ASCs and hospitals nationwide are launching outpatient spine programs and adding spine devices. 

Downers Grove, Ill.-based DuPage Medical Group has launched an outpatient lumbar fusion program at its ASC in Westmont, Ill., which opened in January.

The Advanced Surgery Center of Tampa (Fla.) is one of the first facilities to implant Medtronic's Vanta spinal cord stimulation system.

A medical building with a spine-focused surgery center is under construction in Chattanooga, Tenn., the Chattanooga Time Free Press reported Aug. 5.

Kaiser Permanente's Largo (Md.) Ambulatory Surgery Center performed its first robotic surgery in the region, the health system announced. 

Medtronic's recently approved spinal cord stimulator, Vanta, debuted at Duluth, Minn.-based Lakewalk Surgery Center, according to a July 29 Linkedin post.

From a new spine surgery center to a growing chain of retail clinics, here are five key outpatient spine care developments in the past month:

A woman who was shot July 26 at BioSpine Institute in Spring Hill, Fla., died a few hours later in surgery at a local trauma center, according to local police.

Surgical robots are driving ASC growth — with the global market projected to reach $14.4 billion by 2026, up from about $6.4 billion in 2021. 

The first outpatient awake spinal fusion in Florida's Tampa Bay area was reportedly performed by Samuel Joseph, MD, of Joseph Spine Institute.

West Orange, N.J.-based Advanced Spine and Outpatient Surgery debuted the ExcelsiusGPS robotic navigation system, according to a July 21 news release.

Puyallup, Wash.-based Neospine added the Mazor X Stealth Edition robotic guidance platform to its ASC, according to a July 16 email. 

A spine surgeon's upcoming ASC and three more updates in the outpatient spine surgery space reported since June 1:

The Back Space, a chain of retail spine care clinics, revealed the location of five of its 10 locations planned in Walmart stores as of July 7.

Spine surgeon Chukwuka Okafor, MD, is opening a surgery center this year to capitalize on the accelerating trend of outpatient migration, The Ledger reported July 6.

Surgical site infections have negative clinical and financial consequences. Mitigating these infections to protect patients and ASC bottom lines must be a priority for physicians and surgical care teams.

Here are five fast facts on neurological surgery, based on the Merritt Hawkins physician revenue calculator and the 2020 Medscape physician compensation report:

The migration of more higher-acuity spine surgeries to the outpatient setting presents an opportunity for stakeholders and surgeons to realize significant profit in the coming years if that ASC is operated properly.

When hospitals paused elective surgeries and cut spending during the COVID-19 pandemic, some ASCs chose to invest in technology to facilitate growth.

Spine and total joint surgeries are among the highest-acuity procedures rapidly moving to the outpatient setting, representing a significant financial opportunity for ASCs.