An ambulatory surgery center (ASC) provides outpatient surgery to patients. ASCs are freestanding or based within a hospital. The plan for these patients is to admit and discharge them on the same day. However, some ASC patients who experience complications may require admission to a hospital. Because complications may arise from any surgical procedure, you should consider the ASC’s affiliation with a hospital. If it does not have one, determine how far away the ASC is from a hospital in case providers need to transfer you.
Physicians or physician-run corporations own most freestanding ASCs. The attraction of a freestanding ASC is usually convenience, personalized attention, and posh accommodations. If you need a hysterectomy, you might want to ask how many surgeons at your ASC perform hysterectomies and how many are performed each year. The more, the better in both cases.
The most common procedures performed at an ASC are: hernia repair; skin repair or excision; ear tube insertion or removal; eye surgery, such as cataract removal or retina repair; plastic or cosmetic surgery; repair of muscles tendons, ligaments, and joints; carpal tunnel release; tonsillectomy; cardiac catheterization; colonoscopy; other gastric endoscopies; gallbladder removal; and hysterectomies. The types of outpatient surgeries continue to grow.
Ruthann Russo, PhD, JD, MPH, RHIT, is a healthcare expert with more than 20 years of experience working in and advising healthcare organizations.
