Dr. Alaa Abd-Elsayed, Medical Director, UW Health Pain Services

Summary

Podcast Summary

Podcast: Becker’s Healthcare Podcast
Episode: Dr. Alaa Abd-Elsayed, Medical Director, UW Health Pain Services
Date: November 29, 2025
Host: Grace Lynn Keller (Becker’s Healthcare)
Guest: Dr. Alaa Abd-Elsayed (Medical Director, UW Health Pain Services)

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Episode Overview

This episode features a conversation between host Grace Lynn Keller and Dr. Alaa Abd-Elsayed, an esteemed pain physician and anesthesiologist at the University of Wisconsin. Their discussion revolves around the rapid expansion of Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs), the impact of technology and artificial intelligence (AI) on operational efficiency, and the rise of collaborative ventures in the ASC market.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Dr. Abd-Elsayed’s Background

• [00:56] Dr. Abd-Elsayed introduces himself as the Medical Director at UW Health Pain Services.
• He splits his time between inpatient, ambulatory, and clinic settings, serving patients in both hospital and ASC environments.

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The Booming ASC Market

• Growth Projections:
  • “In the US, it's projected to reach $60.8 billion by 2030 and it continues to experience strong year over year.” – Grace Lynn Keller [01:15]
• Drivers and Forces:
  • Dr. Abd-Elsayed highlights that:
    • ASCs are “typically owned by smaller groups,” allowing for “more control, more autonomy,” and direct financial oversight.
    • This ownership model offers “efficiencies which are good for patients as well,” promoting quick ‘in and out’ surgeries and improved patient wellness by enabling same-day home returns.
  • Quote:
    • “The expansion in ASCs... is inevitable. It's happening and it's happening fast.” – Dr. Alaa Abd-Elsayed [01:35]
    • “Quick surgeries in and out... is good not only financially but also for the health and wellness of patient just to be home on the same day.” – Dr. Alaa Abd-Elsayed [02:00]

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Technology and Innovation in ASCs

• Role of AI and Automation:
  • Dr. Abd-Elsayed notes that AI will ease operational pressures, especially regarding staff shortages, by making processes “very smooth, very quick.” [02:34]
  • Quote:
    • “AI will make things very smooth, very quick, will help the shortage of staff that we are encountering nowadays at all grounds in the operating room and outside the operating room.” – Dr. Alaa Abd-Elsayed [02:34]
• Specific Innovations:
  • While many technologies are advancing the space, Dr. Abd-Elsayed singles out AI-powered appeals as notably transformative.
    • “AI in appeals has been very successful in reversing a lot of those appeals, which... leads to our patient be able to get the care they deserve.”
    • AI-driven scribing and medical coding are also helping “make it efficient,” “maybe more accurate,” and “reduce errors in coding.”
  • Practical Benefits: Reduced labor, fewer insurance back-and-forths, quality and safety enhancements.

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Collaboration and Joint Ventures

• Trends: More health systems and ASCs are partnering (over 60% considering ASC joint ventures).
• Benefits:
  • Collaborations lead to a “stronger foundation” because “everybody will have skin in the game,” driving collective success, enhancing patient care, and boosting financial health.
  • “These… joint ventures allow for a stronger foundation because everybody will have skin in the game.” – Dr. Alaa Abd-Elsayed [04:09]
• Financial Emphasis:
  • Dr. Abd-Elsayed repeatedly underscores the importance of financial sustainability for ASCs, stating strong collaborations result in “better patient care, more patient volumes, [and] stronger financials.” [04:09-04:55]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On ASC Growth:
  • “It's a growing model, I think it's a good model and I think when you develop those models you always look for efficiencies which are good for patients as well.” – Dr. Alaa Abd-Elsayed [01:35]
• On AI’s Transformative Role:
  • “The main one that we're all excited about is use AI, for example, for appeals, because that's a very tedious process, very lengthy and require a lot of labor work.” – Dr. Alaa Abd-Elsayed [03:14]
• On Collaboration:
  • “Everybody will work on success of the ASC rather than just being owned by individual or a small group.” – Dr. Alaa Abd-Elsayed [04:09]
• On the Future of Healthcare:
  • “I always enjoy talking about AI, which is the future of healthcare, and seeing always this progression in the conference. And the focus in AI is very intriguing.” – Dr. Alaa Abd-Elsayed [05:04]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:56 – Dr. Abd-Elsayed background and current roles
• 01:15 – ASC market growth and drivers
• 02:20 – Tech transformation in ASCs, future outlook
• 03:14 – Specific AI innovations (appeals, scribing, coding)
• 04:09 – Collaboration, joint ventures, and system partnerships
• 05:04 – Closing remarks on AI and healthcare’s future

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Tone and Takeaways

The conversation is forward-thinking, practical, and optimistic, with Dr. Abd-Elsayed expressing enthusiasm for the integration of AI in healthcare and a clear focus on operational efficiency, collaboration, and patient-centered outcomes. For ASC leaders, his insights emphasize preparing for tech-driven change and fostering cooperative partnerships as essential steps to continued growth and sustainability.

