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March 25, 2026 (Santa Barbara, CA) Sutter Health Greater Central Coast’s Foothill Surgery Center is being recognized by U.S. News & World Report in its Best Ambulatory Surgery Centers 2026 ratings for the third year in a row, reflecting rigorous standards for patient safety and clinical outcomes. The ambulatory surgery center (ASC) located at 4151 Foothill Road in Santa Barbara was ranked as “high performing” for its ophthalmology services, the best possible rating which places the ASC in the top 15% of all 4,400+ evaluated centers.
“We are committed to building access to advanced outpatient surgical care in this region, and this recognition confirms we are consistently doing it in a safe, efficient, cost-effective and patient-centered way,” commented Matt Baumann, Ambulatory CEO, Sutter Health Greater Central Coast. “I am proud of the exceptional Foothill Surgery Center team whose dedication to quality, collaboration and clinical excellence earned this national distinction.”
“This acknowledgement from U.S. News & World Report underscores our approach to put patients first every day, and our focused investment in the latest surgical technologies and treatments to achieve positive results,” said Dr. Jeffrey Hadsall, President,Sansum Medical Group Santa Barbara.
Foothill Surgery Center is the largest, state-of-the art outpatient surgery center in the Santa Barbara area, featuring seven operating rooms. Specialty surgeons, anesthesiologists, clinicians, and nursing staff deliver coordinated, hospital-level care for more than 600 patients every month in a comfortable outpatient setting—supporting exceptional outcomes while still allowing individuals to return home the same day.
The ASC was one of the first outpatient centers in the country to acquire a da Vinci 5 robotic surgical system. Cutting-edge technologies like the da Vinci 5, a Minimally Invasive Spine Program, advanced ENT Sinus Navigation and other state-of-the-art equipment support less invasive procedures, which means shorter recovery times and a better patient experience overall. The center is fully accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC), the gold standard for outpatient surgery centers.
Strength of Sutter ASCs
Foothill Surgery Center joins 8 otherSutter Health ambulatory surgery centers recognized in the U.S. News & World Report awards. The ASCs were rigorously evaluated among more than 4,000 centers nationwide in four separate specialty areas: colonoscopy & endoscopy, ophthalmology, orthopedics & spine, and urology. Through a partnership with Arcadia, U.S. News’ 2026 evaluation analyzed objective, risk-adjusted metrics and recognizes only the highest-rated surgery centers in each specialty.
While Foothill Surgery Center provides an array of high-quality specialty surgical care, it earned the high performing rating for ophthalmology procedures.
Sutter Health is a not-for-profit healthcare system dedicated to providing comprehensive care throughout California. Committed to advancing innovative patient care, healthy outcomes and community partnerships, Sutter Health is pursuing a bold new plan to reach more people and make excellent healthcare more connected and accessible. Currently serving more than 3.5 million patients, thanks to our dedicated team of more than 60,000 employees and clinicians, and 14,000+ affiliated physicians, with a unified focus on expanding care to serve more patients.
Sutter delivers exceptional and affordable care through its network of hospitals, medical groups, ambulatory surgery centers, urgent care clinics, telehealth, home health, and hospice services. Dedicated to transforming healthcare, at Sutter Health, getting better never stops.
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