For ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs), accreditation is a trusted, proven way to enhance patient safety and commit to high standards of care. Just as importantly, accreditation can provide ASCs with a pathway to substantial cost savings.
With the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently granting QUAD A continued recognition as a national accrediting organization through 2029, there has never been a better time to leverage accreditation for your ASC’s success.
Here are three ways that accreditation by QUAD A can help ASCs unlock savings by mitigating the factors that can eat away at your facility’s bottom line.
Medicare Reimbursement
An ASC’s accreditation status is requested information on Medicare Enrollment Application Form CMS-855B; this is not to suggest that accreditation is a requirement. Facilities that are not accredited fall under State Agency jurisdiction, as opposed to an Accrediting Organization.
In 2023, it’s estimated that fee-for-service Medicare program and beneficiary spending on ASC services reached $6.8 billion.1 That’s a substantial amount of money that ASCs might be missing out on if they haven’t taken the proper steps.
Accreditation is one of the pathways for ASCs to qualify for reimbursement from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Once accredited, QUAD A directly reports your most recent survey, along with any applicable corrective action plans, to CMS.
Standardization of Processes
Accreditation can undoubtedly lead to high-level changes like Medicare reimbursement qualification that can truly transform an ASC’s bottom line. But just as important, it can also identify opportunities on a smaller scale that have just as big an impact on your ASC’s revenue.
The accreditation process helps shine a light on issues that could be impacting an ACS’s bottom line, such as processes that could be more efficient or equipment costs that often slip under the radar. Aligning the standardization of ASC processes, procedures, and equipment with the high standards set by the broader healthcare community is just one of the ways accreditation improves patient safety and quality of care. These transformative opportunities give ACS a new way to improve efficiency and patient care, from quality improvements to cost-saving initiatives.
Mitigate Risk and Build Patient Trust to Grow Revenue
Despite gains in patient trust over the last several years, ASCs are still facing an uphill battle. In a recent study, 35% of polled patients admitted that they are hesitant to pursue care at ASCs and other non-hospital facilities.2
Much of that hesitation comes down to worries about infection, improper sanitation, and other risks to their health and well-being. The bad news is that those risks often cause patients to overlook ASCs when choosing where to receive care, leaving potential revenue on the table. The good news is that accreditation can help earn the trust and the business of those prospective patients.
Risk mitigation is one of the foundations of QUAD A’s ASC accreditation program. Accredited ASCs take steps to ensure that every facet of their facility and their operations is best suited to reduce risks for patients and staff alike, including a comprehensive evaluation of the infection control practices, medication injection practices, and disinfection and sterilization of medical devices, among others.
Patients can rest easy knowing that routine surveys every three (3) years are required to maintain accreditation, proving an ASC’s commitment to upholding high standards and reducing risks for the long run. Those extra steps provide pivotal reassurance for wary patients, who reported an 80% increase in trust in an accredited facility’s safety.2
Explore ASC Accreditation with QUAD A
Accreditation sends a strong message to patients that your ASC values and puts their safety first. With all of the cost-saving opportunities, it is also an effective way to impact your facility’s bottom line.
QUAD A provides ASCs with a clear pathway to accreditation and all of the cost-saving benefits that come with it. Our freely accessible Standards Manual offers a transparent guide to achieving and maintaining excellence. Learn more about QUAD A’s ASC accreditation program and how to start your path to accreditation today.
References
- Medpac. (2025) Ambulatory Surgical Center Services: Status Report; 2025. https://www.medpac.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Mar25_Ch10_MedPAC_Report_To_Congress_SEC.pdf
- Verve. (2021) Patient Journey Final Report. Unpublished internal QUAD A report; 2021.
Since 1980, QUAD A (a non-profit, physician founded and led global accreditation organization) has worked with thousands of healthcare facilities to standardize and improve the quality of health care they provide – believing that patient safety should always come first. To learn more about QUAD A, their accreditation process, and why it’s so important to seek out accredited facilities when making healthcare related decisions, visit www.quada.org.
