stomach contents. The case had to be postponed, the OR schedule was disrupted, and the day became more complicated than it needed to be.
On September 12, the Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society (TASCS) hosted its annual Infection Control Seminar. Ambulatory surgery center (ASC) administrators, directors of nursing, and infection control specialists gathered to spend the day learning the newest updates and guidelines regarding infection prevention.
Last month, Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society (TASCS) President Adam Hornback, BSN, RN and Executive Director Krista DuRapau welcomed new members and toured their centers in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
The two started at Texas Vision & Laser Center (TVLC), where COO Bert Witherspoon, MS, MBA, FACHE met them with a warm welcome and took them through the center, which was undergoing a few renovations in the ORs.
During National ASC Month, Dallas Endoscopy Center (DEC) had the pleasure of celebrating its 20-year anniversary by hosting two congressional offices for tours of the center: Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett and staff from Congresswoman Julie Johnson’s office. The event, with its over 100 guests, was a huge success for DEC, its dedicated team, and the thousands of patients who have been treated at this DFW facility.
Administrator Susan Cheek stated, "We love giving tours of our center and educating people about the high-quality, low-cost outcomes that ASCs provide."
The Laser Surgery Center (TLSC), which opened in 2023, is a single-specialty ophthalmology center, a closed system that belongs to an ophthalmology-only medical practice—Texas Vision & Laser Center (TVLC)—serving North Texas.
Last week, Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society President Adam Hornback, BSN, RN welcomed Representative Rhetta Bowers' staff to tour North Texas Team Care Surgery Center in Mesquite, Texas.
The 2025 Annual Meeting was another great success! Many thanks to our speakers, exhibitors, sponsors, and attendees for participating. There was good food, there were good times with friends, and, as always, there was good information and networking.
We look forward to continuing to unite the ASC industry throughout the rest of the year and to learning more together and from each other.
Terminal Cleaning Services (TCS) is redefining healthcare facility management. The company partners with the nation’s leading healthcare providers to elevate cleanliness standards and drive measurable improvements in patient satisfaction.
TCS supports ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) by terminally cleaning to Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN), The Joint Commission, and Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) standards. The team ensures facilities remain audit-ready through detailed compliance binders and proactive account management. Additionally, TCS provides floor maintenance services such as scrubbing, waxing, and burnishing.
Being part of the Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society (TASCS) is more than just paying dues and receiving a newsletter; it’s about being part of a community that cares.
Between June 23 and 25, 2025, the Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society (TASCS) will host its annual conference in Irving, Texas. As the premier conference dedicated to the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) industry in Texas, the meeting features opportunities to earn continuing education credits, learn best practices from colleagues & experts, get up-to-date info on accreditation & regulations, and network with leaders from across the state.
This year, the conference will be held at the Omni Las Colinas Hotel, a waterfront property with rooms that offer views of Lake Carolyn and Las Colinas and amenities that include:
On Tuesday, April 1, 2025, Susan Cheek, CPA, CHCC, CASC, administrator of Dallas Endoscopy Center, represented the Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society (TASCS) during the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services hearing at the Capitol in Austin, Texas.
Cheek had a challenging position, as the only witness against Chair Lois Kolkhorst’s bill, SB 331, which relates to the disclosure of healthcare cost information by certain healthcare facilities.
Between February 17 and 21, 2025, the Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society (TASCS) had its 2nd Annual Survey Readiness Workshop. This virtual event allowed participants to prepare for accreditation success with insight from experts.
On Day 1, Rommie Johnson, MPH, PMP, program director for the ambulatory surgery center (ASC)/office-based surgery (OBS) programs at Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC), gave a great overview of ACHC and noted there are over 26,000 facilities the commission accredits nationwide, including over 2,400 in Texas.
This year marks the 89th legislative session in Texas. Each year, thousands of bills are filed, and a significant portion of these affect healthcare. On Tuesday, February 25, the Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society (TASCS) will lead members to the Capitol to discuss key topics and bills with legislators.
There are several reasons why you should join us for Capitol Day 2025…
