Surgery centers don't have to report deaths to officials - or patients - in 17 states. There are 5,600 surgery centers in the U.S., many handling "Routine" surgeries such as colonoscopies. Yet a USA TODAY NETWORK and Kaiser Health News investigation found that surgery centers operate under such an uneven mix of rules that fatalities or serious injuries can result in no warning to government officials, meaning patients lack safety information. No rule stops a doctor exiled by a hospital for misconduct from opening a surgery center down the street. Source 1b.