Ambulatory Surgery Center 2024

Ambulatory Surgery Center 2024

Market At-A-Glance
The U.S. ambulatory surgery center (ASC) market is valued at $45.6 billion in 2024. The market is projected to grow 21% to $55.3 billion by 2029 as more procedures become minimally invasive and care shifts from the inpatient to outpatient setting. Outpatient surgical volumes are projected to reach 109.6 million cases by 2033, an 18% increase from 2023 levels. In the second quarter of 2024, there were over 6,300 Medicare-certified ASCs in the U.S.

Reimbursement Disparities And Rising Costs Among Top Hurdles For ASCs
ASCs face ongoing reimbursement disparities and rising operational costs. Procedures performed in hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs) can be up to 58% more expensive than those performed in ASCs or physician offices. These reimbursement gaps, coupled with increasing labor and operational costs, threaten the financial stability of ASCs. Legislative efforts to address reimbursement disparities were reintroduced in Congress in February 2024.

ASCs Tap Automation And Bonuses To Attract And Retain Staff
Staffing remains a critical challenge for ASCs, with nearly 70% of ASC leaders reporting increased difficulty recruiting staff in 2023 compared to 2022. Filling positions for registered nurses and surgical technologists took an average of three months in 2023. To combat staffing challenges, ASCs are enhancing their recruitment strategies by offering flexible schedules, adopting workflow automation, and providing signing bonuses to attract and retain staff in 2024.

States Loosen Certificate Of Need Laws, Inviting ASC Expansion
Ten states altered their certificate of need (CON) laws in 2023, leaving 12 states without a CON program. Notably in 2023, South Carolina repealed all CON requirements for most medical facilities and North Carolina removed CON regulations for urban ASCs starting in 2025. As states continue to reform and repeal their CON laws, the ASC market could experience growth from new facility development and expanded access to services.

Market Consolidation Continues As Hospitals Invest In Outpatient Services
Over 70% of surveyed hospital and health system leaders reported a plan to increase their ASC investments and affiliates in 2023. Hospital ownership of ASCs rose as a total of 27 ASC mergers and acquisitions occurred in 2023. Increasing their outpatient surgical capacity and reducing costs were among the top reported reasons for hospital ownership of ASCs.