America's Best Ambulatory Surgery Centers 2023
Ambulatory surgical centers are facilities where patients can have common surgical procedures that don't require them to be hospitalized—common things like cataract surgery or a colonoscopy. Unlike patients who need more involved surgeries performed in hospitals, ambulatory surgical patients have the operation and then are usually back home the same day.
There are over 5,000 Medicare-certified ambulatory surgery centers around the country in all the major surgical specialties —orthopedic surgery, cardiac surgery, eye surgery, spinal surgery and so on. To help our readers make knowledgeable choices when they seek surgical care for themselves or their loved ones, Newsweek has for the third year partnered with respected global research firm Statista to name America's Best Ambulatory Surgery Centers.
This year we've expanded our list to 510 facilities, up from 470 last year. We've awarded the facilities in the 25 states with the most facilities (according to the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) by individual state and have grouped facilities in the remaining states into four regions: Northeast, Midwest, West and South. Our rankings are based on recommendations by medical professionals and a careful analysis of the facilities' performance data.
We hope our rankings help you make your own choices with confidence.
- America's Best Ambulatory Surgery Centers 2023
- Ambulatory Surgery Centers Arizona
- Ambulatory Surgery Centers California
- Ambulatory Surgery Centers Colorado
- Ambulatory Surgery Centers Florida
- Ambulatory Surgery Centers Georgia
- Ambulatory Surgery Centers Illinois
- Ambulatory Surgery Centers Indiana
- Ambulatory Surgery Centers Kansas
- Ambulatory Surgery Centers Louisiana
- Ambulatory Surgery Centers Maryland
- Ambulatory Surgery Centers Michigan
- Ambulatory Surgery Centers Minnesota
- Ambulatory Surgery Centers Mississippi
- Ambulatory Surgery Centers Missouri
- Ambulatory Surgery Centers New Jersey
- Ambulatory Surgery Centers New York
- Ambulatory Surgery Centers North Carolina
- Ambulatory Surgery Centers Ohio
- Ambulatory Surgery Centers Oregon
- Ambulatory Surgery Centers Pennsylvania
- Ambulatory Surgery Centers South Carolina
- Ambulatory Surgery Centers Tennessee
- Ambulatory Surgery Centers Texas
- Ambulatory Surgery Centers Washington
- Ambulatory Surgery Centers Wisconsin
- Midwest (IA, ND, NE, SD)
- Northeast (CT, DE, MA. ME, NH, RI, VT)
- South (AL, AR, KY, OK, VA, WV)
- West (AK, HI, ID, MT, NM, NV, UT, WY)
| Rank | Center | Score | City | State |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nebraska Surgery Center | 84.86% | Lincoln | Nebraska |
| 2 | Doctors Outpatient Surgery Center | 84.25% | Lincoln | Nebraska |
| 3 | Iowa City Ambulatory Surgical Center | 83.45% | Iowa City | Iowa |
| 4 | Surgery Center Cedar Rapids | 81.71% | Cedar Rapids | Iowa |
| 5 | Ankeny Medical Park Surgery Center | 80.15% | Ankeny | Iowa |
Visit our rankings portal LICENSING
The 3rd edition of America's Best Ambulatory Surgery Centers awards the leading 510 ambulatory surgery centers (ASC) in the US based on quality of care, performance data and peer recommendations, relative to in-state competition.
The 25 states with the most facilities according to the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) were surveyed individually. The remaining states were grouped into 4 regions: Northeast, Midwest, West, South. ASCs from these states were considered accordingly.
Included ASCs operate exclusively for the purpose of providing surgical services to patients not requiring hospitalization and in which the expected duration of services would not exceed 24 hours following an admission.
Over 5,000 ASCs were analyzed resulting in a varying number of ASCs awarded per state: California had 85 ASCs awarded, while Mississippi is represented with 4 ASCs.
To create the ranking, a score was calculated for each ASC that was part of the analysis. The total score is based on reputation and KPI data sources.
Reputation Score
The Reputation score (67 percent of total score) is based on three-sub scores:
• Recommendations
• Quality Score
• COVID-19 Score
1. Recommendation score:
In cooperation with Newsweek, from August to September 2022, Statista invited over 4,000 medical professionals (medical doctors/surgeons, registered nurses, nursing assistants, therapists) and staff working in the management/administration in ASCs to an online survey. Additionally, experts from all over the U.S. were able to participate in a survey on newsweek.com.
Participants were asked to recommend up top 10 notable ASCs in their respective state. Recommendations for their own employers were not allowed.
Recommendations received different weights depending on the order in which they were given, with the first recommendation being assigned the highest weight and the tenth best facility receiving the lowest weight.
The recommendation score constitutes 70 percent of the reputation score.
2. Quality and COVID-19 score:
For each recommended ASCs participants were asked to rate four quality dimensions on a scale from 1 ("Poor") to 10 ("Excellent").
- Management during COVID-19 crisis (e.g., safety & hygiene measures)
- Management of waiting time (e.g., appointments)
- Quality of surgical care (e.g., procedure)
- Quality of follow-up care (e.g., physical therapies)
The quality score constitutes 20 percent and the COVID-19 score constitutes 10 percent of the reputation score.
KPI Score
The KPI score (33 percent of total score) is based on:
The Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR) Program by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services which provides KPI data for ASCs.
