In the past, surgeries were always performed in hospitals. Patients were to register the night before or on the day of the planned surgery and stay at least the following night.
In recent decades, ASC Development has changed the way patients and healthcare professionals approach surgical needs and experiences.
Ambulatory surgery centers have converted most inpatient care to outpatient care. This means that many surgeries or procedures traditionally performed in a hospital can be performed at ASC for a one-day visit and do not require a formal nighttime stay. Some examples of surgeries performed in an outpatient surgery center are biopsy, ACL reconstruction, hernia repair, gastric bypass weight loss surgery, and cataract surgery.
Types of services at Ambulatory Surgery Centers
These clinics specialize in surgical procedures that do not require an overnight stay in a hospital but are often more complex than those available in an emergency room. The most common surgeries performed in ASC include:
Ophthalmic (eye) procedures include LASIK, cataract removal, and glaucoma treatment.
Ear, nose, and throat (ENT) procedures, such as sinus surgery, tonsil removal, and benign lesions removal.
Orthopedic procedures include minor fractures repair, minor joint surgery, and injections.
Gastroenterology treatments, such as endoscopy, colonoscopy, and polyp removal.
Vascular procedures, such as treating varicose veins and changing pacemaker batteries.
Urology/proctology procedures include vasectomy, kidney stones, and prostate biopsy.
ASC Centers handle elective and essential procedures but do not accept emergency walk-in or emergency room patients. They can provide care outside of regular business hours, but most are not as open 24/7 as a hospital.
