Becker’s Healthcare Podcast Summary

Guest: Sarah Carson, Administrator, Ascentist ASC Merriam, LLC
Host: Chanel Bunger
Date: August 17, 2025
Event: Recorded live at the 22nd Annual Spine, Orthopedic, and Pain Management-Driven ASC + The Future of Spine Conference

Episode Overview

This episode features a conversation with Sarah Carson, Administrator at Ascentist ASC Merriam, LLC. Sarah discusses the rapid growth of her ambulatory surgery center (ASC), current and emerging trends in healthcare and ASCs, and her strategic focus for the near future. The conversation is rich with insights into managing high growth, exploring new specialties, and the evolving ASC landscape.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Background and Organizational Growth

• Rapid Post-COVID Growth
  • Sarah describes joining Ascentist ASC three and a half years ago, at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • The center has grown from 200 cases per month to 450–500.

  "Our surgery center opened during COVID and in the three and a half years I've been there, we've went from approximately 200 cases a month to 450 to 500. So it's been a huge amount of growth." — Sarah Carson [00:24]

• Primary Specialties
  • The center is multi-specialty, with ear, nose, and throat (ENT) as its primary service line, followed by plastics. Pediatrics is a key focus area.

Trends in Healthcare and ASCs

• Emerging Procedural Focus
  • Sarah is closely watching the evolution of spine and cardiology services within the ASC model.

  "Looking at where things are headed mostly with spine and maybe some cardiology services are things we're watching closely to see how we need to adapt to that." — Sarah Carson [01:08]

• Adapting to New Service Lines
  • The focus is on monitoring these specialties to anticipate and respond to changes in demand and regulations.

Growth Strategy and Expansion

• Maximizing Current Resources and Expansion Plans

  • The organization has reached near-capacity at its current location.
  • Plans are underway to possibly open a second location, with potential service line specialization—pediatrics at one, expansion into orthopedics, spine, or pain at another.

  "We've kind of maximized our growth at our current surgery center. So looking at maybe a second location and then being able to focus pediatrics at one of those locations and then seeing how we can grow, whether it's in the orthopedic a spine pain space in another location." — Sarah Carson [01:28]

• Service Line Growth: Pain Management

  • Recent growth has been most significant in pain management, which is expected to continue.

  "I would say pain has grown, has been our biggest growth that we've had recently and I think continuing to progress in that." — Sarah Carson [02:08]

Perspective on the ASC Industry

• Optimism and Agility
  • Sarah expresses excitement about the ongoing expansion and dynamism within the ASC sector.

  "Just knowing that ASC space is always growing for everyone, kind of how we can utilize that and make the best of it." — Sarah Carson [02:24]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On ASC Growth:

  "Our surgery center opened during COVID and in the three and a half years I've been there, we've went from approximately 200 cases a month to 450 to 500. So it's been a huge amount of growth." — Sarah Carson [00:24]

• On Watching Industry Trends:

  "Looking at where things are headed mostly with spine and maybe some cardiology services are things we're watching closely to see how we need to adapt to that." — Sarah Carson [01:08]

• On Specialization and Expansion:

  "We've kind of maximized our growth at our current surgery center. So looking at maybe a second location and then being able to focus pediatrics at one of those locations..." — Sarah Carson [01:28]

• On Pain Management Growth:

  "I would say pain has grown, has been our biggest growth that we've had recently and I think continuing to progress in that." — Sarah Carson [02:08]

• On the Future of ASCs:

  "Just knowing that ASC space is always growing for everyone, kind of how we can utilize that and make the best of it." — Sarah Carson [02:24]

Key Timestamps

• 00:24: Sarah Carson introduces herself and outlines remarkable post-COVID growth at Ascentist ASC Merriam.
• 01:08: Sarah discusses three major trends: spine procedures, cardiology services, and adapting the ASC model.
• 01:28: She describes plans for further expansion, possibly specializing locations by patient group or service line.
• 02:08: Focus on pain management as the center's most significant recent area of growth.
• 02:24: Final thoughts on the future of ASCs and ongoing excitement about industry dynamism.

Summary Flow & Tone

Sarah Carson’s commentary is practical, optimistic, and focused on actionable growth. She celebrates the resilience and adaptability of her organization and the ASC industry, underscores the importance of tracking surgical trends like spine and cardiology, and sees every challenge as an opportunity for specialization and expansion. Her tone is confident and forward-thinking, with a clear sense of both achievement and ambition.