ABOUT PASA

PASA was founded in 1989 to serve what was then a small handful of ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) in the Commonwealth.  At the time, about a dozen individuals with interest in promoting ambulatory surgical care, sharing clinical and business ideas, and keeping abreast of regulatory matters, would meet for what amounted to a “lunch and learn” session.  Over the next decade or so, the number of ASCs in Pennsylvania more than tripled and membership in PASA grew in parallel.  During that time, PASA members were able to play a role in having PA Department of Health regulations developed that were specific to ASCs.  As the number of ASCs in Pennsylvania increased, and as regulatory, payment and business issues became more complex for ASCs, a critical need arose for ASC owners and professional staff to have a “center” for their educational, advocacy and management needs. 

In 2006, PASA undertook an initiative to make this organization the authoritative source for information about and for the needs of freestanding ambulatory surgery centers in Pennsylvania.  Among other matters, this involved establishing this web site, reformatting the annual meeting, establishing a list serve, revising membership categories, engaging a lobbyist and, perhaps most importantly, working to place PASA in the role of “go to” connection for state and federal regulators, legislative staff, media and others interested in learning about or working with ASCs in Pennsylvania.
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PASA currently represents single and multi-specialty ASCs; facilities owned exclusively by physicians as well as those owned by hospital-physician joint ventures and those partially owned by joint ventures with management companies.  PASA membership extends across the Commonwealth, includes facilities with one OR as well as facilities with more than 10 ORs.  PASA continues to work to extend its voice in Harrisburg and in Washington, DC, as well as to serve the educational and operational needs of its members.