MINNEAPOLIS (Nov. 4, 2021) — Allina Health’s WestHealth Surgery Center in Plymouth, Minn. has been ranked the best ambulatory surgery center (ASC) in Minnesota in Newsweek’s new America's Best Ambulatory Surgery Centers 2022 report. Additionally, the WestHealth Surgery Center ranked 10th overall in the U.S.
“Newsweek’s recognition of our WestHealth Surgery Center as the best in Minnesota is a testament to the outstanding team we have assembled to provide leading edge surgical care to our community,” said David Slowinske, senior vice president, Allina Health Group Operations. “These rankings are based on a survey of nurses, therapists, physicians and surgeons, and administrators in ASCs for the best surgery centers in their state which speaks to the reputation of our surgery center.”
Ambulatory surgery centers are seen as a high quality, lower-cost alternative for certain procedures. Over the past few years, a number of health insurers have introduced policy payment structures that direct more patients to outpatient settings for care.
Allina Health operates the WestHealth Surgery Center in partnership with Surgical Care Affiliates (SCA), a national leader in ambulatory surgical care facilities. Of the 470 ASCs rated in the Newsweek report, eleven of the top 30 were Surgical Care Affiliates facilities.
In addition to the WestHealth Surgery Center, Allina Health, in partnership with Surgical Care Affiliates, is building a new surgery center in Brooklyn Park that will open in the spring of 2022.
“Our partnership with Surgical Care Affiliates allows us the ability to bring care closer to the many communities we serve,” Slowinske said. “Allina Health’s new surgery center in Brooklyn Park is just the first step as we look to expand our footprint and provide quality surgical care and a seamless care experience closer to our patients’ homes.
“Investing in multiple ambulatory surgery centers is a critical component to Allina Health’s overall strategy to lower the cost of care for our patients while being responsive to consumer needs. We are positioning Allina Health to be the answer for all of a patient’s surgical care needs, from very complicated heart procedures to a same-day knee replacement,” Slowinske said.
Allina Health and SCA recently acquired majority ownership of three existing ASC locations in Maple Grove, Minneapolis, and Woodbury. The addition of the new ASC under construction in Brooklyn Park brings the total number of ASC’s to six with plans to grow in other Minnesota markets in the near future.
Allina Health is dedicated to the prevention and treatment of illness and enhancing the greater health of individuals, families and communities throughout Minnesota and western Wisconsin. A nonprofit health care system, Allina Health cares for patients from beginning to end-of-life through its 90+ clinics, 12 hospital campuses, 14 retail pharmacies, and many specialty care centers and specialty medical services, home care, and emergency medical transportation services. Learn more at allinahealth.org and join us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.