- The U.S. has 6,500+ Medicare-certified ASCs with 18,000+ operating rooms.
- ASCs show 1.6% annual growth and a projected 21% volume increase by 2034.
- The average ASC performs 2.84 specialties with 2.89 ORs.
- Maryland has the highest concentration of ASCs; KY, WV, and VT the lowest.
- Cardiology and Orthopedic are anticipated to be the fastest-growing specialties.
- Financial metrics (clean claims: 98%, denial <5%) show strong operational efficiency.
Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) have delivered outpatient surgical care for over 50 years, giving patients access to high-quality procedures without the cost or inconvenience of hospital stays. ASCs allow patients to undergo surgery and return home the same day, helping reduce healthcare costs and improve access to essential services. These ambulatory surgery center statistics highlight how the industry continues to grow, evolve, and shape the future of surgical care.
Key Ambulatory Surgery Center Statistics
Below is an extensive list of ambulatory surgery center statistics that help provide a better understanding of this growing, dynamic industry.
ASC Industry Overview
- Number of Medicare-certified ASCs in the U.S.: 6,500+
- Number of ASC operating rooms (ORs): 18,000+
- Annual ASC growth rate: 1.6%
- Percentage of for-profit ASCs: 95%
- Percentage of urban ASCs: 94%
- National average number of specialties per ASC: 2.84
Operating Room Capacity
- Average number of ORs per ASC: 2.89
- Average ORs for single-specialty ASCs: 2.24
- Average ORs for multi-specialty ASCs: 3.55
Geographic Concentration
- State with the highest concentration of ASCs: Maryland (36 ASCs per 100,000 Part B beneficiaries)
- States with the lowest concentration: Kentucky, West Virginia, Vermont (4 or fewer ASCs per 100,000 Part B beneficiaries)
Future of the ASC Industry
- ASC specialties with the highest anticipated growth (2025): Cardiovascular and Orthopedic
- Projected ASC volume growth (2025-2035): 21%
- Projected average ORs per ASC in 2029: 3.01
- Projected average ORs for single-specialty ASCs in 2029: 2.43
- Projected average ORs for multi-specialty ASCs in 2029: 3.61
Noteworthy Procedures Added to CMS ASC Covered Procedures List for 2026
- Electrophysiology studies and ablations
- Percutaneous coronary intervention
- Cardioversion
- Posterior lumbar interbody fusion
- Combined posterior lumbar and posterior lumbar interbody fusion
- Vascular embolization or occlusion
Ownership Structure
(Percentage total 100%)
- Physician only: 52%
- Physician-hospital: 22%
- Physician-corporation: 13%
- Physician-hospital-corporation: 3%
- Corporate only: 3%
- Hospital only: 2%
- Other: 5%
Facility Size
- Small (1-2 ORs): 54%
- Medium (3-4 ORs): 31%
- Large (5-6 ORs): 10%
- Mega (7+ ORs): 5%
Financial Metrics (Median)
- Salaries, wages, and benefits as % of net revenue: 23%
- Benefit cost as % of total compensation: 15.0%
- Salaries and wages as % of net revenue: 29.3%
- Supply cost as % of net revenue: 27.8%
- Number of days cash on hand: 56
- Days in A/R: 35-45 days
- A/R over 90 days: <15%
- Clean claims: 98%
- Denial date: <5%
Case Volume Metrics (Median)
- Annual surgical cases per OR: 1,104
- Annual procedures per procedure room: 1,357
- Annual orthopedic cases per room: 800
- Annual ophthalmology cases per room: 1,400
- Annual gastroenterology cases per room: 1,500
Medicare-Certified ASCs by Specialty Type
Percentages don’t add up to 100—centers may have more than one specialty.
- Pain: 36% (2,229)
- Orthopedic: 36% (2,223)
- Ophthalmology: 34% (2,096)
- Endoscopy: 32% (1,982)
- Plastic: 28% (1,722)
- Podiatry: 27% (1,659)
- Otolaryngology: 23% (1,416)
- Obstetrics/Gynecology: 18% (1,106)
- Dental: 8% (472)
Single-Specialty, Medicare-Certified ASCs by Specialty Type
- Endoscopy: 27% (862)
- Ophthalmology: 25% (797)
- Pain: 13% (410)
- Plastic: 6% (186)
- Orthopedic: 6% (182)
- Podiatry: 3% (91)
- Dental: 2% (54)
- Obstetrics/Gynecology: 1% (33)
- Otolaryngology: 1% (39)
Multi-Specialty, Medicare-Certified ASCs by Specialty Type
Percentages do not add up to 100—centers may have more than one specialty.
- Orthopedic: 36% (2,041)
- Pain: 36% (1,819)
- Podiatry: 34% (1,568)
- Plastic: 32% (1,536)
- Otolaryngology: 28% (1,377)
- Ophthalmology: 27% (1,299)
- Endoscopy: 23% (1,120)
- Obstetrics/Gynecology: 18% (1,073)
- Dental: 8% (418)
Revenue Per Case by Specialty (Median)
- Orthopedics: $3,764
- Gynecology: $2,933
- Podiatry: $2,688
- Otolaryngology: $2,543
- Urology: $1,887
- General Surgery: $2,458
- Plastic Surgery: $2,010
- Ophthalmology: $1,442
- Pain Management: $968
- Gastroenterology: $800
The Impact of Ambulatory Surgery Centers
The ambulatory surgery center statistics shared above provide a glimpse into an industry that's not only cemented itself as critical to healthcare today but is poised to take on even greater importance going forward. The migration of surgical care out of the inpatient setting and into outpatient settings, largely ASCs, shows no signs of slowing down.
Given the rapidly changing healthcare environment, how can ASCs better ensure success today and tomorrow? Revisit what ASC leaders said during our webinar, "Excelling in Today's Dynamic ASC Landscape."
Sources: Advisory Board, Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA), ASC Data, ASC Focus, Avanza Healthcare Strategies, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Definitive Healthcare, MedPAC, Sg2, VMG Health
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an ambulatory surgery center?
An ASC is a facility where patients receive same-day surgical procedures and return home after recovery.
How many ASCs operate in the U.S.?
More than 6,500 Medicare-certified ASCs, with 18,000+ operating rooms.
Which ASC specialties are growing fastest?
Cardiovascular and Orthopedic
What is the projected growth for ASCs?
ASC volume is projected to grow 21% between 2024 and 2034.
What is the average number of ORs per ASC?
The average ASC has 2.89 ORs, increasing to 3.01 ORs by 2029.
