Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs) play an increasingly critical role in our health care system, delivering more than half of all surgeries— often at a lower cost than hospital-based care. In New Jersey, a new policy by the State Health Benefits Program will drive even more people to ASCs.  As of July 1, many SHBP members will face higher out-of-pocket costs for certain procedures if they chose to have them in a hospital rather than an ASC. Patients, along with other purchasers and policymakers, are faced with an important question: how can they identify the safest place to receive care?

Unfortunately, there has been a longstanding lack of publicly available information on the quality and safety data of care delivered in ASCs. While the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) collects patient safety data through its Ambulatory Surgery Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR) Program, this data is complex and not easily accessible or actionable for the average consumer.

Without clear, accessible data, patients cannot make fully informed decisions about where to receive care, and purchasers and payors have fewer tools to steer patients toward high-value providers.

The Leapfrog Group is now addressing this gap. Beginning July 1, 2026, Leapfrog will launch a redesigned ASC Survey and public reporting program that makes critical patient safety data easily available on their Public Reporting website. This is a giant leap forward in aligning outpatient surgical care with the broader movement toward transparency and accountability in health care.

Under the new program, ASCs, over six thousand across the country, will have thirteen measures from the CMS ASCQR Program publicly reported on Leapfrog’s website. For the first time, data that ASCs are already required to report will be translated into a consumer-friendly format, enabling more meaningful comparisons across facilities. The data will be available to the public regardless of whether ASCs participate in the ASC Leapfrog Survey. Here are some examples of the CMS measures reported:

• Medical Errors (ASC-3)— Do providers follow safety protocols to avoid errors such as operating on the wrong site, wrong side, wrong patient, or using the wrong implant?
• Hospital Transfers/Admissions (ASC-4)— How often do patients need to be transferred to a hospital for additional care after a procedure? (This can reflect how appropriately patients are selected for outpatient surgery and how safely care is delivered.)

Leapfrog also is streamlining participation in the Leapfrog ASC survey for ASCs that want to show the public and payors their commitment to safety, quality, and transparency. For instance, facilities with active accreditation from organizations such as the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) or The Joint Commission can upload their accrediation and five additional key safety measures will be reported on Leapfrog’s website, such as using a Safe Surgery Checklist. Additionally, ASCs can voluntarily complete the redesigned Leapfrog ASC Survey 2.0 that includes eight measures not available through any other national source. The new survey takes just 10 hours to complete.

These changes reduce administrative burden on ASCs while maintaining a strong focus on the measures that matter most to patients and purchasers. The changes create a pathway for ASCs to demonstrate their commitment to high quality care.

At the Quality Institute, which is the Regional Leader for Leapfrog, we are proud that our state has already demonstrated national leadership in transparency with 100 percent hospital participation in the Leapfrog Hospital Survey. We know that public reporting can drive meaningful improvements in patient safety and outcomes. The launch of the redesigned ASC reporting program presents a similar opportunity for ASCs to join this effort and further strengthen the quality of care delivered across settings.

As the volume of procedures performed in ASCs continues to grow— driven in part by policy changes that have expanded the number of procedures eligible for outpatient reimbursement— it is essential that transparency catches up. Lower cost should not come at the expense of safety, and patients deserve access to the information they need to make informed choices about their care.

Starting July 1, patients planning an outpatient procedure can visit Leapfrog’s Public Reporting website to review how ASCs in their area perform on key safety and quality measures. These include measures such as whether clinicians certified in advanced life support are always present at the ASC. Purchasers and payors should require or urge the ASCs in their networks to participate in Leapfrog’s ASC Survey 2.0.

By advancing transparency in outpatient care, the Leapfrog ASC Survey and public reporting program represents an important step toward ensuring that all patients in New Jersey—and across the country—can access care that is high-value and safe. Learn more about these changes at the May 6th webinar we are hosting.