Administrator to Know: Dennis Simmons of Wayne Surgical Center

Dennis Simmons, MBA (Wayne Surgical Center, Wayne, N.J.). Mr. Simmons is the chief operating officer for the Wayne (N.J.) Surgical Center, a multi-specialty surgical center that performed more than 9,700 procedures last year. The center, which opened in 1999, has five operating rooms and acquired the Elite Surgical Center, a one-room location, in May 2007.

Mr. Simmons has been with Wayne Surgical since July 1999, three months before the center opened. Prior to joining Wayne Surgical, he worked for several healthcare management and consultant companies and served in a variety of roles including senior vice president, COO and director. Mr. Simmons also worked as a paramedic in the emergency services department for Austin, Texas, and served as director of the department.

Under Mr. Simmons' leadership, Wayne Surgical has experienced significant growth, including the acquisition of the Elite center. Wayne Surgical, which is 100 percent physician-owned, started out with seven physician owners and currently has more than 40 owners. The center also began a lithotripsy program several years ago.

Mr. Simmons and Wayne Surgical have also been at the forefront of litigation against insurance companies, such as Garcia, et al. v. HealthNet of New Jersey, Inc., which, according to Mr. Simmons, "challenged the entire ACS industry in New Jersey." Additional cases are pending against insurance companies and their reimbursement policies, he adds. "Our future at Wayne is working to define reimbursement and ASC regulations in New Jersey with the state and insurance companies and finding a middle ground," he says.

Of his work at the ASCs, Mr. Simmons particularly enjoys the diverse group of physicians and "talented and experienced" staff who work at the facilities. Patient letters and phone calls after treatment have been very positive. "I must add that I have been a patient at the Wayne location and I know exactly how it feels. That is the best test," he says.

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