Congresswoman Nancy Johnson to Tour Connecticut ASC

On March 20, Congresswoman Nancy Johnson (R-CT), called by  President George Bush a "tireless advocate for making healthcare systems efficient and compassionate," will be touring the Endoscopy Center of Northwest Connecticut in Torrington. Ambulatory surgery leaders, physicians and local patients will be on hand to discuss the safe, cost-effective surgical options which ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) offer the community.

Johnson's tour will give the chairwoman of the U.S. House of Representatives' Health Subcommittee an opportunity to see first hand the growing popularity of ASCs among doctors and patients alike. The aging baby boomer generation is just one of many factors putting increased pressure on America's health system. Advances in medical technology have transformed many surgeries into safe, outpatient procedures, making ASCs an essential part of how America meets its surgical needs.

The American Cancer Society estimates that every four minutes someone is diagnosed with colon cancer, the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. With screenings and diagnosis of colon cancer on the rise, ASCs have provided an alternative site for care to keep up with the demand. Nearly one-third of procedures performed at ASCs across the nation are gastrointestinal, including colonoscopies. A recent study found that of 97 percent of patients having colonoscopies done at ASCs rated their overall experience as positive. In addition to high patient satisfaction levels, colonoscopies performed at ASCs save money for the government and patients. The procedure costs Medicare 14 percent less when performed in an ASC than when performed in a hospital outpatient department. And generally speaking, patient co-pays are lower at ASCs than at hospitals.

The Endoscopy Center of Northwest Connecticut is one of 36 ASCs in the state.

Source: Federated Ambulatory Surgery Association

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