St. Louis-based Ascension said June 17 that it has entered an agreement to acquire AmSurg, an ASC operator with more than 250 facilities across 34 states.
Six things to know:
1. The move will significantly expand the Catholic nonprofit system’s outpatient footprint upon the deal’s closing, adding centers that specialize in gastroenterology, ophthalmology, orthopedics and other services to Ascension’s network.
2. With this expansion, Ascension is deepening its outpatient footprint in what the system described as a milestone in its journey to transform healthcare delivery and expand access to compassionate, high-quality outpatient care nationwide.
“We have 58 ASCs. This is going to add another 250, so it’s going to give us a good presence in 34 states,” Ascension President Eduardo Conrado told Becker’s. “And AmSurg has a great management team. They’ve got an operational platform that mirrors their areas of focus, which is quality, clinical engagement, and patient experience — in a segment [the ASC market] that’s growing 9% to 12% over the next five years. So, everybody’s very excited about coming up on this next step.”
3. The transaction comes as more complex procedures continue to move out of hospitals and into lower-cost, outpatient settings; it also takes a page out of Tenet Healthcare’s playbook.
Dallas-based Tenet has focused heavily on scaling its ASC platform — United Surgical Partners International — and Nashville, Tenn.-based AmSurg supports approximately 2,000 physicians and is the second-largest ASC chain in the ASC market, behind USPI.
4. Mr. Conrado said Ascension plans to continue the strategy that AmSurg has had in terms of physician-led joint ventures and governance.
“It also serves as a platform for other nonprofit systems to accelerate that ASC growth,” he said. “AmSurg is one of the large five [ASC operators] in the U.S., and once the Ascension deal closes, we’ll continue with that strategy to be able to serve other systems. So that is a win for us, it’s a win for physicians and a win for the other nonprofits in the U.S.”
5. Ascension is targeting late 2025 or early 2026 for the transaction’s closing, which remains subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.
“This acquisition is deeply aligned with Ascension’s Mission to provide compassionate, personalized care to all, especially those most in need,” Ascension CEO Joe Impicciche said in a news release. “It reflects our steadfast commitment to expanding access to care in a way that is more affordable, more local, and more centered around the dignity and well-being of those we serve.”
6. The health system has not disclosed nor confirmed the purchase price.
