Here are 10 surgery center leaders who dedicate their expertise to improving patient care, increasing profits, building partnerships and serving physicians within the ambulatory surgery center industry.
1. Regina Boore, Progressive Surgical Solutions. Regina Boore, RN, BSN, MS, is the principal and CEO of Progressive Surgical Solutions, a company that specializes in business solutions for outpatient surgery centers, including management, compliance, financial, development, operations and marketing solutions. The team of experts at Progressive Surgical Solutions boasts a collective 50 years of experience in helping surgery centers achieve their goals. In addition to spearheading Progressive Surgical Solutions, Ms. Boore is an administrator at Newport Bay Surgery Center in Newport Beach, Calif. She has more than 25 years of in ambulatory surgery as a perioperative nurse, OR supervisor and as a clinical coordinator for surgical technology and perioperative nurse training programs in California.
2. Dr. Christine Corbin, Surgery Center of Tanasbourne. Christine Corbin, MD, a board-certified obstetrics and gynecology surgeon, is a physician-owner and medical director of the Surgery Center at Tanasbourne in Hillsboro, Ore., a physician-owned facility that is also partly owned by Blue Chip Surgical Partners and Providence Health & Services. In addition to her leadership role at the surgery center, she is founder and president of Northwest Gynecology Associates, which has provided a comprehensive array of women's services since in 1994. Dr. Corbin's leadership was instrumental in Surgery Center at Tanasbourne's Direct Access Colonoscopy Program, designed to increase compliance rates for colonoscopy patients. As the surgery center's medical director, Dr. Corbin played the crucial role of communicating and working with primary care physicians in the local community and Providence Health and Services' network to streamline referrals. The program ultimately led to an increase in referrals, colonoscopy compliance rates and patient satisfaction.
3. Dr. Pedro Vergne-Marini, Physicians Capital Investments. Pedro Vergne-Marini, MD, is a managing member of Physicians Capital Investments in Dallas, Texas, where he is responsible for establishing and implementing the company's corporate strategy. Dr. Vergne-Marini brings more than 35 years of experience in patient care and healthcare-related businesses. Dr. Vergne-Marini currently serves as program director for transplantation and renal disease at Methodist Dallas Medical Center and as a clinical professor of medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. Prior to joining PCI, he was president and CEO of Dallas Nephrology Associates and chairman of the board of Renaissance Health Care.
4. Dr. Amir Arbisser, Eye Surgeons Associates. Dr. Arbisser is an ophthalmologist who serves as co-founder and board chairman of Eye Surgeons Associates in Bettendorf, Iowa. Eye Surgeons Associates provides a comprehensive range of medical, surgical and optical eye care, including lasik and lens exchange, cornea and external eye disease, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, macular degeneration, pediatric eye disorders, oculoplastics and ocular oncology, strabismus and vitreoretinal disease. He recently finished a six-year gubernatorial appointment on the Board of Regents, the governing body of Iowa's public universities, including University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and Carver College of Medicine in Iowa City. Dr. Arbisser is also a member and former president of Scott County Medical Society and a member of Iowa Medical Society and the American Medical Association. He publishes articles and serves as contributing editor for Ophthalmology Management.
5. Robert Zasa, ASD Management. Bob Zasa is a managing partner and the co-founder of ASD Management, a company focusing exclusively on turnarounds, development and management consulting for surgery centers. He has more than 40 years of experience in all phases of ambulatory business development, management, expansion, acquisition, ownership structures and marketing. In the early 1990s, Mr. Zasa founded Premier Ambulatory Systems. As president and CEO, he led Premier's acquisition, ownership and operation of 15 ASCs across the U.S. In 1996 he founded Ambulatory Systems Development, a private ASC development and management firm. The company was reorganized as ASD Management in 2009.
6. Dr. Robert Boeglin, Midwest Eye Institute and Health Venture Management. Robert Boeglin, MD, an ophthalmologist, is the board president for Midwest Eye Institute in Indianapolis and co-founder of Health Venture Management, a company that develops surgery center partnerships between physicians and Clarian Health. Dr. Boeglin first joined Midwest Eye Institute in 1991 and became president of the institute's 19-member physician group in 1997. His leadership has helped the physician group grow significantly in size and patient volume. In 2007, Dr. Boeglin, with Naval Sondhi, MD, and Clarian Health, formed Health Venture Management. The company has a focus on providing executive leadership and operational management of surgery centers but also engages with hospitals to improve quality, safety and efficiency. Since its inception, HVM has grown and currently manages six surgery center companies with eight locations in central Indiana.
7. Clifford Adlerz, Symbion. Clifford Adlerz is president, COO and director of Symbion, which was founded in 1999 to acquire, develop and operate short-stay surgical facilities in partnership with physicians, hospitals and health systems. Mr. Adlerz has served as president since May 2002 and as COO and a Symbion director since the company's inception. His leadership has contributed to the company's rapid growth over the past 13 years. The company's network now includes more than 70 short-stay surgical facilities across 27 states. Prior to co-founding Symbion, Mr. Adlerz served as a regional vice president for HealthTrust from 1992 until its merger with HCA (formerly Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corporation) in May 1995. Following the merger, he worked as division vice president of HCA until September 1995. Mr. Adlerz also served at the helm of South Bay Hospital in Sun City, Fla., from 1987 to 1992.
