Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) are reshaping the surgical landscape. They now handle more than half of outpatient surgeries in the U.S. and continue to grow in volume and influence. With their emphasis on efficiency, cost savings, and patient satisfaction, ASCs have established a model of care that is difficult to ignore.
For academic medical centers, this shift raises critical questions. How can institutions dedicated to education, research, and complex patient care also prepare surgeons for a healthcare system increasingly centered on outpatient surgery? And how can they ensure their own surgery centers operate with the same level of performance as other ASCs?
Why ASCs Are Essential to Surgical Training
The strengths of ASCs are well documented: faster case turnover, lower costs, and high patient satisfaction. Yet for academic medical centers, the value of ASCs goes beyond economics. They represent the environment in which many future surgeons will spend much of their careers.
To succeed, residents and fellows need exposure to:
- Case volume and speed. ASCs often perform a higher number of cases per day, giving trainees more opportunities to refine their skills.
- Operational efficiency. Outpatient surgery requires streamlined workflows that impact quality and cost. Trainees benefit from seeing these systems in action.
- Financial realities. Understanding how efficiency and reimbursement drive ASC operations prepares surgeons to become leaders in their own practices.
Without experience in ASC settings, new surgeons risk entering practice without the skills needed to thrive in today’s healthcare market.
The Surgery Center Challenge Facing Academic Medical Centers
Academic medical centers must balance two imperatives: advancing education and research while also operating surgical facilities that reflect ASC-level efficiency. These priorities are not always aligned. Hospital operating rooms are often complex environments, shaped by multiple stakeholders and academic commitments, while ASCs run lean and fast.
The challenge is not simply building an outpatient facility. It is ensuring that surgery centers support the academic medical center’s mission while delivering the operational outcomes that patients, payers, and faculty now expect.
How Academic Medical Centers Can Bridge the Gap
Many academic medical centers find it difficult to achieve this balance on their own. That is where outside expertise becomes essential. Avanza Strategies has a 20-plus-year history of partnering with academic medical centers nationwide to develop surgery centers that perform like ASCs while supporting the broader mission of education, discovery, and clinical excellence.
Our work includes:
- Designing and managing surgery centers that deliver efficiency and strong patient experience.
- Aligning workflows for faculty, trainees, and staff with the realities of outpatient surgery.
- Supporting financial sustainability through operational improvements.
- Ensuring surgery centers provide valuable training opportunities in environments that reflect modern practice and advance the institution’s mission.
Looking Ahead: The ASC Model Is Here to Stay
The growth of ASCs will not slow down. Payer policies, patient preferences, and advances in minimally invasive surgery all point to continued expansion of outpatient care. For academic medical centers, adapting to this reality is not optional. It is essential for training, for financial health, and for long-term institutional strength.
Is your academic medical center ready to align with the ASC model?
Avanza Strategies helps surgery centers reach peak performance while supporting the educational priorities of academic medical centers. Contact us today to learn how we can help your institution develop or optimize an ASC that prepares surgeons for today’s and tomorrow’s healthcare environment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are ASCs important for academic medical centers?
ASCs now set the standard for outpatient surgery. Academic medical centers must adapt to ensure their surgery centers match ASC performance while also preparing surgeons for the environments where they will practice.
How do ASCs benefit surgical training?
They provide exposure to higher case volumes, faster turnover, and streamlined workflows that trainees will encounter in their careers.
What challenges do academic medical centers face in running ASC-level centers?
Educational and research priorities can add complexity to surgical operations, making it harder to achieve the speed and efficiency that define ASCs.
How does Avanza Strategies help?
Avanza partners with academic medical centers to design and manage surgery centers that deliver ASC efficiency while supporting education and clinical excellence.