U.S. News & World Report, a 34-year authority on hospital rankings, expanded its ratings program in 2024 to include the top Ambulatory Surgery Centers. According to the media company, the expansion was in recognition of the increasingly prominent role same-day procedures play in healthcare as an alternative to overnight hospital care.
Texas’ ASC Market Is Growing
There are 608 ASCs licensed in the state of Texas today, up from 427 in 2019 – a 42% growth rate. The ASC market size is expected to reach $60.8 billion nationwide by 2030.
According to VMG Health’s 2023 Healthcare M&A Report, “ASCs are expected to remain attractive targets over the long-term investment horizon due to their ability to generate consistent, distributable cash flows and to contribute to lower cost of care in the United States.”
What’s driving the shift to ASCs? Industry experts point to several factors, including:
- Payer policies;
- Favorable reimbursement rates;
- Expansion of CMS-covered procedures;
- Reduced healthcare costs;
- Lower infection risks compared to hospital settings;
- Advancements in technology and medical devices; and
- Provider preferences.
Texas has a long history supporting the ASC industry and began licensing ASCs in 1985 with the passage of the Texas Ambulatory Surgical Center Licensing Act.
Learn more about the licensing and regulation of ASCs in Texas.
Additionally, Texas is a non-CON state, meaning it does not have certificate of need (CON) laws that limit the number of ASCs based on community need, encouraging investment in new healthcare facilities and services.
2024 U.S. News Best Ambulatory Surgery Centers in Texas
For its first edition of Best Ambulatory Surgery Centers, U.S. News – in collaboration with CareJourney – rated nearly 5,000 surgery centers in four specialty areas:
- Colonoscopy & Endoscopy
- Orthopedics & Spine
- Ophthalmology
- Urology
These 50 ambulatory surgery centers in Texas earned a “High Performance” rating from U.S. News for their respective specialties:
Best Ambulatory Surgery Center for Colonoscopy & Endoscopy in Texas:
- Austin Endoscopy Center-James Casey St
- Baylor Ambulatory Endoscopy Center
- Castle Hills Surgicare
- Corpus Christi Endoscopy Center
- Dallas Endoscopy Center
- Digestive Health Center of Dallas
- MEC Endoscopy
- Medical Center Endoscopy
- Memorial Hermann Bay Area Endoscopy Center
- Physicians Ambulatory Surgery Center-Houston
- The Endoscopy Center of Texarkana
- Tuscan Surgery Center at Las Colinas
- Wichita Falls Endoscopy Center
- Woodlands Endoscopy Center
Best Ambulatory Surgery Center for Orthopedics & Spine in Texas:
- Abilene Spine & Joint Surgery Center
- Abilene White Rock Surgery Center
- Comfort Surgery Center of San Antonio
- Houston Orthopedic & Spine Surgery Center
- Legent Interventional Pain Center Euless
- Maplewood Ambulatory Surgery Center
- Memorial Hermann Surgery Center Pinecroft
- Memorial Hermann Surgery Center Woodlands Parkway
- Orthopaedic Surgery Center of San Antonio
- Park Ambulatory Surgery Center
- Physicians Surgical Center of Ft. Worth
- Precinct Ambulatory Surgery Center
- Spicewood Surgery Center
- Spine Team Texas-Rockwall
- Spine Team Texas Southlake Surgery Center
- Texas Health Surgery Center Addison
- Texas Orthopedics Surgery Center
- VIP Surgical Center-Conroe
Best Ambulatory Surgery Center for Ophthalmology in Texas:
- Clear Lake Surgicare
- Doctors Surgery Center-Nacogdoches
- Eye Surgery Center of North Dallas
- Hea Gramercy Surgery Center
- Katy Area Surgical Center
- Mann Cataract Surgery Center-Houston
- Mann Cataract Surgery Center-Humble
- Medical Park Tower Surgery Center
- Novamed Surgery Center of San Antonio
- Nuvision Same Day Procedure Center
- San Marcos ASC
- Surgery Center 121
- Surgical Eye Center of San Antonio
- Texan Ambulatory Surgery Center
- Texas Health Surgery Center Fort Worth Midtown
- Walnut Hill Surgery Center
Texas boasted the greatest number of “Best”-rated ASCs for the Ophthalmology specialty, along with California and Florida.
Best Ambulatory Surgery Center for Urology in Texas:
U.S. News Methodology for Top-Rated ASCs
When evaluating an ASC, U.S. News considered risk-adjusted measures of patient outcomes, including how successfully patients avoided complications, ER visits, unplanned hospitalizations and other undesirable outcomes following an outpatient surgery, based on Medicare claims data from 2020 through 2022.
Fewer than 15% of evaluated facilities earned a “High Performing” rating.
Thinking About Opening an ASC in Texas?
At Hendershot Cowart P.C., we've helped hundreds of physicians, hospitals, and investors start and run ASCs and other healthcare entities with confidence.
Contact Hendershot Cowart P.C. at (713) 909-7323 or complete a form online to schedule a consultation.
