Ambulatory Surgical Centers

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As defined by Texas Health and Safety Code Section 243.002, an ambulatory surgical center is a facility that operates primarily to provide surgical services to patients who do not require overnight hospital care. ASCs are commonly referred to as "day surgery centers."

Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 243 establishes the state licensing requirements for ASCs. Under state law, HHSC is responsible for the licensing and regulation of ASCs in Texas, and the Regulatory Services Division within HHSC carries out these duties.

HHSC adopts rules for ASCs including establishing standards for:

  • Licensing procedures and fees
  • License denial, probation, suspension, and revocation
  • Qualifications of facility professional staff and other facility personnel
  • Equipment essential to patient health and welfare
  • Sanitary and hygienic conditions of the facility
  • A quality assurance program for patient care
  • Inspection, investigation, and enforcement procedures
  • Design and construction requirements to ensure patient health and safety

Laws and Rules

Texas Laws

Rules and Regulations

Find or Verify a License

Licensing

An applicant seeking an ASC license must submit a completed application, license fee, and other applicable documents to HHSC. The Health Facility Licensing Unit will not process an application until after HHSC Accounts Receivable receives and posts the license fee.

Refer to the application or instructions linked in this section for specific requirements.

HHSC must review and approve all required application materials received before issuing a license to an applicant.

Initial Licensure Application

Change of Ownership Application

Relocation Application

Renewal Licensure Application

Annual Report

An ASC must fill out and submit an annual report as required by 25 TAC Section 135.26(g). Submit the completed form via email to ASC Licensing.

Architectural Review Information and Forms

Complaint and Incident Submission Information

Inspection Components

HHSC conducts health compliance on-site inspections to determine compliance with the provisions of the Health and Safety Code and associated rules listed in the Laws and Rules section of this page. During the inspection, HHSC staff will generally perform the following activities:

  • Conduct an entrance and an exit conference with applicable facility personnel
  • Explain the inspection process and answer questions
  • Review clinical records
  • Review facility and personnel records
  • Review facility policies and procedures
  • Review quality assurance activities
  • Interview staff
  • Assess the facility’s compliance with applicable statutes and rules
  • Discuss final inspection findings with applicable facility personnel

Enforcement Actions

Ambulatory Surgical Centers Enforcement Actions (PDF)

Human Trafficking Resources

Abortion Reporting

As defined by Texas Health and Safety Code Section 245.002, an abortion facility is a place where abortions are performed.

Texas Health and Safety Code Chapters 245 and 171 require abortion facilities and physicians that provide abortion services to report to HHSC certain information about abortion procedures the provider performs. HHSC must follow strict confidentiality provisions in the law regarding any information about an abortion facility. The law does allow HHSC to release statistical information reported to HHSC by abortion providers. The HHSC Office of Data, Analytics, and Performance (DAP) compiles this statistical information and publishes it on HHSC’s Induced Termination of Pregnancy Statistics webpage.

Abortion Reporting Forms

The following forms are required to be submitted by the physician to DAP:

The following form is required to be submitted by the facility to DAP:

Email Health Care Policies and Rules with questions regarding the statutory and regulatory abortion reporting requirements.

For assistance completing the online forms, for technical support, or to provide feedback on the user experience, email ITOP Reporting.

Provider Certification

The Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services directs state health agencies or other appropriate agencies to determine whether health care entities meet federal standards. This helping function is termed “provider certification.” Health Care Regulation staff are responsible for providing certification oversight on behalf of CMS for ASCs.

For more information on the certification process, refer to our Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Information page, or contact your regional office (PDF).

Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments Information

Refer to our CLIA information page. For more information on CLIA, please contact your regional office (PDF).

Contact Information

Health Care Regulation

For Health Care Regulation contact information, visit our Contact Us page.

Health Care Facility Enforcement

Phone: 512-438-5439
Fax: 512-438-3697
Email: Health.Facilities.Enforcement@hhsc.state.tx.us
Mailing Address:
Texas Health and Human Services Commission
Regulatory Services Division
Health Care Facility Enforcement, MC 1866
P.O. Box 149347
Austin, TX 78714-9347

Open Records Requests

Texas Health and Human Services is committed to providing full access to public information. For information on how to submit an open records request, read the Open Records Policy and Procedures.

Resources