US News & World Report best ASCs ranking now available

Editor's Note

With the goal of helping patients choose if outpatient care is right for them and identify the right ambulatory surgery center (ASC) for their needs, US News & World Report unveiled on May 14 its inaugural ranking of the best ASCs in the US. Reportedly, “fewer than 15% of evaluated [ASCs] earned a ‘High Performing’ rating,” noted the US News press room. In its state-by-state breakdown, the four specialties evaluated were colonoscopy and endoscopy (gastroenterology), ophthalmology, orthopedics and spine, and urology.

According to US News, there are over 6,000 Medicare-licensed ASCs nationwide that provide a more streamlined and convenient experience. It evaluated nearly 5,000 ASCs using Medicare data over 3 years, focusing on factors such as complication rates, ER visits and costs, and unplanned hospitalizations. The majority of ASCs cater to gastroenterological procedures, various orthopedic and spinal surgeries, same-day eye surgeries, and surgical and diagnostic procedures for urology-related health issues.

For each specialty, US News evaluated:

• Colonoscopy & endoscopy: Evaluated 2,029 ASCs, with over 3 million patients, 249 high-performing centers, and two procedure types.
• Orthopedics & spine: Evaluated 2,326 ASCs, with 490,000 patients, 219 high-performing centers, and nine procedure types.
• Ophthalmology: Evaluated 1,979 ASCs, with over 2.7 million patients, 196 high-performing centers, and four procedure types.
• Urology: Evaluated 694 ASCs, with over 300,000 patients, 53 high-performing centers, and two procedure types.

For each specialty, the following states have the greatest number of “best” ASCs:

• Colonoscopy & endoscopy: California, Florida, and Pennsylvania
• Orthopedics & spine: California, Florida, and Georgia
• Ophthalmology: California, Florida, and Texas
• Urology: California, Georgia, Maryland, and New Jersey

US News emphasized that quality of care, including patient outcomes, should be a key factor when choosing an ASC for outpatient procedures. For a more comprehensive overview of the benefits, services, specialties, and evaluation criteria for ASCs, review the full ranking and the methodology report here.