About 20% of Florida’s ambulatory surgery centers were considered top-performing in U.S. News & World Report's third annual ratings of facilities for same-day procedures.
These centers consistently showed lower complication rates and higher safety standards than their peers, covering four key specialties: orthopedics and spine, ophthalmology, colonoscopy and endoscopy, and urology.
Outpatient centers, or ASCs, are where patients go for certain surgical or nonsurgical operations that - unlike hospitals - do not require overnight stays.
To determine the rankings, U.S. News evaluated patient outcomes, complication rates, and overall safety and effectiveness in each specialty.
Of the 4,421 ASCs evaluated nationwide, 911 earned a high-performing rating, roughly 21%. These “Best" centers consistently outperform industry standards, the publication said.
Of 395 evaluated in Florida, 81 were rated among the “Best.” That's 20.5%, consistent with the national average. The break down was 31 under orthopedics and spine, 24 in ophthalmology, 16 under colonoscopy and endoscopy, and 10 in urology.
As expected, many of the top-rated were concentrated in metro areas such as Miami-Fort Lauderdale (12), Tampa-St. Petersburg (10), Orlando (9) and Sarasota-Bradenton (9) – underscoring the challenges rural patients face in accessing the safest, most effective same-day surgical facilities.
According to the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association, Florida has more than 500 ASCs, making it one of the largest outpatient surgery markets in the country.
According to Ben Harder, managing editor and chief of health analysis at U.S. News, patients treated at these top-rated centers experience significantly fewer serious complications than the national average.
He said top-rated endoscopy centers averaged 26% fewer serious complications; ophthalmology centers had 40% fewer severity-weighted complications; orthopedic and spine centers had 29% fewer; and urology centers had 31% fewer.
The rise of ASCs reflects a broader shift in health care delivery. Medical advances, regulatory changes and cost pressures have made it possible for procedures that once required hospital stays to be performed safely in outpatient settings.
Shoulder replacement is a new addition to the orthopedics evaluations this year, marking the increasing complexity of procedures handled by outpatient centers.
For patients, ASCs often provide a smoother, more efficient experience. Harder notes that focusing on specific procedures allows facilities to move patients through care quickly while maintaining safety.
“It actually can be a very good patient experience because they know what they’re doing, this is what they do all day, and this is how they’re going to make sure every patient has what they need,” Harder said.
Florida's Best Ambulatory Surgical Centers
Colonoscopy & Endoscopy
Advanced Gastroenterology & Surgery Associates - Lady Lake, Lady Lake
Baptist Health Endoscopy Center - West Palm Beach, West Palm Beach
Baptist Health Endoscopy Center at Coral Springs, Coral Springs
Baptist Health Surgery Center at South Palm, Boca Raton
Center for Digestive Endoscopy, Orlando
Center for Endoscopy-Sarasota, Sarasota
Emerald Coast Surgery Center, Fort Walton Beach
Endoscopy Center of Ocala, Ocala
Endoscopy Group, Pensacola
Gulf Coast Endoscopy Center South, Fort Myers
Intercoastal Medical Group Ambulatory Surgery Center, Sarasota
Jacksonville Center for Endoscopy-Southside, Jacksonville
Jupiter Outpatient Surgery Center, Jupiter
Lake City Surgery Center, Lake City
Lakeland Surgical & Diagnostic Center-Florida Ave, Lakeland
Largo Endoscopy Center, Largo
North Pinellas Surgery Center, Dunedin
Orange Park Endoscopy Center, Orange Park
Palm Endoscopy Center, Altamonte Springs
Premier Endoscopy Center-Naples, Naples
South Broward Endoscopy, Cooper City
Space Coast Endoscopy Center, Rockledge
St. Augustine Endoscopy Center, St Augustine
St. Petersburg Endoscopy Center, St. Petersburg
Stuart Surgery Center, Stuart
Suncoast Endoscopy ASC, Inverness
Suncoast Endoscopy of Sarasota, Sarasota
Surgery Center of Volusia, Port Orange
Tavares Surgery, Tavares
Venture Ambulatory Surgery Center, North Miami Beach
Wiregrass Ranch Ambulatory Surgery Center, Tampa
Ophthalmology
Advanced Eye Surgery Center-Vero Beach, Vero Beach
Aker Kasten Eye Center, Boca Raton
Amelia Island Surgery Center, Fernandina Beach
Baptist Eye Surgery Center at Sunrise, Sunrise
Columbia Eye and Specialty Surgery Center, Tampa
Eye Associates of Manatee, Bradenton
Filutowski Eye Institute-Daytona Beach, Daytona Beach
Florida Eye Clinic Ambulatory Surgery Center, Altamonte Springs
Jacksonville Beach Surgery Center, Jacksonville Beach
Lakeland Surgical & Diagnostic Center-Griffin Rd, Lakeland
Manatee Surgicare, Bradenton
Montgomery Eye Center Ambulatory Surgery Center, Naples
Naples Eye Surgery Center, Naples
North Palm Beach County Surgery Center, Palm Beach Gardens
Ocala Eye Surgery Center, Ocala
Ophthalmology Center of Brevard, Melbourne
Same Day Surgery Centers of Florida, Zephyrhills
Sarasota Physicians Surgical Center, Sarasota
St Lukes Cataract & Laser Institute - Tarpon Springs, Tarpon Springs
St. Lukes Surgical at The Villages, The Villages
St. Marks Surgical Center, Fort Myers
Surgery Center of Weston, Weston
Surgery Center at Jensen Beach, Jensen Beach
Treasure Coast ASC, Stuart
Orthopedics
Advanced Center for Surgery-Vero Beach, Vero Beach
Andrews Institute ASC, Gulf Breeze
Biospine Orlando, Orlando
Biospine Surgery Center, Tampa
Centerone Surgery Center, Jacksonville
Downtown Surgery Center-Orlando, Orlando
Florida Orthopaedic Institute Surgery Center-Citrus Park, Tampa
HSS Palm Beach Ambulatory Surgery Center, West Palm Beach
Murdock Ambulatory Surgery Center, Port Charlotte
Musculoskeletal Ambulatory Surgery Center, Bradenton
New Tampa Surgery Center, Wesley Chapel
Orlando Orthopaedic Outpatient Surgery Center, Orlando
Palm Beach Surgical Suites, Palm Beach Gardens
Performance Health Surgery Center, Fort Myers
Surgery Center of Naples, Naples
Surgical Specialists ASC, Fort Walton Beach
Titusville Center for Surgical Excellence, Titusville
TLC Surgery Center, Lady Lake
Treasure Coast ASC, Stuart
Winter Haven Ambulatory Surgical Center, Winter Haven
Urology
Advanced Surgery Center of Oxford, Oxford
Cape Coral Ambulatory Surgery Center, Cape Coral
Coastal Medical Center, Sarasota
Lakewood Ranch Surgical Suites, Sarasota
Lecanto Surgery Center, Lecanto
Lee Health Urology Surgery Center, Fort Myers
Physicians Ambulatory Surgery Center-Ormond Beach
