Here are 10 leaders to know in the ambulatory surgery center industry.
1. Dr. Robin Fowler of Interventional Management Services. Robin Fowler, MD, is the chairman and medical director of Interventional Management Services, a company specializing in the development and management of single-specialty, multi-specialty and hospital joint-venture facilities. Dr. Fowler also serves as an active staff member at Newton and Rockdale Medical Centers in Georgia.
2. Lori Ramirez of Elite Surgical Affiliates. Lori Ramirez is the founder, president and CEO of Elite Surgical Affiliates, which was founded in 2008 and specializes in the development and management of surgical facilities with a focus on orthopedics, spine and pain. Despite launching her company in one of the worst recessions in recent history, Ms. Ramirez has clearly demonstrated her business acumen. To date, Elite Surgical Affiliates has developed several facilities in Houston, with other projects currently in the development phase. She attributes Elite Surgical Affiliates' success to the company's focus on physicians and patients.
3. Christopher Holden of AmSurg. Christopher Holden is the president, CEO and director of AmSurg, the largest owner and operator of surgery centers with 208 facilities in 2011. He has more than 21 years of experience in the healthcare industry, most of which he has spent in multi-facility and multi-market healthcare management. Before joining AmSurg in 2007, Mr. Holden served as senior vice president and a division president of Triad Hospitals. For five years, he also held several leadership positions with Columbia/HCA Healthcare. AmSurg's continued success is a testament to Mr. Holden's proven leadership skills. The company announced a 35 percent increase in net earnings for the first quarter of 2012.
4. Michael Pankey of Ambulatory Surgery Center of Spartanburg. Michael Pankey, RN, is the administrator of the Ambulatory Surgery Center of Spartanburg (S.C.), a multi-specialty center with seven operating rooms and two endoscopy suites that sees approximately 10,000 patients per year. Mr. Pankey previously served as administrator and clinical resources manager at several different locations. He spent 10 years in the U.S. Army Reserve and served as the president of the South Carolina Ambulatory Surgery Center Association.
5. Dr. David George of Physicians Outpatient Surgery Center. David S. George, MD, is a board-certified ophthalmologist at the Eye MDs (of George, Strickler and Lazer) and medical director of Physicians Outpatient Surgery Center in Belpre, Ohio. He specializes in topical cataract surgery, glaucoma and diabetic eye care. Dr. George is a co-owner of the Physicians Outpatient Surgery Center. Other co-owners include Scott H. Strickler, MD, and Zane P. Lazer, MD, also of Eye MDs. The facility is the first freestanding ambulatory surgery center to be constructed in Southeast Ohio. It is accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care.
6. Amy Mowles of Mowles Medical Practice Management. Amy Mowles is president and CEO of Mowles Medical Practice Management, an ambulatory surgery center management and development company based in Edgewater, Md. Ms. Mowles guides new ventures, established ASCs and physicians' practices through regulations, licensing, certification and accreditation processes. She aims to improve efficiency and profitability by evaluating ASC patient volume, referral bases and billing practices.
7. Dr. Bryan Massoud of Spine Centers of America. Bryan Massoud, MD, is founder and head surgeon at Spine Centers of America, which specializes in minimally invasive spine surgery. Spine Centers of America spans three locations and includes fellowship-trained, board-certified endoscopic laser spine surgeons with extensive experience performing endoscopic spine procedures. To date, he has performed more than 1,000 endoscopic spine surgeries, including endoscopic cervical spine surgery. He also trains spine surgeons in endoscopic procedures.
8. David Thoene of Medical Surgical Partners. David Thoene is the founder and managing director of Medical Surgical Partners, an ambulatory surgery center management and development company based in Auburn, Calif. Mr. Thoene brings 27 years of experience consulting for and developing ASCs throughout the U.S. He has developed surgery center investments for physicians, academic medical centers and health systems, and his specialties include turnkey development of ASCs, surgical specialty hospitals and medical office buildings. Mr. Thoene formerly served as the vice president of development for FSC Health and Titan Health and founded the development arm of Randlett Associates.
9. Dr. Jack Jensen of Special Surgery of Houston. Jack E. Jensen, MD, FACSM, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon, is the founder of Special Surgery of Houston as well as the Athletic Orthopedics and Knee Center, an integrated healthcare plaza specializing in the care of knees. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Jensen serves as a team physician for numerous local high schools, consultant to the USA Swimming Sports Medicine and Science Network and referral physician to USA Gymnastics. Dr. Jensen has been distinguished as the title fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine and is a former associate editor of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, co-authoring numerous articles and two books, A Healthy 10! and The One Stop Knee Shop.
10. John Wipfler of OA Centers for Orthopaedics. John Wipfler is the CEO of OA Centers for Orthopaedics in Portland, Maine. Prior to joining OA in 2006, Mr. Wipfler served as the CEO of Eyecare Medical Group in Portland. His healthcare experience includes positions as the executive director and general counsel of the Maine Health Care Finance Commission, assistant attorney general for the State of Maine representing the department of human services, and healthcare attorney at Pierce Atwood.
