Surge in Surgery Center Surgeries

Orthopedic surgeons who own one of the growing number of ambulatory surgical centers (ASC) are doing a lot more surgery than non-owners surgeons, new workers’ compensation research shows. There is plenty of financial incentive for this – surgeon-owners not only get paid for the surgery but they also share in their ASC’s profits.

In Florida, orthopedic surgeons who owned ASCs did between 52 and 111 percent more surgery than orthopedic surgeons who were not owners, according to the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI).

The study, “Why Surgeon Owners of Ambulatory Surgical Centers Do More Surgery Than Non-Owners,” found that the average surgeon did 14-22 percent more surgery after becoming an ASC owner. The study did not determine whether these additional surgeries were necessary.

The study also found other important reasons orthopedic surgeons who own ASCs do more surgery than orthopedic surgeons who are not owners. One is that ASCs are more likely to recruit high-volume surgeons to become owners.

Similarly, high-volume surgeons are more likely to become owners of surgery centers, according to the study’s author, Dr. Christine Yee.

Dr. Yee also noted that surgery centers are often more efficient than hospital outpatient departments, so the surgeons were able to schedule and perform more surgeries once they were affiliated with surgery centers.