In an editorial piece in The Tennessean, Richard Cowart, chairman of the health law and public policy departments of the Baker Donelson law firm, discussed the industry-wide movement of cases into the outpatient surgery setting.
According to Mr. Cowart, just 25 years ago, more than 85 percent of surgeries required admission and an overnight stay in the hospital. Today, more than 77 percent of surgeries are performed as same-day, outpatient procedures.
"Of the 85 million outpatient surgeries performed each year, an almost equal number are done in hospitals and freestanding ambulatory surgery centers," he said. "The total outpatient surgery business amounts to an approximately $60 billion to $75 billion market."
He said as surgery centers — of which there are approximately 5,300 in the United States — move into their second quarter-century, a number of factors are boosting their case volume and revenues. As technological advancements make cases newly appropriate for the ASC setting, physicians and payors are realizing the potential cost savings in sending cases to surgery centers.
Mr. Cowart expresses his hope that AmSurg, Symbion and their Nashville relatives continue the tradition of healthcare success in the city.
Read the Tennessean article on Richard Cowart.
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According to Mr. Cowart, just 25 years ago, more than 85 percent of surgeries required admission and an overnight stay in the hospital. Today, more than 77 percent of surgeries are performed as same-day, outpatient procedures.
"Of the 85 million outpatient surgeries performed each year, an almost equal number are done in hospitals and freestanding ambulatory surgery centers," he said. "The total outpatient surgery business amounts to an approximately $60 billion to $75 billion market."
He said as surgery centers — of which there are approximately 5,300 in the United States — move into their second quarter-century, a number of factors are boosting their case volume and revenues. As technological advancements make cases newly appropriate for the ASC setting, physicians and payors are realizing the potential cost savings in sending cases to surgery centers.
Mr. Cowart expresses his hope that AmSurg, Symbion and their Nashville relatives continue the tradition of healthcare success in the city.
Read the Tennessean article on Richard Cowart.
Related Articles on ASC Advocacy:
Lawmakers Visit Wyoming, New Jersey Surgery Centers
ASCA Publishes ASC Briefs for Advocates, Policymakers
ASC Association Asks CMS to Lift Same Day Surgery Restrictions