David J. Abraham, MD. Dr. Abraham is one of the entrepreneurial leaders at The Reading Neck & Spine Center in Wyomissing, Pa. He is board certified in orthopedic surgery and is a member of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, North American Spine Society and the Pennsylvania Orthopedic Society. Dr. Abraham received his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, completed his surgical internship and orthopedic surgery residency at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia and a fellowship in spinal surgery in Detroit, Mich.
Damian "Pat" Alagia, III, MD, MBA. Dr. Alagia is the president of Bethesda, Md.-based Safe Sedation, a company that provides anesthesia services to patients, physicians and staff performing surgery in a non-hospital setting. With a background in OB/GYN, he received his MBA from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and provides expert advice about business principles as they apply to anesthesia management and to healthcare as a whole. Dr. Alagia has acted as the primary strategist and spokesperson on programs involving physician-centric organizations on topics from the management of female pelvic disorders to medical liability reform to the structuring of joint ventures between healthcare organizations. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and was the former president of the Medical Society of the District of Columbia.
Dale A. Armstrong, MD. Dr. Armstrong is chairman of the board of Mason City (Iowa) Surgery Center and the president of the Mason City Clinic, where he has visionary ideas for his center. He is board certified in adult and child and adolescent psychiatry. Dr. Armstrong received his medical degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine in Oklahoma City, Okla., and completed his residency in adult psychiatry and his fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.
Ken Austin, MD. Dr. Austin is a practicing orthopedic surgeon with Rockland Orthopedics & Sports Medicine in Airmont, N.Y., and is the president of the Ramapo Valley Surgical Center in Ramsey, N.J. He received his medical degree from New York University School of Medicine and completed his surgical internship and orthopedic residency at the NYU/Bellevue Medical Center. He then went on to complete a fellowship in surgery of the knee and sports medicine at Harvard's Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. His expertise includes treating traumatic and sports-related injuries of the upper and lower extremities and joint replacements of the hip and knee.
Norman Douglas Baker, MD, FACS. Dr. Baker is a surgeon at the Ophthalmic Surgeons and Consultants of Ohio in Columbus. He is board certified in ophthalmology. Dr. Baker earned his medical degree from Ohio State University College of Medicine in Columbus and completed his residency in ophthalmology at Ohio State University department of medicine and his fellowship at Emory University School of Medicine, department of ophthalmology, glaucoma section, in Atlanta. He is also a member of the Ohio State Medical Association, the Columbus Ophthalmological and Otolargyngological Society, the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Glaucoma Society, the American College of Surgeons and the American Academy of Pharmaceutical Physicians. Dr. Baker is clinical assistant professor of ophthalmology at Ohio State University.
Joseph Banno, MD. Dr. Banno is the founder of the successful Peoria (Ill.) Day Surgery Center and is past chairman of the ASC Association and a current executive committee member. He is a board-certified urologist with the Midwest Urologist Group. He received medical degree from the University of Chicago and completed a general surgery residency at Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria and then entered University of Chicago's comprehensive urology program. He is a clinical instructor of urology at the University of Illinois College of Medicine. His special interests include impotency, stone disease and correction of prostate disease. During the last few years, Dr. Banno has been involved in developing the world's first mobile ASCs. He is married and has six children. His interests include aviation, cycling, skiing, tennis and hunting.
Tom Bombardier, MD. Dr. Bombardier is a board-certified ophthalmologist and is the COO and one of the three founding principals of the Ambulatory Surgical Centers of America. Prior to founding ASCOA, he established the largest ophthalmic practice in Western Massachusetts, two ASCs and a regional referral center. Over the past 15 years, he has been a real estate developer in Cape Cod, Mass. Dr. Bombardier is a graduate of Amherst (Mass.) College and Albany (N.Y.) Medical College and completed his residency at the Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, La.
Nader Bozorgi, MD. Dr. Bozorgi has been a leader and pioneer in the field of outpatient surgery since 1973, when he opened one of the first ASCs in the United States. This paved the way for a system of ASCs that provide anesthesia, pain, bariatric lap band and support services, under Magna Health Systems. Dr. Bozorgi continues to serve as Magna Health System's CEO, overseeing the daily operations of three active multi-specialty, Chicago-area ASCs and related physician and support services.
Richard F. Bruch, MD. Dr. Bruch is a physician with Triangle Orthopedic Associates, the North Carolina Specialty Hospital and the James E. Davis Surgery Center, all located in Durham, N.C. He received his medical degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Chicago. Dr. Bruch is certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society. Dr. Bruch is a past-president of both the Durham-Orange County Medical Society and the North Carolina Medical Society and currently serves on the North Carolina delegation to the American Medical Association. Dr. Bruch serves on the State Health Coordinating Council.
Michael Bukstein, MD, FACS. Dr. Bukstein is a general surgeon who serves as the board president of the Northeast Missouri Ambulatory Surgery Center in Hannibal, Mo. He received his medical degree from University of Missouri Medical School in Columbia, Mo., and completed his residency at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wis. Dr. Bukstein served as chief resident in surgery and surgical oncology at University of Missouri Medical Center and Ellis Fishel Cancer Center in Columbia. He is a diplomat of American Board of Surgery, fellow of American College of Surgeons and member of the Hannibal Clinic. Dr. Bukstein's surgical specialty and clinical interests are general surgery and surgical oncology.
