Top 20 Outpatient Surgical Centers in the US: A Comprehensive Guide

Outpatient surgical centers, including ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) and hospital-based outpatient surgery units, are increasingly pivotal in the US healthcare landscape. They offer many benefits: lower costs, convenience, reduced wait times, and the ability to access surgical care without overnight hospitalization.

In this guide, Ampliz presents a curated list of 20 outpatient surgical centers in the United States that stand out for their procedure volume, quality indicators, patient satisfaction, and specialty expertise. Whether you are a patient seeking care, an investor, or a healthcare professional, this list will help you understand which centers are leading the way.

What Makes a Top Outpatient Surgical Center

Before listing the centers, it’s helpful to understand the criteria that define a “top” outpatient surgical center. We evaluated centers based on:

1. Procedure Volume – Number of common outpatient surgeries performed (colonoscopies, EGDs, cataract removals, etc.).
2. Specialty Coverage – Range of surgical specialties offered (ophthalmology, orthopedics, gastroenterology, ENT, etc.).
3. Quality Metrics – Complication rates, infection control, readmission rates.
4. Patient Experience – Wait times, patient satisfaction, facility amenities.
5. Geographical Reach & Accessibility – Serving underserved areas or having multiple locations.

These align with data trends seen in outpatient surgical procedure distributions (for example, lists of what US hospitals and ASCs do most often, e.g. colonoscopy, EGD with biopsy, cataract removal) as reported in datasets like Ampliz All-Payer Claims Dataset.

Top 20 Outpatient Surgical Centers in the US

Below are 20 outpatient surgical centers that are notable in various ways. They are listed alphabetically (not strictly in rank order), with highlights for what makes each one stand out.

#	Center Name	Location(s)	What Makes Them Notable
1	Advanced Surgery Center of Oklahoma (ASCO)	Oklahoma City, OK	High volume in ophthalmology and general surgery; leading cataract removal and lens procedure rates.
2	Ambulatory Surgery Center of Los Angeles	Los Angeles, CA	Broad spectrum of specialties; high patient satisfaction; strong in orthopedics and cosmetic surgery.
3	Baylor Scott & White Outpatient Surgical Centers	Texas (multiple sites)	Integrated with hospital network; excellent quality metrics, especially in GI (colonoscopy, polypectomy) and ENT.
4	Cedars-Sinai Outpatient Surgery Center	Los Angeles, CA	State-of-the-art facility; notable for ophthalmology, orthopedics, and advanced minimally invasive gastroenterology procedures.
5	Charlotte Surgery Center	Charlotte, NC	Strong in orthopedic surgery and sports medicine; offers same-day joint replacements.
6	Emory Surgery Center	Atlanta, GA	Highly ranked for patient safety; excellent outcomes in ENT and general surgery.
7	HCA Ambulatory Surgery Centers	Multiple states	Large network; breadth of locations; standardized quality and patient experience protocols.
8	Johns Hopkins Surgery Center	Baltimore, MD	Renowned in academic medicine; high technical expertise in complex outpatient cases.
9	Mayo Clinic Outpatient Surgery Center	Rochester, MN & others	Global reputation; top in subspecialties including ophthalmology, gastroenterology, orthopedics.
10	Memorial Hermann Surgery Center	Houston, TX	High volume in GI endoscopy, ophthalmology, and pain management; strong outcomes.
11	NewYork-Presbyterian Outpatient Surgery	New York, NY	Excellence in multidisciplinary care; strong in women’s health, ENT, and digestive disease.
12	Northwestern Memorial Surgery Center	Chicago, IL	Combining academic research environment with outpatient efficiency; top in cancer-related ambulatory surgeries.
13	Orlando Health Surgery Center	Orlando, FL	Covering both tourist and local populations; strong ER/urgent outpatient backup; ophthalmology and ENT specialties.
14	Saint Francis Surgery Center	Tulsa, OK	Known for joint replacements and high patient satisfaction; “fast-track” recovery protocols.
15	Surgery Partners Inc. Centers	National	Chain of high performing ASCs; standardized protocols, good for benchmarking best practices.
16	Texas Health Outpatient Surgery Centers	Texas (multiple cities)	Large footprint; very strong in orthopedics, GI, and ophthalmology.
17	UPMC ASCs (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center)	Pennsylvania	High academic standards; especially strong in ENT, orthopedics and diagnostic endoscopy.
18	University of California Health Centers	California	Cutting edge outpatient oncology and reconstructive surgeries; high patient satisfaction.
19	UT Southwestern Outpatient Facility	Dallas, TX	Innovative in minimally invasive treatments; strong in ophthalmology, digestive disease.
20	Vanderbilt Surgery Center	Nashville, TN	Excellent for surgical sub-specialties; strong outcomes and low complication rates.

