Popularity of ASCs leads to questions about safety

Concerns about the safety of outpatient surgery centers have mushroomed since the highly publicized death of Joan Rivers in September following routine throat procedures at a year-old free-standing center located in Manhattan. The number of ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) has increased dramatically in the past decade. Advances in surgical techniques and improved anesthesia drugs have allowed many procedures to migrate out of full-service hospitals to free-standing centers, which offer physicians greater autonomy and increased income. Despite concerns over patient safety and ASCs’ level of preparedness for complications or unexpected events, patients say the centers are cheaper, require less waiting, and offer more personalized care.

Source: Kaiser Health News