The KPI data includes the following measures:
o Measure 1: Endoscopy/Polyp Surveillance: Appropriate Follow-up Interval for Normal Colonoscopy in Average Risk Patients
o Measure 2: Cataracts: Improvement in Patient's Visual Function within 90 Days Following Cataract Surgery
o Measure 3: Facility 7-Day-Risk-Standardized Hospital Visit Rate after Outpatient Colonoscopy
o Measure 4: Normothermia Outcome
o Measure 5: Unplanned Anterior Vitrectomy
o Measure 6: Hospital Visits after Orthopedic ASC Procedures
o Measure 7: Hospital Visits after Urology ASC Procedures
For a center to receive a KPI data score it must have reported a minimum of 2 measures within the reporting period. Centers that reported fewer measures did not receive a KPI data score and were rated based on the reputation survey score only.
Disclaimer
The rankings are comprised exclusively of facilities that are eligible regarding the scope described in this methodology. The ranking is the result of an elaborate process which, due to the interval of data-collection and analysis, is a reflection of the last 12 months. Furthermore, events preceding or following the period 21/09/2021-21/09/2022 and/or pertaining to individual persons affiliated/associated to the facilities were not included in the metrics. As such, the results of this ranking should not be used as the sole source of information for future deliberations.
The information provided in this ranking should be considered in conjunction with other available information about ASCs or, if possible, accompanied by a visit to a facility. The quality of ASCs that are not included in the rankings is not disputed.
You can download the full methodology here.
If your facility was listed in the ranking, click here to learn more about the licensing options.
METHODOLOGYThe 3rd edition of America's Best Ambulatory Surgery Centers awards the leading 510 ambulatory surgery centers (ASC) in the US based on quality of care, performance data and peer recommendations, relative to in-state competition.
The 25 states with the most facilities according to the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) were surveyed individually. The remaining states were grouped into 4 regions: Northeast, Midwest, West, South. ASCs from these states were considered accordingly.
Included ASCs operate exclusively for the purpose of providing surgical services to patients not requiring hospitalization and in which the expected duration of services would not exceed 24 hours following an admission.
Over 5,000 ASCs were analyzed resulting in a varying number of ASCs awarded per state: California had 85 ASCs awarded, while Mississippi is represented with 4 ASCs.
To create the ranking, a score was calculated for each ASC that was part of the analysis. The total score is based on reputation and KPI data sources.
Reputation Score
The Reputation score (67 percent of total score) is based on three-sub scores:
• Recommendations
• Quality Score
• COVID-19 Score
1. Recommendation score:
In cooperation with Newsweek, from August to September 2022, Statista invited over 4,000 medical professionals (medical doctors/surgeons, registered nurses, nursing assistants, therapists) and staff working in the management/administration in ASCs to an online survey. Additionally, experts from all over the U.S. were able to participate in a survey on newsweek.com.
Participants were asked to recommend up top 10 notable ASCs in their respective state. Recommendations for their own employers were not allowed.
Recommendations received different weights depending on the order in which they were given, with the first recommendation being assigned the highest weight and the tenth best facility receiving the lowest weight.
The recommendation score constitutes 70 percent of the reputation score.
2. Quality and COVID-19 score:
For each recommended ASCs participants were asked to rate four quality dimensions on a scale from 1 ("Poor") to 10 ("Excellent").
- Management during COVID-19 crisis (e.g., safety & hygiene measures)
- Management of waiting time (e.g., appointments)
- Quality of surgical care (e.g., procedure)
- Quality of follow-up care (e.g., physical therapies)
The quality score constitutes 20 percent and the COVID-19 score constitutes 10 percent of the reputation score.
KPI Score
The KPI score (33 percent of total score) is based on:
The Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR) Program by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services which provides KPI data for ASCs.
The KPI data includes the following measures:
o Measure 1: Endoscopy/Polyp Surveillance: Appropriate Follow-up Interval for Normal Colonoscopy in Average Risk Patients
o Measure 2: Cataracts: Improvement in Patient's Visual Function within 90 Days Following Cataract Surgery
o Measure 3: Facility 7-Day-Risk-Standardized Hospital Visit Rate after Outpatient Colonoscopy
o Measure 4: Normothermia Outcome
o Measure 5: Unplanned Anterior Vitrectomy
o Measure 6: Hospital Visits after Orthopedic ASC Procedures
o Measure 7: Hospital Visits after Urology ASC Procedures
For a center to receive a KPI data score it must have reported a minimum of 2 measures within the reporting period. Centers that reported fewer measures did not receive a KPI data score and were rated based on the reputation survey score only.
Disclaimer
The rankings are comprised exclusively of facilities that are eligible regarding the scope described in this methodology. The ranking is the result of an elaborate process which, due to the interval of data-collection and analysis, is a reflection of the last 12 months. Furthermore, events preceding or following the period 21/09/2021-21/09/2022 and/or pertaining to individual persons affiliated/associated to the facilities were not included in the metrics. As such, the results of this ranking should not be used as the sole source of information for future deliberations.
The information provided in this ranking should be considered in conjunction with other available information about ASCs or, if possible, accompanied by a visit to a facility. The quality of ASCs that are not included in the rankings is not disputed.
You can download the full methodology here.