For those who are eligible for outpatient surgery, surgical centers can provide a high-quality, cost-effective alternative to hospitals. While more complicated cases and procedures that require longer recovery and observation times are better suited for hospitals, there are several advantages to opting for an outpatient surgery center. Convenience is one of the main benefits of outpatient surgery centers. Patients can recover in the comfort of their own home, which generally makes the recovery process easier than a hospital stay.
Additionally, the costs associated with outpatient surgery centers are much lower than those of hospitals, as there are no room or hospital-related charges. In some cases, insurance companies may only cover certain surgical procedures if they are performed at an outpatient surgery center. The only exception to this is if a healthcare provider certifies that a patient needs a more intensive level of post-operative care due to an underlying medical condition. Outpatient surgery is also less stressful than inpatient surgery, particularly for children who may be afraid of being away from home.
Furthermore, studies have shown that doctors who own surgical centers tend to perform operations more often than those who do not. However, there have been cases where surgical center owners have been accused of taking risks with patients in order to increase their own profits. Larry Teuber, a neurosurgeon from South Dakota who worked in the surgical center industry for 22 years, noted that he has seen surgical center owners take on increasingly complex and lucrative orthopedic and spinal surgeries, which can undermine the profits of nearby hospitals.
