With physician care in the U.S. continuing to migrate from the inpatient to outpatient setting, and CMS approving additional codes for the ASC-approved procedures list, ASCs nationwide have started to expand their care offerings.
From adding new service lines to expanding offered procedures, Becker’s spoke with leaders at 11 ASCs about why they are, or are not, expanding their offerings in 2025.
Editor’s note: Responses have been lightly edited for clarity and length.
Question: Are you planning to add any new service lines in the next 12 months? If yes, which ones? If no, why not?
Brooke Day. Administrator at Hastings (Neb.) Surgical Center: We are not planning to add any new service lines in the next 12 months—not due to lack of interest, but because of the realities of our market. In my experience, investing in equipment and supplies without a firm surgeon commitment is risky. Too often, verbal promises don’t translate into actual cases. While larger management companies may push service line growth aggressively, I believe it’s critical to balance opportunity with realistic, sustainable growth. An administrator should protect the center’s resources while still keeping an eye on real opportunities for growth, and that balance matters.
Jeff Dottl. Principal at Physicians Surgery Centers (Ventura, Calif.): Looking forward at the rest of 2025 and further into Q1 and Q2 of 2026, there are some specialties I would like to add at a few of the facilities we manage. These will be targeted around consolidation opportunities that exist in a few markets where we have existing centers under management. They aren’t “saucy,” but they get the job done. We are thinking mostly about pain, ophthalmology and GI, in particular. We continue to pursue opportunities in cardiovascular as well.
Deena Edwards, RN, BSN. Administrator at The Surgery Center of Southwest Ohio (Moraine): Yes, we are adding urology services by the end of the year.
Bruce Feldman. Administrator at Eastern Orange Ambulatory Surgery Center (Cornwall, N.Y.): We are looking to add total joints to our service line. We are also exploring adding cardiovascular procedures such as peripheral vascular stenting, ICD implantation, pacemaker battery changes and carotid ablations. Unlike other parts of the country, currently in New York, these types of cardiovascular procedures have not yet been approved to be performed in an ASC setting.
Vincent Galan, MD. Anesthesiologist and Pain Management Specialist at Pain Care (Stockbridge, Ga.): We are thrilled to share that our strategic plan includes significant enhancements to our service lines. These enhancements are designed to optimize operations, drive stronger financial performance, and potentially provide better long-term results for our patients.
1. Sacroiliac joint fusion: We will implement innovative techniques for this procedure, such as the lateral or superior posterior oblique approaches. By utilizing titanium screws in both methods, we are committed to delivering exceptional outcomes and ensuring patient satisfaction. These techniques offer greater precision and stability, improving recovery and long-term results over other, more traditional approaches.
2. Lumbar spinal stenosis with neurogenic claudication, spondylolisthesis, or instability: We are delighted to unveil posterior arthrodesis, coded with CPT codes 22840 and 22612. This approach enhances patient care and optimizes reimbursement for providers and surgery centers, potentially providing better long-term patient results, ensuring a sustainable model that benefits everyone involved.
These enhancements, implemented within the next six months, reflect our unwavering dedication to pioneering solutions and advancing patient care while solidifying our financial strength. Through these innovative approaches, we aim to deliver superior outcomes, ensure patient satisfaction, and help us differentiate from our competition as cutting-edge providers performing minimally invasive spine procedures.
Crystal Marcum. Chief Operating Officer at Pain Care (Stockbridge, Ga.): We are not planning on adding any new service lines. However, we did add several new service lines in the last 24 months. Specifically, we integrated a behavioral health division into our practice. In the surgery center, we have added some of the newer lines of advanced pain management services like Minuteman, Intercept and SI Fusion.
Karen Murphy, RN. Administrator at Fort Sutter Surgery Center (Sacramento, Calif.): We have added on a bariatric service line, offering gastric sleeves. This offers a more affordable option for the community needing these procedures, especially if they are self-pay. In addition, by offering a lower cost, it allows people to have this procedure in the areas they live, as opposed to having to look at going out of the country to Mexico for that lower cost.
Joseph O’Brien, MD. Medical Director of Minimally Invasive Orthopedic Spine Surgery at OrthoBethesda (Md.): No, we are not. The D.C. market is dominated by ASCs that split management between multiple groups. As such, physicians typically get 1/2 to 1/3 of typical ASC income. Further, the low fees generated by non-joints or non-spine cases make the block time at the ASC a contentious issue. For these reasons, many physicians have moved away from the ASC model in the D.C. market.
John Polikandriotis, PhD. CEO at South Florida Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine (Stuart): Over the next 12 months, our primary focus remains on optimizing our existing services, investing in advanced technologies, and enhancing the patient experience within our current offerings. However, we are also planning to add rheumatology as a new service line this year. This decision follows a careful assessment of patient needs and recognizes the natural synergy between orthopedics and rheumatology, enabling us to better serve patients with complex joint and autoimmune conditions.
Angela Szczublewski. COO at Tri City Surgical Center (Mesa, Ariz.): We are anxiously awaiting news regarding Medicare’s decision on cardiac ablations in the outpatient setting. As a well-established cardiac ASC, we feel that ablations would be a true service to our growing population of patients who have to wait longer than necessary to receive these treatments. Having an outpatient venue to perform these cases would help to serve the community and especially our patients.
Larry Trenk. Vice President of Operations at Physicians Endoscopy (Jamison, Pa.): Adding pain management to one of my GI centers.
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