The History & The Future Of Ambulatory Surgery Centers
According to Texas Health & Human Services, there are 560 ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) — medical facilities specialized in elective, same-day and outpatient surgical procedures — in Texas.
Before ASCs, surgeries had to take place in hospitals, where long waits and days spent recovering were encountered. Then, in 1970, the first of these new centers opened in Phoenix, Arizona, leading to convenient scheduling, specialized teams and the high-quality, cost-effective care for which the industry is known (via the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association).
When it comes to the economy, ambulatory surgery centers have a nationwide economic impact of $90 billion, as well as provide full-time jobs to over 117,000 employees, as reported by ASCA. Specifically, ophthalmic surgery leads the field, based on surgical segment revenues and information from ResearchAndMarkets.com. There have been technological advancements in the area, as well as an increase in eye disorders, contributed largely to an increase in screen time. The cost effectiveness and the minimally invasive options appeal to patients experiencing such disorders.
Each year, ASCs save Medicare $2.3 billion, according to a study from UC Berkeley, and this is thanks to high-volume procedures such as cataract surgery and colonoscopies (via ASCA). If the share within the system went up by 3%, these savings have the potential to reach $57.6 billion over 10 years.
The Global Ambulatory Surgical Centers Market Size Study from Market Study Report, LLC shows that there will be significant growth in this global and national market between 2020 and 2027. This is partly due to the need for external treatment facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic and to chronic health conditions found in adult and geriatric Americans (via BioSpace.com).
While major procedures once required powerful anesthetics and long recovery times, they can now be done in simpler, faster ways, with minimal recovery time. Advancements in the industry, such as tools that are used during procedures, have contributed to this. But ASC growth can largely be attributed to skilled medical professionals, high levels of quality, cost savings and patient satisfaction.