Transcript

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[Grace Lynn Keller]

Is Grace Lynn Keller with the Beckers Healthcare Podcast and we are recording live at the 31st annual Business and Operations of ASCS. I'm currently joined by Allah Abda Asayed who is the Medical Director at U Wisconsin. So thank you so much for joining me today. Let's have you start off by sharing a little bit more about yourself and your work in the ASC space.

[Allah Abda Asayed]

Well, thank you for having me. I'm a pain physician and anesthesiologist at University of Wisconsin where I work in the inpatient setting and an ambulatory setting, clinic, two surgical centers and care for patients both on the hospital grounds and ambulatory surgical centers and also at clinic setting.

[Grace Lynn Keller]

Wonderful. And let's start by talking about the ASC market because in the US it's projected to reach $60.8 billion by 2030 and it continues to experience strong year over year. So from your perspective, what are the most significant trends in market forces driving this expansion and how should ASC leaders be preparing today?

[Allah Abda Asayed]

It's a very good question and I think the expansion in ASCs as you mentioned is inevitable. It's happening and it's happening fast and there are many reasons because it's owned by smaller groups typically, so they have more control, more autonomy, can control the finances which always you want to think of the ins and outs, which is different than being in gigantic healthcare system which you probably have less control over those finances. So I think it's a growing model, I think it's a good model and I think when you develop those models you always look for efficiencies which are good for patients as well. Like again quick surgeries in and out. You try not to keep them in the hospital, which is good not only financially but also for the health and wellness of patient just to be home on the same day.

[Grace Lynn Keller]

And from AI and robotic surgeries to advanced EHR systems, technology remains both a major break factor and a critical driver of ASC operations at scale. So how do you see deeper tech integration shaping the way ASCs deliver care and manage their business over the next few years?

[Allah Abda Asayed]

That's a very good question. And as we speak here in the conference about the different AI platforms, AI will make things very smooth, very quick, will help the shortage of staff that we are encountering nowadays at all grounds in the operating room and outside the operating room, which will allow for more efficiencies and not counting on the, I would say filling the gaps in staff shortage. So this integration is very helpful and I think will lead to more efficient healthcare system and ASC operations and follow up to that.

[Grace Lynn Keller]

Is there any specific technology or innovation that stands out to you is especially transformative in the space?

[Allah Abda Asayed]

I would say it's hard to pick up only one, but the main one that we're all excited about is use AI, for example, for appeals, because that's a very tedious process, very lengthy and require a lot of labor work. So AI in appeals has been very successful in reversing a lot of those appeals, which again leads to our patient be able to get the care they deserve, but using it in scribing, using encoding. I think these are very good steps that not only will make it efficient, but will make it maybe more accurate and then will reduce the back and forth with insurance and will reduce errors in coding and can provide the more of safety quality check for everybody using those technologies.

[Grace Lynn Keller]

And with 60% of health systems considering ASC joint ventures and many ASCs already partnering with systems in their communities, what opportunities do you see for collaboration, whether with providers or vendors, to strengthen patient care and operational efficiency?

[Allah Abda Asayed]

ASCs became more of like a big ship that require multiple parties to be involved. So those collaborations are very good because you know, the joint ventures allow for a stronger foundation because everybody will have skin in the game. Everybody will work on success of the ASC rather than just being owned by individual or a small group. So those, I would say venture joints will lead to just better patient care, more patient volumes, stronger financial. And I'll keep talking about the financial strengths because it's very important to maintain any enterprise. So I think this is gonna just make it a lot stronger and will attract more patients to this model.

[Grace Lynn Keller]

Well, thanks so much for joining me today on the Becker's healthcare podcast, Allah. Is there anything else we didn't touch on or any final thoughts you'd like to share?

[Allah Abda Asayed]

No, thank you. And I appreciate the opportunity always to be here because I always enjoy talking about AI, which is the future of healthcare, and seeing always this progression in the conference. And the focus in AI is very intriguing. So thank you.

[Grace Lynn Keller]

Wonderful. Well, again, we are recording live at the 31st annual business and operations of ASCS.

[Allah Abda Asayed]

Thank you.