Here are 56 benchmarks on ASC operating expenses from VMG Health's 2018 Multi-Specialty ASC Benchmarking Study.
The study is based on 2016 and 2017 data from over 275 centers, encompassing a surgical case volume of over 1.3 million.
Operating expenses as a percentage of net revenue:
Employee salaries and wages
1. All facilities: 21.9 percent
2. Atlantic: 22.4 percent
3. Midwest: 19 percent
4. Mountain: 23.4 percent
5. Northeast: 23 percent
6. Pacific: 26.5 percent
7. South: 19.9 percent
Taxes and benefits
8. All facilities: 5 percent
9. Atlantic: 5.4 percent
10. Midwest: 4.7 percent
11. Mountain: 5.2 percent
12. Northeast: 5.2 percent
13. Pacific: 5.8 percent
14. South: 4.4 percent
Occupancy costs
15. All facilities:6.1 percent
16. Atlantic: 6.1 percent
17. Midwest: 6 percent
18. Mountain: 7.6 percent
19. Northeast: 6.2 percent
20. Pacific: 7.1 percent
21. South: 5.8 percent
Drugs and medical supplies
22. All facilities: 24.4 percent
23. Atlantic: 25.4 percent
24. Midwest: 22.6 percent
25. Mountain: 26.1 percent
26. Northeast: 21.2 percent
27. Pacific: 24.7 percent
28. South: 23.4 percent
Other medical costs
29. All facilities: .4 percent
30. Atlantic: .6 percent
31. Midwest: .6 percent
32. Mountain: .4 percent
33. Northeast: .6 percent
34. Pacific: .7 percent
35. South: .3 percent
Insurance
36. All facilities: .6 percent
37. Atlantic: .7 percent
38. Midwest: .7 percent
39. Mountain: .5 percent
40. Northeast: .6 percent
41. Pacific: .6 percent
42. South: .6 percent
General and administrative
43. All facilities: 16.6 percent
44. Atlantic: 16.9 percent
45. Midwest: 17.5 percent
46. Mountain: 15.9 percent
47. Northeast: 16.1 percent
48. Pacific: 14.8 percent
49. South: 16.8 percent
Total operating expense
50. All facilities: 77.8 percent
51. Atlantic: 81.1 percent
52. Midwest: 74.3 percent
53. Mountain: 82.6 percent
54. Northeast: 78.6 percent
55. Pacific: 83.4 percent
56. South: 73.7 percent