The migration of surgical cases from inpatient settings to ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) continues to reshape perioperative leadership in 2025. Nationally, the trend is driven by payer incentives, patient preference, and cost pressures, with ASCs now performing more orthopedic, spine, and complex outpatient procedures than ever before. In fact, the…

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Editor's Note Healthcare hiring slowed in the second quarter of 2025, with nursing and technician roles experiencing steep declines even as physician and pharmacy jobs continued to grow. According to HealthLeaders August 19, the shift signals a potential rebalancing in workforce priorities as hospitals and health systems adapt to financial…

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Editor's Note Patients treated by hospital-affiliated physicians are far less likely to receive specialty procedures in lower-cost settings, while private-equity–affiliated doctors are the most likely to steer patients toward these options, Ambulatory Surgery Center News August 12 reports. The findings come from a Mount Sinai study that examined physician affiliation,…

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Editor's Note Two workers at an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) are facing federal charges after allegedly interfering with an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrest, The Independent July 27 reports. The federal agents reportedly arrested one of the workers and are pursuing the other after both were accused of assaulting…

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Editor's Note The United States recorded more than 1.5 million excess deaths in 2022 and 2023 alone—avoidable fatalities that would not have occurred if US death rates matched those of other wealthy nations, according to a May 23 article in CIDRAP reporting on a Boston University–led study published in JAMA…

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Editor's Note Wealthy nations continue to draw nurses from poorer countries, worsening fragile healthcare systems and deepening global inequities, according to the newly released State of the World’s Nursing 2025 report from the World Health Organization (WHO) and International Council of Nurses (ICN).  As detailed in a May 12 article…

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Editor's Note The widespread adoption of GLP-1 weight-loss medications like Ozempic and Wegovy could put revenue at risk across multiple service lines, according to a March 11 article in Becker’s Hospital Review. As a result, hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) face critical questions about how to adapt. The article…

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Editor's Note In addition to the uptick in acquiring outpatient facilities since 2023, UnitedHealth Group quietly acquired or created more than 250 subsidiaries last year, expanding its already vast network of services comprising a major health insurer, physician practices, a pharmacy benefit manager, and various other healthcare ventures, STAT March…

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Editor's Note Health systems across the US are making major investments in ambulatory care, responding to increasing patient demand for lower-cost, community-based healthcare, Modern Healthcare February 4 reports. From debt financing to philanthropic campaigns, hospitals are leveraging diverse funding strategies and shifting capital investments to build and expand outpatient facilities.…

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