Key Procedures Driving Volume at These Centers

Across these centers, certain outpatient procedures dominate in volume and influence the design and focus of surgical services. Trends correspond with national data:

• Colonoscopy with lesion removal and diagnostic colonoscopy – frequently among the top outpatient procedures in both hospital-based outpatient settings and ASCs.
• EGD with biopsy (esophagogastroduodenoscopy) – a major driver in procedure count.
• Cataract removal surgeries – especially extracapsular cataract extraction without ECP, after-cataract laser surgery, etc.
• Other common ones include biopsy of joints, paracentesis, orthopedic joint surgeries (e.g. knee, hip arthroplasty, though many hip/knee replacements are inpatient-level usually).

These common procedures often define operational efficiencies, equipment investments, staffing models, and outpatient recovery protocols for surgical centers.

Quality, Cost & Patient Experience Comparisons

Let’s look at several dimensions where top outpatient surgical centers distinguish themselves.

1. Safety & Outcomes
   The best centers track complication rates, readmissions, infection rates. Many of the centers listed above are affiliated with major academic medical centers (Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins, UC Health, Northwestern) which often have rigorous oversight.
2. Procedure Cost & Payer Mix
   ASCs tend to have lower overhead than hospital settings, which often translates to lower costs to payers/patients. However, for advanced or complex cases, hospital outpatient facilities may still have higher charges.
3. Accessibility & Convenience
   Location matters. Centers in regions with limited access to surgical care (rural or underserved urban areas) that maintain high volume and quality bring significant value. Also, centers with multiple satellite sites enable better geographic coverage.
4. Patient Experience
   Waiting times, ease of scheduling, clarity of patient instructions, pain management, recovery amenities, and follow-up care are all part of what drives patient satisfaction. The top centers often score high in these metrics.
5. Technological & Specialty Capabilities
   High performing ASCs or outpatient centers tend to invest in minimally invasive surgical techniques, advanced imaging, laser surgery (e.g. cataract or after-cataract laser), and sometimes robotics. Centers associated with academic institutions are often pioneers in these areas.

Trends & Insights

• Shift toward ASCs: There’s a continuing trend of transferring more surgical volume from hospital outpatient settings to ASCs because of cost advantages and efficiency.
• Procedure Mix Matters: Centers with broad procedure diversity are better positioned to manage fluctuations in demand. For example, a center strong in ophthalmology + gastroenterology + orthopedics will have steadier workflow.
• Patient-centric care is key: Recovery protocols that allow same-day discharge, better pain control, telehealth follow-ups, and clear pre-/post-operative communication are differentiators.
• Insurance & Regulatory Environment: Reimbursement rates, insurance networks, and state regulations impact which centers can operate profitably, and which services they offer.

How to Choose an Outpatient Surgical Center (for Patients or Referrers)

If you or someone you refer needs outpatient surgery, here are some questions to consider:

1. Does the center perform your specific procedure often?
2. What are their complication, readmission, and infection rates?
3. Is the center accredited / certified (e.g. by AAAHC, Joint Commission)?
4. What is the cost estimate, including facility fees and surgeon’s fees?
5. How easy is patient pre-op/ post-op support, including transportation, recovery, pain management?
6. What are patient reviews saying about the experience?
7. Is the center conveniently located, or accessible via your insurance plan or network?

Case Study Snapshot: Gastrointestinal & Ophthalmology Dominance

To illustrate how procedure volume shapes outpatient centers:

• Gastroenterology/digestive disease procedures make up nearly 30% of hospital outpatient surgeries and close to 48% of outpatient surgeries in ASCs nationwide.
• Ophthalmology is much more heavily weighted in ASCs (around 18% of outpatient ASC procedures) compared to hospital outpatient settings (~4.3%).

This implies that facilities that want to excel in the outpatient surgery space often prioritize investment in GI and eye surgery capabilities.

Ampliz’s Role & Data Capability

At Ampliz, we leverage high-quality data to help healthcare providers, payers, and investors identify high-performing outpatient surgical centers, analyze procedure volume trends, quality metrics, and payer mixes. Our datasets enable mapping of surgical services, benchmarking centers, visualizing regional capacities, and identifying gaps in care. If you are evaluating a center (for partnership, investment, or referral), we can help you with:

• Market share and potential growth areas
• Comparative analyses of procedure types across regions
• Quality and patient satisfaction benchmarking
• Predictive trends for outpatient procedure demand

Conclusion

Outpatient surgical centers are transforming how surgical care is delivered in the US. The top centers combine high procedural volume (especially in GI, ophthalmology, and orthopedic disciplines), excellent quality outcomes, patient-focused care, and often affiliation with larger hospital or academic systems.

The 20 centers listed above represent the leaders in this space. Whether you are choosing a facility for care, evaluating investment opportunities, or trying to understand the outpatient surgery landscape, these centers serve as useful benchmarks.

If you’d like help identifying leading outpatient surgical centers in a particular state, specialty, or payer-network, Ampliz can provide tailored data and insights. Contact us to get started.