The demand for outpatient spine surgery is growing as technological developments make high-acuity procedures more feasible in the ASC setting.
Here are things for ASCs to consider as they expand into the outpatient spine market:
1) Look to lumbar/thoracic fusion procedures. These were among the top procedures that shifted to the outpatient market in 2023, according to the 2023 Impact of Change Forecast report published by SG2, a Vizient company and healthcare consulting group. According to the report, 17% of spinal decompression or laminectomy procedures will be performed in ASCs by 2033.
2) Focus on total joint replacements. In March, physicians told Becker's that total joint procedures were key to the future of ASC growth.
"ASCs are demonstrating that quality care for total joints can be achieved while ensuring patient safety and satisfaction are at the forefront of their experience," Joyce White, RN and facility administrator of Cypress Surgery Center in Wichita, Kan., told Becker's. Total shoulder replacement was also added to the CMS's list of ASC-covered procedures.
3) Enhance precision, accuracy and efficiency are key. As the demand for outpatient spine care continues to grow, implementing robotics and intraoperative imaging can allow surgeons in the ASC setting to provide high-quality care for increasingly complex cases.
4) Keep safety at the forefront of development is vital. It's important for a facility's safety to match the increasingly high-acuity procedures taking place in ASCs. The SG2 report highlights several technologies that minimally invasive spine surgery by giving surgeons precise bony anatomy visualization. Implementing digital navigation technologies is another way that ASCs can optimize their efficiency without sacrificing safety.
5) Team up with spine companies. Many spine companies are "emphasizing collaboration" with ASCs and surgeons in order to create products more specifically tailored to their needs, according to the report.