ASC operator Regent Surgical embraces outpatient EP ablation services after CMS policy change
With the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) improving payment coverage for cardiac ablations performed in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), the field of electrophysiology (EP) has been buzzing about the potential shift in lower acuity cases to outpatient centers. For example, business sessions Heart Rhythm 2026 focused almost exclusively on this major transition.
Arizona and Texas have emerged as leaders in cardiovascular ASC development because of more favorable regulatory environments toward ASCs. Banner Health in Phoenix has already partnered with the private ASC management company MedAtlas to develop three cardiovascular ASCs with EP capabilities, and new players are now entering that market as well.
ASC operator Regent Surgical announced that Integrated Surgical Center of Arizona (ISCA), a multispecialty center in the western Phoenix suburb of Avondale, has joined its network. ISCA includes IMS Care, Arizona's largest independent multispecialty physician group, as well as AZ Heart Arrhythmia Associates, a cardiac electrophysiology specialist group, and Valley GI Consultants, a leading gastroenterology practice in that area. Regent said its operational and development expertise will help expand access to advanced outpatient cardiovascular and specialty surgical care across the greater Phoenix metro area.
This is one of the first partnerships built specifically around the new ASC-eligible catheter ablations. Regent said the partnership also marks a significant milestone in its growth strategy in the cardiac ASC market, where payers would prefer to see more procedures being performed at ASCS because of the lower costs.
"The shift of appropriate cardiovascular procedures into the ambulatory setting represents an important evolution in how we deliver care," explained Riyaz Sumar, MD, president of cardiology at IMS Care, in a statement. "For the right patients, ASCs can provide a high-quality, efficient care experience while maintaining the rigorous safety and clinical standards expected in cardiovascular medicine.
He said by combining cardiology clinical expertise with Regent's ASC capabilities and operational scale, the move has big potential to expand access to advanced cardiac care in a more convenient, cost-effective setting closer to home.
In 2025, CMS finalized coverage for cardiac ablations performed in ASCs as part of its 2026 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System and ASC Payment System final rule. Responding to that policy shift, the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) and American College of Cardiology (ACC) released a new guidance for cardiologists performing those procedures in ASCs.
Regent is headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. It was founded in 2001, and has created a variety of partnerships with both health systems and physician practices to develop and management single and multi-site ASCs in several states. It is one of several ASC management companies that can focus of the business side of operations to allow physicians, who often have an ownership stake in the ASC, to focus on clinical work and to reduce administrative burden.
Dave Fornell has covered healthcare for more than 17 years, with a focus in cardiology and radiology. Fornell is a 5-time winner of a Jesse H. Neal Award, the most prestigious editorial honors in the field of specialized journalism. The wins included best technical content, best use of social media and best COVID-19 coverage. Fornell was also a three-time Neal finalist for best range of work by a single author. He produces more than 100 editorial videos each year, most of them interviews with key opinion leaders in medicine. He also writes technical articles, covers key trends, conducts video hospital site visits, and is very involved with social media. E-mail: [email protected]