OrthoCarolina Marks End of Certificate of Need in North Carolina, Opening the Door to Expanded Access, High Quality, and Lower-Cost Orthopedic Care

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — November 21, 2025 — OrthoCarolina, one of the nation’s leading independent orthopedic practices, today announced that the end of Certificate of Need restrictions in North Carolina represents a major step forward for access to orthopedic and musculoskeletal care across the Carolinas. The regulatory change allows physician groups to expand ambulatory surgery centers and increase patient choice in communities that have long needed more affordable, timely surgical options.

For years prior, CON regulations limited the ability of independent practices to develop outpatient surgery centers, despite broad evidence that orthopedic procedures performed in ASCs deliver strong outcomes at significantly lower cost. With those limitations lifted statewide, OrthoCarolina plans to accelerate ASC growth and expand its footprint in high-demand regions.

The organization expects the shift to improve access by supporting earlier appointments, shorter wait times and greater convenience for patients. Outpatient surgery also provides a more affordable alternative to hospital-based care while maintaining strong patient outcomes. Expanded ASC capacity strengthens consistency in surgical workflows, recovery pathways and infection control, and gives surgeons greater control over the environment in which they operate. Standardized outpatient care also helps accelerate the adoption of new technologies and evidence-based protocols across the region.

OrthoCarolina will immediately begin two new expansion projects in Matthews and Mallard Creek, each planned as a four-room surgical center. More ASC announcements are expected in 2026 as the practice moves quickly to meet rising demand.

“The end of CON in North Carolina is a watershed moment for patients,” said Dr. Leo Spector, CEO of OrthoCarolina. “For years, our ability to build surgery centers was limited by regulation, not by what patients needed. That chapter is over. We now have the freedom to expand access, lower costs and deliver orthopedic care in settings that consistently outperform traditional models. This is the next era of musculoskeletal care in the Carolinas, and we are ready to move.”

OrthoCarolina’s model is built on physician-led decision-making, value-based care and research-driven innovation. The CON change aligns with this approach by providing the flexibility to develop surgical centers where they are most needed. The organization views the moment as a significant win for patients and for communities across the region.

“People deserve timely, high-quality orthopedic care close to home, and we now have the opportunity to bring that to more of the Carolinas than ever before,” Spector said.

About OrthoCarolina
OrthoCarolina is one of the nation’s leading independent academic orthopedics practices serving the Southeast since 1922. OrthoCarolina provides compassionate and comprehensive musculoskeletal care including operative and non-operative care. Widely known for musculoskeletal research, education and training, OrthoCarolina physicians have specialized expertise in foot and ankle, hip and knee, shoulder and elbow, spine, sports medicine, hand, pediatric orthopedics, and physical medicine. Over 250 OrthoCarolina practitioners see more than one million patient visits across North and South Carolina each year. We are proud to be both physician-owned and physician-led. Learn more at orthocarolina.com.

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