Here are five statistics offering insight into the state of physician employment in 2024:

Artificial intelligence, and its usage in healthcare, has been a controversial topic over the last year. While some physicians are excited for its uses, others remain nervous. 

While ASCs are more frequently getting acquired by large health systems, there are still a number of privately owned ASCs in the nation. 

Fremont, Calif., is the happiest city in the U.S., while Detroit is the unhappiest, according to personal finance site WalletHub.

Medicare Advantage has been a divisive topic in the healthcare industry as of late, with some health systems cutting ties with certain insurers or with the program entirely.

United Surgical Partners International has solidified itself as a market leader in the ASC segment, operating the most centers and affiliating with the highest number of physicians of any chain in the U.S. 

UnitedHealth Group's Optum has become a powerhouse in healthcare.

False Claims Act settlements and judgments surpassed $2.68 billion during the 2023 fiscal year, according to a Feb. 22 news release from the Justice Department.

At the end of 2022, several ASC industry groups, including the Association of Operating Room Nurses, expressed disappointment in CMS for only adding four new procedures to the ASC-covered list for 2023. 

Outpatient surgical volumes are only expected to grow in the coming years, led largely by orthopedic procedures including joint replacements, spinal fusions and knee replacements, according to a study from healthcare intelligence firm Sg2.

The Stryker family, creators and heirs of medtech company Stryker, are currently wealthier than other well-known family dynasties, like the Kennedys and the Rockefellers. 

Major ASC chain Surgery Partners has 192 practice affiliates nationwide as of February, from New York to California. 

Here are 10 ASCs that posted job listings seeking administrators in the last month. 

Noncompetes have been a hot-button topic in healthcare, with supporters and those opposed to the practice each attempting to influence policy changes.

In December, several major health systems made headlines when they reinstated COVID-19-era mask mandates for patients and providers amid a rise in respiratory virus cases. 

U.S. Rep. Rudy Yakym is paying a visit to the Surgery Center of Grander (Ind.) to meet with leaders of the Elkhart, Ind.-based Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center and South Bend, Ind.-based Beacon Health System, according to a Feb. 22 report from Goshen News.

The Salem, Ore.-based Willamette Surgery Center, which served patients in the area for over 20 years, will be demolished after closing its doors last fall, according to a Feb. 21 report from the Salem Reporter.

Here are two recent Stark law cases that Becker's has reported on since Jan. 23:

Physicians, ASCs and health systems alike have been rattled by — and relieved to learn about — recent changes in healthcare.

Major ASC chain Surgery Partners has 192 ASC affiliates all across the U.S.