An ambulatory surgery center (ASC) is a distinct entity that operates exclusively for the purpose of providing low-acuity surgical procedures that do not require a hospitalization, typically require less than a 24-hour stay, and do not pose a significant safety risk to the patient. ASCs perform surgical procedures in a wide range of specialties, including otolaryngology (“ENT”), gastroenterology, general surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, ophthalmology, oral surgery, orthopedics, pain management, and plastic surgery. ASCs are typically valued for individual physician investment, the sale of the ASC to a management company and/or hospital buyer, and contribution to a joint venture via merger or other affiliation.
VMG Health has extensive valuation experience within the outpatient surgery center space, being involved with over 200 ASC valuations per year. In addition to the ASC valuation work performed, VMG Health publishes the Intellimarker Multi-Specialty ASC Benchmarking Study annually. The Intellimarker presents hundreds of operating and financial benchmarking statistics using data from ASCs located throughout the country.
Determining the FMV of an ASC is reliant upon numerous variables and drivers of value. A key factor in the valuation of a surgery center is understanding the physician utilizer attributes, such as ownership percentage (if any), age, specialty and any expected changes in practice patterns. In addition to the physician utilizers, other factors that can impact value include reimbursement, focus on cost containment strategies, such as staff and medical supplies, and finally, the projected capital expenditures for an ASC.
Ambulatory Surgery Centers are in the Spotlight in the OIG Advisory Opinion No. 21-02
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