Celebrate National ASC Month with exclusive OR Manager insights

Editor's Note

As we begin National Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) Month, we’ve been reflecting on all OR Manager has to offer this critical subset of our audience—and all that is yet to come.  

First, why celebrate ASCs, and how to get involved? According to the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA), “ASCs have transformed the outpatient experience for millions of Americans by providing them with a more convenient alternative to hospital-based outpatient procedures—and done so with a strong track record of quality care and positive patient outcomes.” Last summer, efforts to get involved ranged from customizing social media with National ASC Month banners to hosting facility tours for members of Congress.

Since then, OR Manager has been regularly delivering relevant news to our ASC audience via our ASC Leader Weekly email newsletter. We also have regularly published deep, exclusive insights from ASC experts who understand the daily challenges of administrators, managers, and clinical leaders. The most recent examples of these articles—published not just in OR Manager, but also our quarterly ASC Leader supplement—include the following:

•  ASC adaptability depends on properly structured leadership. With ASCs varying in size, specialty, and ownership type, what’s the best setup for ensuring regulatory compliance, facilitating accreditation, and driving strategic planning? Learn more in this detailed analysis.
• Proper planning prevents OR construction, renovation cost creep. Understanding how to navigate the five phases of any construction project—and what can go wrong—is essential to the success of a new ASC. This article offers an extensive overview, including a sidebar addressing ASC construction costs specifically.
• Reviewing the evolution of US News’ 2025 best ASCs ranking. Learn how the outlet continues to refine its ranking methodology, including adjustments for procedural complexity, improved data accuracy, and the removal of certain lower-risk procedures from evaluation.
• Emergency preparedness: Identifying essential supplies for unplanned surgical events. All OR staff must be prepared for the unexpected, and ASCs are no exception. In fact, the more selective nature of ASC patient populations, generally smaller staff, and other factors could arguably make true crises feel even more unexpected in these outpatient ORs.

For a shorter read, check out  4 ways ASCs balance strict infection control, limited resources, or perhaps  Three strategies for demystifying the ASC supply chain puzzle. And for an interesting case study, try Offsite sterilization fuels onsite efficiency for lean ASCs.

More is on the way. Every week this month, we’ll be publishing a new article focused on ASCs. We’re also gearing up to publish the 2025 Career/Salary Survey, which offers essential insights for and about ASCs specifically (here’s last year’s data). Other planned coverage includes total joints programs, integration of technology to support lean staffing, and reimbursement gaps between ASCs and HOPDs.

Finally, the 2025 OR Manager Conference, scheduled for October 28-30 in Anaheim, California, offers a dedicated ASC track, as does February’s newly rebranded OR Business Management Summit (a more intimate, narrowly focused forum for cultivating financial and operational leadership). Enter the promo code ASCMONTH for 15% off registration rates. We hope to see you there!