Why ASCs Need Smarter Systems — Not Bigger Teams
Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs) have become a cornerstone of value-based care — but their efficiency is being tested like never before.
Case volumes are rising, staffing remains tight, and margin compression is making every hour of OR time matter. A single same-day cancellation or late start can ripple through schedules, disrupt patient trust, and drain revenue: According to Becker’s ASC Review, same-day cancellations now account for nearly one in five scheduled cases, often due to incomplete pre-op prep, missing authorizations, or patient readiness issues.
As Dr. Sunil Patel, Regional Chief Medical Officer at Prime Healthcare, noted during our session at Becker's HIT Meeting “Smart Capacity, Stronger Margins”:
“We’re operating very lean, and even a 10% cancellation rate can be the difference between breaking even and being in financial trouble. If a case cancels or an authorization lags, that’s lost capacity — and you’re still paying everyone.”
But what exactly can ASCs do to enhance capacity and revenue margins? Let's take a deeper look at the challenge organizations face, and how to respond effectively.
The Readiness Gap
Today, even top-performing ASCs struggle with coordination. Pre-admission testing, insurance verification, and patient preparation often rely on manual tracking — phone calls, sticky notes, and faxes — that leave room for error. Each missed step ripples downstream, creating what experts call capacity leakage.
“There’s a significant leakage in capacity,” explained Sridhar Yerramreddy, CEO of Steer Health, during our Becker’s 2025 session. “The goal is to give staff superpowers — to take the busywork off their plate and make it easier for patients to do business with you.”
This operational friction doesn’t just affect finances. It erodes patient confidence and adds stress to already stretched teams.
How AI and Automation Can Help
With AI achieving new levels of automation and intelligence, technology is finally catching up to the problem.
AI-powered orchestration systems can now coordinate every stage of the surgical journey using time-based checkpoints — known as T-21, T-14, and T-7 — to track patient readiness and eliminate surprises:
- T-21: Verify benefits and authorizations early; issue digital prep instructions and collect consents.
- T-14: Confirm labs, imaging, and clearances; identify missing items and automate follow-up.
- T-7: Run final readiness sweeps, send smart reminders, and escalate unresolved gaps before they cause cancellations.
This structured approach transforms pre-op chaos into a predictable process — aligning staff, patients, and surgeons around one shared goal: readiness.
Smarter Growth You Can Measure
Early adopters of AI-enabled perioperative workflows are already seeing measurable impact:
- +18% Patient Throughput – by filling open slots and eliminating idle capacity
- –42% Administrative Workload – by automating repetitive outreach, reminders, and tracking
- 1.8× Higher Utilization – expanding capacity without adding staff
- 95%+ Patient Satisfaction – through consistent, personalized communication
In an era where ASCs operate on razor-thin margins, these numbers point to something critical: efficiency and predictability aren’t opposites — they’re inseparable.
The Human Dividend
As with every new invention, many leaders remain skeptical. Will AI replace teams? Might uncontrolled AI affect care quality, or even worse, lead to inhumane and faulty care?
The truth is, when well implemented, automation doesn’t replace care teams; it actually protects them. When digital systems handle readiness tracking and paperwork, nurses and schedulers can focus on patient conversations that build trust.
As Dr. Farzad Massoudi, a neurosurgeon and Steer Health advisor, puts it:
“Every step in the workflow can become a bottleneck. By automating those repetitive processes, you reduce friction — for staff, and for patients.”
That’s the essence of smarter capacity: using technology not to speed up healthcare, but to make it smoother, safer, and more human.
Join the Conversation at Becker’s
Steer Health will be attending Becker’s 31st ASC Annual Meeting (October 16–18 | Swissôtel Chicago) to keep the discussion going.
Visit us at Booth #2008 during the to see how AI-powered orchestration helps ASCs and healthcare organizations deliver predictable surgeries — on time, all the time.