8. Dr. Robert Welti, Regent Surgical Health. Robert Welti, MD, is the senior vice president of operations at Regent Surgical Health in Westchester, Ill. He works with Regent centers to resolve daily issues and serves as Regent's medical director. Previously, Dr. Welti served as the medical director and administrator of the Santa Barbara (Calif.) Surgery Center, a Regent facility. He was affiliated with Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital for 20 years and practiced with Anesthesia Medical Group of Santa Barbara. His experience includes both hospital-based surgery centers and smaller physician-owned ASCs. A board-certified anesthesiologist, Dr. Welti earned his medical degree from Stanford University School of Medicine, where he also completed his internship and residency. He was a fellow in cardiothoracic anesthesia at Emory University Hospital.
9. Dr. Kenneth Austin, Rockland Orthopedics & Sports Medicine. Kenneth Austin, MD, is an orthopedic surgeon at Rockland Orthopedics & Sports Medicine in Airmont, N.Y. He is board-certified in arthroscopy and sports medicine as well as general orthopedics, and his expertise includes treating traumatic and sports-related injuries of the upper and lower extremities and hip and knee replacements. Dr. Austin has also forged a reputation as a strong healthcare leader, serving as a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. He has also served as treasurer and past president of the Rockland County Medical Society and as vice president of Good Samaritan Hospital's medical executive committee. Dr. Austin partnered with Robert Zasa, MSHHA FACMPE, a founder of ASD Management, to present "How to Evaluate & Implement New Profitable Services Into an ASC" at last year's 18th Annual Ambulatory Surgery Centers Conference in Chicago.
10. Brett Brodnax, United Surgical Partners International. Brett Brodnax is president and chief development officer of United Surgical Partners International, which has ownership interests in or operates more than 200 surgical facilities. Mr. Brodnax joined USPI in December 1999 as a vice president responsible for various operational and business development activities and has been promoted several times to positions of increasing responsibility. "With his experience, leadership and successful track record, Brett is well positioned to help guide USPI's improvement in revenue growth," said William H. Wilcox, USPI CEO, of Mr. Brodnax's promotion as president in 2011. Prior to joining USPI, Mr. Brodnax served as an assistant vice president for Baylor Health Care System, where he had been employed for nearly 10 years. He has also served as board director of AmeriPath, a national provider of anatomic pathology services and dermatopathology in disease diagnosis for physicians, hospitals and clinical laboratories, since 2005.
1. Regina Boore, Progressive Surgical Solutions. Regina Boore, RN, BSN, MS, is the principal and CEO of Progressive Surgical Solutions, a company that specializes in business solutions for outpatient surgery centers, including management, compliance, financial, development, operations and marketing solutions. The team of experts at Progressive Surgical Solutions boasts a collective 50 years of experience in helping surgery centers achieve their goals. In addition to spearheading Progressive Surgical Solutions, Ms. Boore is an administrator at Newport Bay Surgery Center in Newport Beach, Calif. She has more than 25 years of in ambulatory surgery as a perioperative nurse, OR supervisor and as a clinical coordinator for surgical technology and perioperative nurse training programs in California.
2. Dr. Christine Corbin, Surgery Center of Tanasbourne. Christine Corbin, MD, a board-certified obstetrics and gynecology surgeon, is a physician-owner and medical director of the Surgery Center at Tanasbourne in Hillsboro, Ore., a physician-owned facility that is also partly owned by Blue Chip Surgical Partners and Providence Health & Services. In addition to her leadership role at the surgery center, she is founder and president of Northwest Gynecology Associates, which has provided a comprehensive array of women's services since in 1994. Dr. Corbin's leadership was instrumental in Surgery Center at Tanasbourne's Direct Access Colonoscopy Program, designed to increase compliance rates for colonoscopy patients. As the surgery center's medical director, Dr. Corbin played the crucial role of communicating and working with primary care physicians in the local community and Providence Health and Services' network to streamline referrals. The program ultimately led to an increase in referrals, colonoscopy compliance rates and patient satisfaction.
3. Dr. Pedro Vergne-Marini, Physicians Capital Investments. Pedro Vergne-Marini, MD, is a managing member of Physicians Capital Investments in Dallas, Texas, where he is responsible for establishing and implementing the company's corporate strategy. Dr. Vergne-Marini brings more than 35 years of experience in patient care and healthcare-related businesses. Dr. Vergne-Marini currently serves as program director for transplantation and renal disease at Methodist Dallas Medical Center and as a clinical professor of medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. Prior to joining PCI, he was president and CEO of Dallas Nephrology Associates and chairman of the board of Renaissance Health Care.
