Ambulatory Surgery Center Advocacy Committee Reinforces Industry Commitment to High-Quality, Patient-Centered Care

March 8, 2010 - The Ambulatory Surgery Center Advocacy Committee (ASCAC) launched the ASC campaign for “Advancing Surgical Care” today to raise awareness about the high-quality, patient-centered care that ASCs provide and the significant savings they create for both patients and the health care system. The ASCAC includes the national and state ASC associations as well as representatives of all types of ASC operators and physicians.

ASCs are innovative health care facilities that specialize in providing important surgical and preventive services in an outpatient setting. More than 22 million surgeries and procedures, including many orthopedic, eye, and abdominal surgeries, are performed annually in more than 5,200 Medicare-certified ASCs in the United States. Patients who choose to have surgery in an ASC arrive on the day of their procedure, have their surgery in a fully-equipped operating room and recover under the care of highly-trained and certified medical professionals, including physicians, nurses, physician assistants and other health care experts.

ASCs are often the most cost effective solution for both patients and payers, including taxpayers, and offer an enormous savings to the entire health care system. Research shows that patients experience more than a 50 percent co-pay savings on Medicare services, and overall, ASCs save Medicare approximately $2 billion annually.

“At a time when health care costs are skyrocketing and access to quality patient care is a national priority, ASCs continue to offer high-quality, patient-centered care to communities throughout the country and create a cost savings for both the individual and the health care system as a whole,” said Andrew Hayek, Chair of the Ambulatory Surgery Center Advocacy Committee and President and Chief Executive Officer of Surgical Care Affiliates. “As an industry, we are committed to providing patients the highest quality care in the safest environment possible and are working with physicians, hospitals and other stakeholders throughout the health care system to ensure that we continue to advance surgical care.”

“Patients report a 92 percent satisfaction rate in the health care services they receive at ASCs throughout the country,” said Kathy Bryant, President of the ASC Association. “We are proud to come together as an industry to lead this much-needed dialogue around the care, value and superior patient outcomes associated with ASCs.”

ASCs are committed to working with physicians, hospitals and other stakeholders throughout the health care delivery system to ensure that patients have the access they need to quality care.

For more information on ASCs in your community and the ASCAC visit www.advancingsurgicalcare.com.

Media Contact:
Kay Tucker, ASCA
(703) 836-8808
ktucker@ascassociation.org