Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) are a rapidly growing sector of health care, driven largely by a shift from inpatient to outpatient surgery. According to the 2020 Ambulatory Surgery Center Market Report, 68% of all orthopedic surgeries are expected to be performed at ASCs by 2025. There are a number of factors driving this shift including the COVID-19 pandemic, but the primary reasons are the substantial benefits that ASCs can achieve for patient safety and outcomes. 

As dedicated health care facilities providing same-day outpatient surgical treatment, ASCs are able to deliver an increased focus on patient experience and safety. Outpatient surgery has become a more common option due to advances in surgical technology and methods, which means that a hospital stay is no longer a requirement for many patients. 

For workplace injuries that require surgical treatment, including orthopedic and spine care, ASCs are uniquely positioned to help injured workers get back to work faster and with lower costs.

ASCs increase patient safety and drive better outcomes
ASCs derive their advantages from being specialized facilities that exclusively perform surgical procedures, often within a given subspecialty. Among other benefits, this allows surgeons and staff to focus on a smaller number of repeatable processes to create more efficient workflows. Through this specialization, ASCs can also focus on delivering a higher level of patient safety and quality outcomes: 

• As just one example of this increased efficiency, 77% of surgeries are completed on time in ASC settings compared to hospitals, according to a study published in 2009.
•  A 2020 study presented at WCRI’s 36th Annual Issues & Research Conference points to lower readmission rates, which are 233% more likely in a hospital setting as compared to ASCs.
• This same study also points to reoperations and revision surgeries being 266% more likely in a hospital setting, driving a 65% increase in workers’ compensation costs. 
• By limiting exposure to other patient populations, ASCs also promote the reduced risk of surgical site infections, which are a source of more than $3 billion in avoidable annual health care costs.

Cost is another concern associated with surgical treatment, particularly when performed in a hospital. By shortening the duration of treatment and streamlining the patient experience, ASCs offer the opportunity for significantly decreased costs in workers’ compensation compared to hospitals. One review of published literature demonstrated average cost savings for ASCs at 57.6% more than a hospital-based surgery.

Paradigm Orthopedic and Spine Network — connecting injured workers with top ASCs
Surgery is typically a last-resort treatment for orthopedic workplace injuries, but if it does become necessary, patients should receive care from qualified surgeons and high-quality facilities. In today’s health care space, growing evidence points to ASCs as the optimal platform for treatment, especially ASCs managed by a qualified network. With a management team representing more than 50 years of combined experience in the surgical care continuum and a vast library of surgical data, Paradigm has built an unmatched network of ASC providers to support injured workers through their recovery journey.

Learn more about Paradigm’s stellar Orthopedic and Spine Specialty Network.