4. Dr. Amir Arbisser, Eye Surgeons Associates. Dr. Arbisser is an ophthalmologist who serves as co-founder and board chairman of Eye Surgeons Associates in Bettendorf, Iowa. Eye Surgeons Associates provides a comprehensive range of medical, surgical and optical eye care, including lasik and lens exchange, cornea and external eye disease, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, macular degeneration, pediatric eye disorders, oculoplastics and ocular oncology, strabismus and vitreoretinal disease. He recently finished a six-year gubernatorial appointment on the Board of Regents, the governing body of Iowa's public universities, including University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and Carver College of Medicine in Iowa City. Dr. Arbisser is also a member and former president of Scott County Medical Society and a member of Iowa Medical Society and the American Medical Association. He publishes articles and serves as contributing editor for Ophthalmology Management.
5. Robert Zasa, ASD Management. Bob Zasa is a managing partner and the co-founder of ASD Management, a company focusing exclusively on turnarounds, development and management consulting for surgery centers. He has more than 40 years of experience in all phases of ambulatory business development, management, expansion, acquisition, ownership structures and marketing. In the early 1990s, Mr. Zasa founded Premier Ambulatory Systems. As president and CEO, he led Premier's acquisition, ownership and operation of 15 ASCs across the U.S. In 1996 he founded Ambulatory Systems Development, a private ASC development and management firm. The company was reorganized as ASD Management in 2009.
6. Dr. Robert Boeglin, Midwest Eye Institute and Health Venture Management. Robert Boeglin, MD, an ophthalmologist, is the board president for Midwest Eye Institute in Indianapolis and co-founder of Health Venture Management, a company that develops surgery center partnerships between physicians and Clarian Health. Dr. Boeglin first joined Midwest Eye Institute in 1991 and became president of the institute's 19-member physician group in 1997. His leadership has helped the physician group grow significantly in size and patient volume. In 2007, Dr. Boeglin, with Naval Sondhi, MD, and Clarian Health, formed Health Venture Management. The company has a focus on providing executive leadership and operational management of surgery centers but also engages with hospitals to improve quality, safety and efficiency. Since its inception, HVM has grown and currently manages six surgery center companies with eight locations in central Indiana.
7. Clifford Adlerz, Symbion. Clifford Adlerz is president, COO and director of Symbion, which was founded in 1999 to acquire, develop and operate short-stay surgical facilities in partnership with physicians, hospitals and health systems. Mr. Adlerz has served as president since May 2002 and as COO and a Symbion director since the company's inception. His leadership has contributed to the company's rapid growth over the past 13 years. The company's network now includes more than 70 short-stay surgical facilities across 27 states. Prior to co-founding Symbion, Mr. Adlerz served as a regional vice president for HealthTrust from 1992 until its merger with HCA (formerly Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corporation) in May 1995. Following the merger, he worked as division vice president of HCA until September 1995. Mr. Adlerz also served at the helm of South Bay Hospital in Sun City, Fla., from 1987 to 1992.
8. Dr. Robert Welti, Regent Surgical Health. Robert Welti, MD, is the senior vice president of operations at Regent Surgical Health in Westchester, Ill. He works with Regent centers to resolve daily issues and serves as Regent's medical director. Previously, Dr. Welti served as the medical director and administrator of the Santa Barbara (Calif.) Surgery Center, a Regent facility. He was affiliated with Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital for 20 years and practiced with Anesthesia Medical Group of Santa Barbara. His experience includes both hospital-based surgery centers and smaller physician-owned ASCs. A board-certified anesthesiologist, Dr. Welti earned his medical degree from Stanford University School of Medicine, where he also completed his internship and residency. He was a fellow in cardiothoracic anesthesia at Emory University Hospital.
9. Dr. Kenneth Austin, Rockland Orthopedics & Sports Medicine. Kenneth Austin, MD, is an orthopedic surgeon at Rockland Orthopedics & Sports Medicine in Airmont, N.Y. He is board-certified in arthroscopy and sports medicine as well as general orthopedics, and his expertise includes treating traumatic and sports-related injuries of the upper and lower extremities and hip and knee replacements. Dr. Austin has also forged a reputation as a strong healthcare leader, serving as a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. He has also served as treasurer and past president of the Rockland County Medical Society and as vice president of Good Samaritan Hospital's medical executive committee. Dr. Austin partnered with Robert Zasa, MSHHA FACMPE, a founder of ASD Management, to present "How to Evaluate & Implement New Profitable Services Into an ASC" at last year's 18th Annual Ambulatory Surgery Centers Conference in Chicago.
10. Brett Brodnax, United Surgical Partners International. Brett Brodnax is president and chief development officer of United Surgical Partners International, which has ownership interests in or operates more than 200 surgical facilities. Mr. Brodnax joined USPI in December 1999 as a vice president responsible for various operational and business development activities and has been promoted several times to positions of increasing responsibility. "With his experience, leadership and successful track record, Brett is well positioned to help guide USPI's improvement in revenue growth," said William H. Wilcox, USPI CEO, of Mr. Brodnax's promotion as president in 2011. Prior to joining USPI, Mr. Brodnax served as an assistant vice president for Baylor Health Care System, where he had been employed for nearly 10 years. He has also served as board director of AmeriPath, a national provider of anatomic pathology services and dermatopathology in disease diagnosis for physicians, hospitals and clinical laboratories, since 2005.