ASC Fast Facts

ASCs provide innovative, high-quality, patient-centered care and create a significant savings for patients and the health care system.

ASCs perform outpatient surgical and diagnostic procedures
92 percent of ASC patients report satisfaction with their care
ASCs are essential Medicare providers of surgical and cancer screening services
ASCs provide over 40 percent of all Medicare colonoscopies contributing to the decrease in overall colorectal cancer mortality
ASCs are independently regulated by several rigorous processes including Medicare certification, state licensure, and voluntary accreditation
Many ASCs have independent accreditation and peer review to ensure that patients receive high-quality care
Many ASCs focus on services that are recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and Healthy People 2010 & 2020, such as colonoscopy screening

Clinical advances, including improvement in anesthesia and pharmaceuticals, as well as innovation in surgery, such as the technology for minimally-invasive procedures and the advance of the intraocular lens, have led the migration of surgeries and procedures from the inpatient setting to the less-costly outpatient setting
Many ASCs are privately owned by physicians and about 20 percent of ASCs are jointly owned by community hospitals

There are more than 5,200 Medicare-certified ASCs across all 50 states, with more than 1,000 facilities owned in partnerships with community hospitals
Physician ownership enables:
- Efficient use of the ASC facility
- Conducive settings tailored to patients’ needs
- Better control over scheduling, so procedures are not often delayed or rescheduled due to staffing issues or demands
- Innovative strategies for governance, leadership and quality initiatives

ASCs save Medicare $2,000,000,000 (2 billion) annually by providing low-cost services
By shifting just half of all eligible outpatient surgeries to the ASC setting, Medicare could save an additional $2,300,000,000 (2.3 billion) annually
ASCs save Medicare beneficiaries an average of 56 percent on their coinsurance

Advancing Surgical Care