Becker’s ASC Review reports as Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs) recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a clear opportunity in adopting efficient and effective total joint arthroplasty procedures. According to experts including HSS hip and knee surgeon, Michael P. Ast, MD, the high-acuity cases can be performed safely in the ASC for the appropriate patients, and technology can help ease the operational and clinical transition.

"The pandemic will potentially accelerate the pace of technology adoption in joint arthroplasty because there will be a focus on efficiency and supply chain, and enabling technology has the potential to benefit both areas," said Dr. Ast. "ASCs don’t typically have the capacity to deal with nine trays and complicated room turnover. They benefit from technology that integrates easily and will be able to adopt to their individual center’s capacity," he added. 

HSS has spent the past five years adopting the protocol and patient selection policies for joint replacement in the outpatient setting and are now prepared to take on additional patients during the pandemic. "We are prepared for the sudden onset of more joint replacements in the outpatient setting from a capacity and safety standpoint," noted Dr. Ast. "That’s why the ramp up will be so dramatic. CMS [Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services] and private payers have been predicting the shift of outpatient total joints and I think there will be a big opportunity in the next five years for that trend to accelerate."

Read the full article at Beckersasc.com.