Amid Rising Costs and Surgical Disruptions in ASCs, NorthStar Anesthesia Strengthens Focus on ASC Partnerships

With 17 new ASC partnerships nationwide to date in 2026, NorthStar Anesthesia emphasizes proactive patient assessment, reliable staffing, and clinical consistency to help surgery centers reduce preventable cancellations and maximize surgical capacity.

IRVING, Texas, Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) face mounting financial pressures, staffing challenges, and increasingly complex patient needs, anesthesia has emerged as a critical partner in their ability to operate efficiently and sustainably. NorthStar Anesthesia is addressing these challenges through a dedicated ASC model designed to reduce preventable case cancellations, improve surgical throughput, and help centers make the most of their existing operating room capacity.

"The challenge for ASCs today isn't simply finding anesthesia coverage. It's ensuring that coverage translates into reliable surgical capacity," said Cindy Myers, Vice President of ASC Operations at NorthStar Anesthesia. "When cases are cancelled unnecessarily or operating rooms aren't running as planned, the impact extends well beyond the anesthesia department. Our focus is on helping centers address those challenges systematically, so they can deliver more consistent care and operate more efficiently."

Reducing Preventable Cancellations Through Better Preparation

One of the most significant opportunities to improve ASC performance lies in the preoperative process. When potential anesthesia concerns are not identified until the day of surgery, patients may face unexpected cancellations, surgeons lose valuable operating time, and centers absorb the cost of unused capacity.

NorthStar addresses this challenge through ASC-specific pre-anesthesia testing (PAT) guidelines and standardized clinical protocols designed to identify potential issues earlier, facilitate appropriate patient optimization, and support consistent decision-making across the surgical process.

"In ambulatory surgery, the decisions made before the patient arrives are often just as important as those made in the operating room," said Gajan Mahendran, MD, Vice President of Physician Services at NorthStar Anesthesia. "A consistent, evidence-based approach to preoperative assessment helps us identify risks earlier, determine which patients are appropriate for the ASC setting, and address potential barriers to surgery in advance. That means fewer last-minute surprises and a better experience for patients, surgeons, and facilities."

Aligning Anesthesia Resources With Surgical Demand

Alongside clinical challenges, ASCs are navigating a changing economic environment. In a recent Becker's ASC Review interview, NorthStar CEO Adam Spiegel noted that approximately 80% of ASCs in NorthStar's network now require anesthesia stipends, compared with just 10% to 15% before the pandemic.

As anesthesia costs rise, ensuring that staffing levels align with actual surgical demand has become increasingly important. NorthStar works with ASC partners to develop staffing models that reflect each facility's case mix, surgical volume, and operating requirements. "Adding anesthesia resources doesn't automatically improve performance if those resources aren't aligned with the center's surgical volume," Myers said. "We work closely with our partners to understand their schedules, case mix, and operational needs so we can build a model that supports both reliable access to care and financial sustainability."

Combining National Resources With Local Clinical Expertise

As ASCs take on a greater share of surgical procedures, the demands placed on anesthesia providers are becoming more complex. Smaller or locally managed anesthesia groups may face challenges maintaining consistent coverage, recruiting clinicians, or investing in standardized clinical and operational processes.

NorthStar's model combines local clinical leadership with national recruiting capabilities, dedicated ASC operations expertise, and established quality guidelines. This infrastructure helps support continuity of care, consistent clinical practices, and the flexibility to respond to changes in surgical demand.

The approach is reflected in NorthStar's expanding ASC partnerships.  To date in 2026 alone, NorthStar has added 17 ASC partnerships, including CarePlex Orthopaedic Ambulatory Surgery Center in Norfolk, Virginia; Stony Point Surgery Center and West Creek Surgery Center, both part of MedRVA Healthcare in Richmond, Virginia; an Orthopedic Surgery Center in Wisconsin; Eye Surgery Center of Homewood in Homewood, Alabama; and The Toledo Clinic ASC in Toledo, Ohio.

These partnerships reflect the growing importance of anesthesia providers that can address both the clinical and operational needs of outpatient surgery centers.

To learn more and to request a confidential anesthesia program assessment, please contact James Bagliani, Director of Business Development, NorthStar Anesthesia at [email protected]. 

About NorthStar Anesthesia

NorthStar Anesthesia is a company of caregivers, founded by an anesthesiologist and a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). With more than 4,000 anesthesiologists and CRNAs under its banner, NorthStar partners with more than 280 healthcare client sites across more than 20 states and counting to deliver a more productive and efficient model of anesthesia care. Its care team approach focuses on the provision of high-quality care while measurably improving operating room performance.

Media Contact: James Bagliani, Director of Business Development, NorthStar Anesthesia [email protected]

SOURCE NorthStar Anesthesia