John Caruso, MD. Dr. Caruso has more than 16 years of neurological surgery experience. Since completing residencies at the Eastern Virginia Graduate School of Medicine and the University of New Mexico, Dr. Caruso has been in private practice with Neurosurgical Specialists, LLC, in Hagerstown, Md. He has developed his own surgery center and is actively involved in the national affairs of Blue Chip Surgical Partners. He is an outstanding speaker, physician and leader.
John Cherf, MD, MPH, MBA. Dr. Cherf, an orthopedic physician at the Neurologic & Orthopedic Hospital of Chicago, maintains a multidisciplinary practice focusing on musculoskeletal medicine. His practice is open to non-spine general orthopedics with a special interest in disorders of the knee. He has both owned and operated surgery centers successfully and now serves as both a practicing orthopedic physician and a leading national thinker on trends in orthopedics. Dr. Cherf earned his medical degree and a master's degree in public health from Northwestern University, where he also completed his internship and residency. He continued his specialty training with a sports medicine fellowship at The Orthopedic Specialty Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah. Dr. Cherf returned to Northwestern University where he earned an MBA at the Kellogg School of Management.
Brian Cole, MD, MBA. Dr. Cole is one of leading knee physicians in the country. He is a professor in the departments of orthopedics and anatomy and cell biology at Rush University in Chicago and section head of the Cartilage Restoration Center at Rush at the Rush University Medical Center. He received his medical degree and MBA from the University of Chicago, and completed his residency at The Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, N.Y., and his sports medicine fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh. He specializes in arthroscopic shoulder, elbow and knee surgery and has a specific interest in arthroscopic reconstruction of athlete's shoulder (rotator cuff, instability and arthritis), elbow and knee. Dr. Cole serves on the board of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.
James R. Colgan, MD. Dr. Colgan is a member of board of managers of Sierra Surgery Hospital, a hospital/physician joint-venture surgical specialty hospital in Carson City, Nev. He is also chairman of the board for Carson Ambulatory Surgery Center, founder of Physicians Managed Care, medical director and board member of Physicians Select Management and serves as a director on the board of Physician Hospitals of America. Dr. Colgan received his medical degree from the University of Southern California School of Medicine in Los Angeles. He completed his residency at the Los Angeles County Hospital and is board certified in urology.
R. Blake Curd, MD. Dr. Curd, a leader in the physician-owned hospital field, is an upper extremity and general orthopedics physician with the Orthopedic Institute in Sioux Falls, S.D., and serves as a director on the board of Physician Hospitals of America. Dr. Curd completed his fellowship training at the Indiana Hand Center, the largest free standing center dedicated to hand/upper extremity care, research and education in the world. He is also serves as the interim executive director of Surgical Management Professionals.
Christopher Danis, MD. Dr. Danis is in his twentieth year of practicing hand surgery in Dayton, Ohio. Ten years ago, he initiated Far Hills Surgical Center, a hospital-physician joint-venture ASC in Dayton where he continues to serve on the board. He received his medical degree at Wright State University Medical School and his general surgery training in the integrated residency program in Dayton. He then completed a plastic surgery residency at William Beaumont Hospital in Detroit, Mich. Dr. Danis is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
Daniel C. Daube, MD. Dr. Daube is the director and CEO of the Surgical Center of Excellence in Panama City, Fla., and he is a smart, hands-on leader. He also practices with the Gulf Coast Facial Plastics and ENT Center in Panama City and is on the clinical faculty at Tulane University Medical Center. Dr. Daube received his medical degree from the University of New Mexico School of Medicine in Albuquerque, N.M., and completed his residency in otolaryngology at the University of New Mexico Hospital. He completed his fellowship in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, La. Dr. Daube is board certified in otolaryngology and facial plastic and reconstructive surgery and is a member of numerous professional societies.
Philip A. Davidson, MD. Dr. Davidson is the founder and former CEO of Tampa Bay (Fla.) Specialty Surgery Center and now practices orthopedics with Heiden Orthopaedics in Park City, Utah. For more than a decade, Dr. Davidson has been acknowledged as one of the nation's foremost orthopedists treating articular cartilage disorders. He specializes in cartilage restoration and shoulder surgery, with extensive experience in the area of tissue transplantation, including allografts, xenografts and the usage of autologous growth factors. He received his medical degree from Cornell University Medical College in New York, N.Y., and completed his orthopedic residency at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and a sports medicine fellowship at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopedic Clinic in Los Angeles. He is an official consultant of Major League Baseball and the National Football League, having been jointly appointed by the players' and owners' groups from these leagues.
John W. Dietz, Jr., MD. Dr. Dietz is an orthopedic spine surgeon with OrthoIndy and the Indiana Orthopaedic Hospital in Indianapolis. Dr. Dietz has served on the OrthoIndy board of directors since 2000. When OrthoIndy decided to develop IOH, he chaired the planning committee and then served as the chairman of the board of managers. He also serves as a director on the board of Physician Hospitals of America. He received his medical degree from the Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, N.C., and completed an internship in general surgery and a residency in orthopedic surgery at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, Wash. Dr. Dietz is an inventor and has been awarded patents on surgical instruments used in endoscopic spine surgery. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the North American Spine Society and is a fellow of the Scoliosis Research Society.
Stephen E. Doran, MD. Dr. