Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) continue to be the focus of healthcare industry leaders seeking to reduce overall care costs. The expansion of care delivery outside of the traditional hospital setting correlates with falling costs, improved outcomes, and increased rates of patient satisfaction. Because of their limited offerings and outpatient focus, ASCs can offer diagnostic and outpatient procedures at lower rates than hospitals and other inpatient centers — often with shorter wait times for patients.
According to Definitive Healthcare's commercial claims data, the most common surgical procedures at ASCs were largely diagnostic and focused on the gastrointestinal (GI) system. Colonoscopies and esophagogastroduodenoscopies appeared 5 times on our list, with a combined total of 2.1 million procedures. Cataracts-related surgeries also made several appearances on the list, with more than 1.2 million total claims across three types of procedures.
In addition to cataracts and GI-related procedures, epidural injections are the next most commonly-performed procedures. This trend is consistent with the role of ASCs in healthcare delivery, which is to offer affordable and effective care that does not require overnight observation or other hospitalization.
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| CPT/HCPCS Code | Description | Number of Procedures | Average Charges/Procedure | Explore These Claims | |
| 1. | 66984 | Cataract surgery w/intraocular implant 1 stage | 939,706 | $2,869 | Explore This Code |
| 2. | 43239 | Esophagogastroduodenoscopy w/biopsy | 818,663 | $1,645 | Explore This Code |
| 3. | 45380 | Colonoscopy and biopsy | 714,440 | $2,417 | Explore This Code |
| 4. | 45385 | Colonoscopy w/lesion removal | 537,534 | $1,711 | Explore This Code |
| 5. | 20610 | Arthrocentesis, aspiration and/or injection, major joint or bursa | 479,423 | $284 | Explore This Code |
| 6. | 45378 | Diagnostic colonoscopy | 444,726 | $1,748 | Explore This Code |
| 7. | 36415 | Routine venipuncture | 309,851 | $15 | Explore This Code |
| 8. | 67028 | Injection eye drug | 239,291 | $525 | Explore This Code |
| 9. | 64483 | Injection(s), anesthetic agent and/or steroid, transforaminal epidural, with imaging guidance | 220,014 | $1,927 | Explore This Code |
| 10. | 66821 | Discission of secondary membranous cataract | 199,618 | $1,002 | Explore This Code |
| 11. | 64493 | Injection to paravertebral facet joint lmbar/ sacral spine 1 lev | 155,509 | $2,017 | Explore This Code |
| 12. | 62323 | Injection(s), of diagnostic or therapeutic substance(s), lumbar/sacral spine | 148,340 | $1,590 | Explore This Code |
| 13. | 64494 | Injection to paravertebral facet joint lmbar/ sacral spine 2 lev | 119,804 | $1,446 | Explore This Code |
| 14. | 64415 | Nerve block injection brachial plexus | 100,289 | $1,251 | Explore This Code |
| 15. | 64636 | Paravertebral facet joint nerve destruction | 93,202 | $2,013 | Explore This Code |
| 16. | 69436 | Create eardrum opening | 92,433 | $2,812 | Explore This Code |
| 17. | 64484 | Injection into foramen, epidural add-on | 92,029 | $1,469 | Explore This Code |
| 18. | 64635 | Paravertebral facet joint nerve destruction, single facent joint | 85,461 | $2,721 | Explore This Code |
| 19. | 66982 | Cataract surgery complex | 74,897 | $3,118 | Explore This Code |
| 20. | 29881 | Knee arthroscopy/surgery | 73,505 | $5,021 | Explore This Code |
| 21. | 43235 | Esophagogastroduodenoscopy, diagnostic brush wash | 72,863 | $1,157 | Explore This Code |
| 22. | 20611 | Arthrocentesis, aspiration and/or injection, major joint or bursa, w/ ultrasound | 70,056 | $378 | Explore This Code |
| 23. | 20550 | Injection into tendon sheath/ligament | 69,345 | $204 | Explore This Code |
| 24. | 17000 | Destruction of benign or premalignant lesion | 68,440 | $120 | Explore This Code |
| 25. | 29826 | Shoulder arthroscopy/surgery | 67,527 | $4,310 | Explore This Code |
Fig 1. Data from Definitive Healthcare based on 2018 commercial claims data. Commercial claims data is sourced from multiple medical claims clearinghouses in the United States. Data is updated monthly.