ASCs face growing pressure to centralize implant management as specialty volumes surge
Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) are taking on more high-acuity, same-day procedures than ever before. This growth is driven by evolving clinical protocols, cost-conscious reimbursement strategies, and expanded capabilities in outpatient care. Specialties like orthopedics, spine, ophthalmology, and cardiovascular care are moving more complex cases—and the implants that come with them—out…
Leveraging technology to streamline ASC operations, optimize patient care
As we celebrate National ASC Month, it is worth recognizing how central ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) have become to modern healthcare. Today, there are more than 12,000 ASCs across the US, including over 6,500 Medicare-certified facilities operating some 18,800 surgical suites. With over 80% of all surgical procedures being performed…
Breast cancer surgery delays tied to higher upstaging, faster tumor growth
Editor's Note Each month of delay between breast cancer diagnosis and surgery raises the likelihood of tumor upstaging, nodal spread, and in vivo tumor growth, according to a national database analysis published in Annals of Surgical Oncology on July 23. The researchers reviewed records from more than 1 million patients…
OR Business Management Summit chair outlines data-driven strategies for financial, operational success
Although hospital performance from January to April 2025 outpaced the first 4 months of 2024, according to Kaufman Hall’s June 2025 “National Hospital Flash Report,” many surgical departments remain under intense financial pressure. Labor and supply costs continue to rise, while surgical services are especially vulnerable to inefficiencies like labor…
Large-scale studies link preoperative cognition to delirium risk, reveal its deadly toll after surgery
Editor's Note Older surgical patients with preoperative cognitive impairment face significantly higher odds of developing postoperative delirium (POD), and POD itself is tied to markedly worse surgical outcomes, according to two major studies published July 2025. Together, the findings point to delirium as both a high-impact and potentially modifiable target…
ASC drill success hinges on preparation, adaptability, clear roles
Editor's Note Running effective emergency drills in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) requires strategic resource use, role clarity, and consistent adaptation, Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society July 8 reports. Drawing on insights from Laura Schneider, senior clinical director at AMSURG, the piece outlines practical steps to ensure ASCs can respond effectively…
5 costly mistakes to avoid when building an ASC
Editor's Note Poor planning and rushed decisions derail too many ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) before they open their doors. In a recent blog post, ASC consultant Emily Spooner outlined the top five errors commonly made during ASC development, offering targeted guidance on how to avoid them. According to the post,…
Translating MIPS Value Pathways into perioperative practice—What OR leaders need to know
In July 2025, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed sweeping changes to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for calendar year 2026. Among the most impactful updates is the launch of the Ambulatory Specialty Model (ASM)—a mandatory value-based payment program focused on heart failure and low back pain.…
Fast-track ENT days boost surgical volume, cut backlog at UCSF Benioff Children’s
Editor's Note Designating underused neurosurgery blocks for straightforward ENT procedures increased surgical volume and reduced wait times at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital San Francisco, according to a July 3 report from the Children’s Hospital Association’s 2025 Transforming Quality Conference. The initiative began in early 2024, when ENT leaders and surgical…
Keynote preview video: Healthcare's "Blockbuster moment" with Dr Dan Weberg
Editor's Note The nursing profession has an unprecedented opportunity to redesign systems, influence policy, and elevate care—but only if we can shift from traditional models to a future-focused mindset. That's the message of this exclusive preview of the 2025 OR Manager Conference opening keynote with Dan Weberg, PhD, MHI, RN,…
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- Suicide Prevention Month: Hospitals prepare for new The Joint Commission suicide prevention goal, effective 2026
- Survey: Perioperative leaders adapt to supply strain, staffing pressure, ASC growth
- Gait retraining eases knee osteoarthritis pain as effectively as medication, can delay knee surgery
- OR leaders must sharpen questions, partnerships as AI reshapes perioperative care
- npj Digital Surgery opens call for research on AI, robotics in the OR
- AI in the OR can sharpen skills, but humans make the lessons stick
- Endoscopy case highlights risks of complex patients in ASCs
- Robotics and AI are redefining precision in cataract surgery
- CMS plan to phase out inpatient only list sparks debate over safety for vulnerable patients
- ACS issues new best practices for managing genitourinary trauma