1. Dr. Robin Fowler of Interventional Management Services. Robin Fowler, MD, is the chairman and medical director of Interventional Management Services, a company specializing in the development and management of single-specialty, multi-specialty and hospital joint-venture facilities. Dr. Fowler also serves as an active staff member at Newton and Rockdale Medical Centers in Georgia.
2. Lori Ramirez of Elite Surgical Affiliates. Lori Ramirez is the founder, president and CEO of Elite Surgical Affiliates, which was founded in 2008 and specializes in the development and management of surgical facilities with a focus on orthopedics, spine and pain. Despite launching her company in one of the worst recessions in recent history, Ms. Ramirez has clearly demonstrated her business acumen. To date, Elite Surgical Affiliates has developed several facilities in Houston, with other projects currently in the development phase. She attributes Elite Surgical Affiliates' success to the company's focus on physicians and patients.
3. Christopher Holden of AmSurg. Christopher Holden is the president, CEO and director of AmSurg, the largest owner and operator of surgery centers with 208 facilities in 2011. He has more than 21 years of experience in the healthcare industry, most of which he has spent in multi-facility and multi-market healthcare management. Before joining AmSurg in 2007, Mr. Holden served as senior vice president and a division president of Triad Hospitals. For five years, he also held several leadership positions with Columbia/HCA Healthcare. AmSurg's continued success is a testament to Mr. Holden's proven leadership skills. The company announced a 35 percent increase in net earnings for the first quarter of 2012.
4. Michael Pankey of Ambulatory Surgery Center of Spartanburg. Michael Pankey, RN, is the administrator of the Ambulatory Surgery Center of Spartanburg (S.C.), a multi-specialty center with seven operating rooms and two endoscopy suites that sees approximately 10,000 patients per year. Mr. Pankey previously served as administrator and clinical resources manager at several different locations. He spent 10 years in the U.S. Army Reserve and served as the president of the South Carolina Ambulatory Surgery Center Association.
5. Dr. David George of Physicians Outpatient Surgery Center. David S. George, MD, is a board-certified ophthalmologist at the Eye MDs (of George, Strickler and Lazer) and medical director of Physicians Outpatient Surgery Center in Belpre, Ohio. He specializes in topical cataract surgery, glaucoma and diabetic eye care. Dr. George is a co-owner of the Physicians Outpatient Surgery Center. Other co-owners include Scott H. Strickler, MD, and Zane P. Lazer, MD, also of Eye MDs. The facility is the first freestanding ambulatory surgery center to be constructed in Southeast Ohio. It is accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care.
6. Amy Mowles of Mowles Medical Practice Management. Amy Mowles is president and CEO of Mowles Medical Practice Management, an ambulatory surgery center management and development company based in Edgewater, Md. Ms. Mowles guides new ventures, established ASCs and physicians' practices through regulations, licensing, certification and accreditation processes. She aims to improve efficiency and profitability by evaluating ASC patient volume, referral bases and billing practices.
7. Dr. Bryan Massoud of Spine Centers of America. Bryan Massoud, MD, is founder and head surgeon at Spine Centers of America, which specializes in minimally invasive spine surgery. Spine Centers of America spans three locations and includes fellowship-trained, board-certified endoscopic laser spine surgeons with extensive experience performing endoscopic spine procedures. To date, he has performed more than 1,000 endoscopic spine surgeries, including endoscopic cervical spine surgery. He also trains spine surgeons in endoscopic procedures.
8. David Thoene of Medical Surgical Partners. David Thoene is the founder and managing director of Medical Surgical Partners, an ambulatory surgery center management and development company based in Auburn, Calif. Mr. Thoene brings 27 years of experience consulting for and developing ASCs throughout the U.S. He has developed surgery center investments for physicians, academic medical centers and health systems, and his specialties include turnkey development of ASCs, surgical specialty hospitals and medical office buildings. Mr. Thoene formerly served as the vice president of development for FSC Health and Titan Health and founded the development arm of Randlett Associates.
9. Dr. Jack Jensen of Special Surgery of Houston. Jack E. Jensen, MD, FACSM, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon, is the founder of Special Surgery of Houston as well as the Athletic Orthopedics and Knee Center, an integrated healthcare plaza specializing in the care of knees. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Jensen serves as a team physician for numerous local high schools, consultant to the USA Swimming Sports Medicine and Science Network and referral physician to USA Gymnastics. Dr. Jensen has been distinguished as the title fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine and is a former associate editor of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, co-authoring numerous articles and two books, A Healthy 10! and The One Stop Knee Shop.
10. John Wipfler of OA Centers for Orthopaedics. John Wipfler is the CEO of OA Centers for Orthopaedics in Portland, Maine. Prior to joining OA in 2006, Mr. Wipfler served as the CEO of Eyecare Medical Group in Portland. His healthcare experience includes positions as the executive director and general counsel of the Maine Health Care Finance Commission, assistant attorney general for the State of Maine representing the department of human services, and healthcare attorney at Pierce Atwood.