By 2022, orthopedic procedures performed in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) were already outpacing expectations. For years, total hip and knee replacements were considered too complex for same-day surgery. Yet, total joints replacement volumes jumped nearly 200% between 2020 and 2022—outpatient total knee arthroplasty surged nearly 194%, while total hip arthroplasty climbed 61%—as ASCs have embraced total joints programs at accelerating rates. Same-day discharges for these procedures exceeded 30% by 2021, up from under 1% just 4 years prior.
