You are entering webpages belonging to the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons, which includes information and resources for Association advocacy efforts and the Political Action Committee of The American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons (OrthoPAC).
The American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) supports the rights of all patients to receive high quality, efficient health care. Specialty hospitals provide high quality services in the communities in which they are established. AAOS supports the development of specialty hospitals and encourages physicians and non-physicians to invest in the continued quality improvement of health care in their community.
An Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) exclusively furnishes outpatient surgical services. The number of ASCs has grown because of rapid advances in technology and medicine. AAOS believes that many procedures that were previously performed only in the hospital inpatient setting can now be safely performed in ASCs. ASCs have also grown because they offer numerous benefits to the patient and the orthopaedic surgeon.
The AAOS believes that many surgical procedures can be better performed in ASCs. ASCs provide a benefit to both patients and orthopaedic surgeons because many musculoskeletal surgical procedures can be provided in an efficient, cost-effective manner. ASCs can improve the quality of care received by the patient and delivered by the physician. As such, AAOS believes the growth and development of ASCs must not be hampered by restrictive payment or coverage policies from either Medicare or other private payers.
In addition, AAOS believes that Certificate of Need laws should be repealed to foster healthy competition among all healthcare facilities, including specialty hospitals. Such competition will result in improved patient access and quality of care.