Traverse City, Mich.-based Munson Healthcare has added two new ASCs to its network, representing a $30 million investment.
The new facilities will operate as joint ventures with local surgeons and will enable the health system to free up operating room capacity at its hospitals for higher acuity cases that require overnight stays. The ASCs will be located near Munson Healthcare Cadillac (Mich.) Hospital and Otsego Memorial Hospital in Gaylord, Mich.
The health system is investing $15 million in each facility, a spokesperson told Becker's. The Cadillac ASC is slated to open in 12 months, while the Gaylord location is set to open in about 18 months. The additions bring Munson Healthcare's network of ouptatient surgery centers to three.
"We recognized a need for outpatient surgical centers and determined that Cadillac and Gaylord were the optimal geographic locations to enhance access to high-quality, low-cost regional healthcare services, given their proximity to our regional hospitals," Laura Glenn, COO at Munson Healthcare, said in a news release. "We’re excited to offer a partnership opportunity with local surgeons and to bring advanced surgical services closer to home for residents."
As more services shift from inpatient to outpatient settings, many health systems have recently invested in strategic partnerships and joint ventures to develop or manage ASCs as a way to grow and increase ambulatory market share.