Private surgery centers compete with Metro Detroit hospitals

Doctor-owned surgery centers have begun to pop up across Metro Detroit and Michigan as advances in medical technology make it possible to perform more surgeries outside a hospital setting. The centers, billed as safe alternatives that offer faster turnaround times and more personalized services, are giving nearby hospitals a healthy dose of competition. Doctor-owners say the facilities are cheaper to operate and predict they will become more of a health care mainstay as the government and insurance companies seek to trim medical costs. Still, some industry observers question whether doctors who have an ownership stake in a surgical facility may be tempted to order more surgeries than physicians who don't.