Dive Brief:
- Zimmer Biomet has struck a deal to distribute Getinge’s infection control and surgical portfolio to its ambulatory surgery center customers, the companies said Thursday.
- The agreement positions ASCs, facilities that provide same-day surgical care, to source implants, surgical robotics, surgical equipment, lighting and other products from a single company.
- Zimmer initially plans to target the U.S. before potentially expanding to other parts of the world as it ramps up efforts to grow its ASC business.
Dive Insight:
Zimmer and other orthopedic companies have identified ASCs as a growth opportunity. Interest has risen as the number of ASCs has grown and Medicare reimbursement has expanded. There were almost 6,500 Medicare-certified ASCs in the U.S. as of March 2025, compared to just over 6,000 in late 2022, according to the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association.
Medicare began covering total knee replacements in 2020 and total hip replacements in 2021.
ASCs account for around 20% of Zimmer’s U.S. sales, CEO Ivan Tornos said on an earnings call in May, up from 2% to 4% before the COVID-19 pandemic. The company forecasts that ASCs will account for 40% to 60% of sales in the next five years. Zimmer has struck deals to try to exceed the market growth rate.
Partnering with Getinge could support Zimmer’s ambitions by expanding its offering to ASC customers beyond orthopedic implants and surgical robotics. Jehanzeb Noor, chief strategy, innovation and business development officer at Zimmer, outlined the thinking behind the deal in a statement.
“As orthopedic surgeries increasingly migrate from traditional hospital settings to ASCs, the imperative to drive efficiency, enhance patient safety and improve clinical outcomes has never been greater,” Noor said. “By aligning with Getinge, we’re accelerating our ability to support surgeons in advancing these priorities, while shaping the future of orthopedic care.”
The agreement comes about six months after Zimmer disclosed a deal to buy foot and ankle implant provider Paragon 28 for $1.1 billion. Talking at a Goldman Sachs event in June, Tornos said the Paragon 28 deal would enable cross-selling of trauma and biologic devices and give Zimmer “a better category leadership position in ASC.” Tornos said there were “more deals to come that are similar to Paragon 28.”
