Inconsistent State, Federal Oversight of Ambulatory Surgery Centers Puts Patients at Risk, Article Says

​Inconsistencies in how states and the federal government gather and share information about ambulatory surgery centers can hinder patients' efforts to be more informed and can increase the risk of harm, according to an investigative article published jointly by Kaiser Health News and USA Today. The article details the case of one health center where two colonoscopy patients died. Unaware of these deaths, a third patient went to the center and was taken to the hospital when she stopped breathing during her procedure. This was all within a four-month span and highlights how difficult it can be for patients to ascertain information about ambulatory surgery centers.