A comparison of ambulatory perioperative times in hospitals and freestanding centers

BackgroundThe volume of surgical procedures performed in ambulatory surgical centers has increased rapidly.MethodsAmbulatory surgical visits of Medicare beneficiaries were compared for hospital-based and freestanding ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs). The main outcomes were time in surgery, time in operating room, time in postoperative care, and total perioperative time.ResultsThe mean total perioperative time for all procedures examined was 39% shorter in freestanding ASCs then in hospital-based ASCs (83 vs 135 min; P < .01); surgery time was 37% shorter (19 vs 30 min; P < .01), operating room time was 37% shorter (34 vs 54 min; P < .01), and postoperative time was 35% shorter (48 vs 74 min; P < .01).ConclusionsPerioperative times were significantly shorter in freestanding ASCs than in hospital-based ASCs. It is unclear how much of the difference was the result of efficiency versus patient selection.