PROVIDENCE, R.I. (May 21, 2024) — University Gastroenterology and University Endoscopy Group were thrilled to learn this week that US News & World Report named the Bayside Endoscopy Center among the best ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) in the country.
After years of ranking acute care hospitals, the publication for the first time evaluated nearly 5,000 ASCs nationwide covering four specialty areas:
- Colonoscopy & Endoscopy
- Orthopedics & Spine
- Ophthalmology
- Urology
Of those thousands evaluated, the Bayside Endoscopy Center, located at 33 Staniford Street in Providence, was one of just 717 centers nationally recognized as high-performing and the only ASC in Rhode Island to receive the honor. In addition, Bayside Endoscopy was one of just 249 Colonoscopy & Endoscopy ASCs to be ranked high-performing among the more than 2,000 evaluated.
“Since Bayside’s founding, our mission to provide the best endoscopic care for all of our patients has never wavered,” said Dr. William Chen, University Endoscopy Group Chair. “This incredible honor from US News & World Report is a testament to the dedicated and skilled teamwork of our nurses, endotechs, and physicians.”
Located at 33 Staniford Street in Providence, Bayside Endoscopy is part of University Endoscopy Group, is staffed by University Gastroenterology physicians, and is managed by Surgery Partners.
“Our entire team – staff, UGI physicians, and our managing partner, Surgery Partners – takes great pride in providing patients with excellent GI care that is safe, convenient, and cost-effective,” said Bayside Endoscopy Center Facility Administrator Tina Harty, BSN, RN. “Receiving national recognition like this validates the hard work and dedication our staff consistently demonstrates while working tirelessly to provide our patients with the high level of care they deserve and have come to expect from Bayside Endoscopy and University Gastroenterology.”
What’s an Ambulatory Surgery Center?
ASCs are freestanding, outpatient healthcare facilities that specialize in providing same-day surgical and diagnostic procedures. Colonoscopy and Endoscopy ASCs–like Bayside Endoscopy and UEG’s other endoscopy centers–offer a wide range of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for the digestive system, including, endoscopy, colonoscopy, polyp removal, and other minimally invasive procedures. Because they are designed for same-day, outpatient care, ASCs can provide a more streamlined, convenient experience than hospitals, often with shorter wait times and less cost.
“When we started ranking hospitals in the 1990s, most surgical care was provided in the hospitals. Now it’s not performed in the hospitals as much. It’s in ASCs,” Ben Harder, managing editor and chief of health analysis at U.S. News, told Becker’s Health.
US News & World Report’s Methodology
US News & World Report based its findings on three years of Medicare data from more than 6.5 million patients, using criteria including, how successfully the center avoided complications; emergency room visits; unplanned hospitalizations, and other undesirable outcomes. The ASCs were given designations of “high performing,” “average,” or “below average.”
