Many ASCs I speak with are comfortable with the basics of text messaging, using it for the everyday moments around a visit: a reminder ahead of tomorrow's case, a pre-op checklist the week before, a quick reply to confirm an arrival time instead of a phone call. Increasingly, that same channel is doing more and more these days, from scheduling a visit once a recall or referral is approved to collecting payment before the patient walks in the door on the day of their procedure.

Now, a new standard is starting to change what that simple text message can do, and I think ASC leaders should know about it, even if it isn't something most centers need to act on right away. It's called RCS, short for Rich Communication Services, and it's the direction texting is headed across every major carrier and phone.

At the recent Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society (TASCS) Annual Meeting, attendees heard firsthand about the legislative and regulatory challenges facing the ASC industry and why advocacy and support for the TASCS PAC is more important than ever. Decisions made at the Texas Capitol directly affect how ASCs operate, care for patients, and serve communities. By speaking with a unified voice, we can help ensure that legislators understand our industry’s concerns and consider the needs of ASCs when shaping healthcare policy.

It is not too late to contribute, and every amount makes a difference. Please consider donating to the TASCS PAC today and asking your physicians to match your contribution. Your support helps engage legislators who understand the value of ASCs and strengthens our ability to advocate effectively during the next legislative session.

Last week, the Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society (TASCS) had the pleasure of reconnecting with Texas Workforce Commission Chairman Joe Esparza and welcoming him for a tour of Cedar Park Surgery Center.

During the visit, Chairman Esparza saw firsthand the important role ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) play in Texas’ healthcare system. The tour highlighted how ASCs provide patients with high-quality, efficient care in a convenient and lower-cost setting. It also offered an opportunity to discuss the ways ASCs improve access to surgical care while delivering value to patients, employers, and the broader healthcare system.

The Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society (TASCS) Annual Conference is the leading event for ambulatory surgery center (ASC) professionals across Texas. It brings together over 200 healthcare leaders, administrators, and industry vendors for education, networking, and innovation. 

Recently, Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society (TASCS) President Adam Hornback had the pleasure of visiting Forney’s first surgery center, Texas Health Surgery Center Forney.

CEO Jacob Gaytan greeted Hornback in the lobby with a warm smile, and Hornback was immediately impressed by the size of the center and organization. “You guys might just be our Best Organized Award winner this year,” he joked. 

Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society (TASCS) President Adam Hornback, RN, BSN has been out and about this spring, working hard to promote the society and industry.

In April, he met up with TASCS Executive Director Krista DuRapau and fellow board members, Sunshine Moore, Maggie Jeffries, MD and Rick Ngo, MD, to staff an exhibit booth at the Texas Medical Association’s annual TexMed conference.

Since March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, the Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society wanted to share information on colorectal cancer, cancer of the colon or rectum, which is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States.

We spoke with Drs. Abrar Ahmed, Ben Kahn, and Christopher J. Vesy, all with the Texas Digestive Disease Consultants and Dallas Endoscopy Center.

The Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society (TASCS) serves as the public policy advocate for ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), outpatient facilities that provide same-day surgical care. 

Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society (TASCS) President Adam Hornback and Executive Director Krista DuRapau kicked off the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) tour season last week in Houston.

The first stop was Pulse Surgery Center to meet with Gaurav Aggarwala M.D. FSCAI, MBA, an interventional cardiologist and TASCS board member, and Caitlin Sims, the center’s administrator.

A Letter From Your TASCS President, Adam Hornback 

I hope everyone is having a great 2026. Last year, I know we were all busy with our centers, running wild to help patients get their procedures done before the fourth quarter, and then the holidays were here and gone. January started off at a fast pace, and the recent ice storms really didn’t help. I sympathize with everyone who had center closures and damage from the ice and freezing temperatures. I can tell you firsthand it affected me and my center. Hopefully that is the last of the bad weather for Texas, and we’ll just have to get prepared for the heat that inevitably comes in the summer. 

January is Glaucoma Awareness Month, a time to learn about and educate others on glaucoma, an eye condition that damages the optic nerve and is the leading cause of vision loss and blindness in the United States. 

To find out more, the Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society spoke with David Szynkarski, MD, MBA, an ophthalmologist at Mann Eye Institute in Houston, Texas.

Founded in 2003, the Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society (TASCS) serves as the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) industry’s public policy advocate in the Lone Star State. Its mission is to provide education, offer regulatory information & resources, assist with operational optimization, and promote optimal & affordable surgical care for patients. 

As a member-supported advocacy association, TASCS also: 

While we can’t believe it’s already December, we wanted to take this moment to reflect on another successful year for the Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society (TASCS).

In February 2025, TASCS held its 2nd Annual Survey Readiness Workshop, providing insider tips from accreditation organizations, and its advocacy day at the Texas Capitol. Members had a full day of meetings with legislators, discussing the high-quality, low-cost procedures centers offer to patients, and February 25 was officially recognized as Ambulatory Surgery Center Awareness Day. 

More patients than ever are walking into surgery while taking GLP-1 medications like Ozempic or Wegovy. These drugs have undoubtedly transformed diabetes and weight management, but they've also brought new concerns and challenges into the pre-op process, especially around delayed gastric emptying. For ASCs, that delay can mean anesthesia complications, case cancellations, or even hospital transfers.

I've worked with more than one surgery center that was surprised to learn a patient had continued a weekly GLP-1 injection right up until the procedure. The team had followed fasting guidelines, but the patient still had residual stomach contents. The case had to be postponed, the OR schedule was disrupted, and the day became more complicated than it needed to be.

On September 12, the Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society (TASCS) hosted its annual Infection Control Seminar. Ambulatory surgery center (ASC) administrators, directors of nursing, and infection control specialists gathered to spend the day learning the newest updates and guidelines regarding infection prevention.

Last month, Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society (TASCS) President Adam Hornback, BSN, RN and Executive Director Krista DuRapau welcomed new members and toured their centers in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. 

The two started at Texas Vision & Laser Center (TVLC), where COO Bert Witherspoon, MS, MBA, FACHE met them with a warm welcome and took them through the center, which was undergoing a few renovations in the ORs. 

During National ASC Month, Dallas Endoscopy Center (DEC) had the pleasure of celebrating its 20-year anniversary by hosting two congressional offices for tours of the center: Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett and staff from Congresswoman Julie Johnson’s office. The event, with its over 100 guests, was a huge success for DEC, its dedicated team, and the thousands of patients who have been treated at this DFW facility.

Administrator Susan Cheek stated, "We love giving tours of our center and educating people about the high-quality, low-cost outcomes that ASCs provide."

The Laser Surgery Center (TLSC), which opened in 2023, is a single-specialty ophthalmology center, a closed system that belongs to an ophthalmology-only medical practice—Texas Vision & Laser Center (TVLC)—serving North Texas. 

Last week, Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society President Adam Hornback, BSN, RN welcomed Representative Rhetta Bowers' staff to tour North Texas Team Care Surgery Center in Mesquite, Texas.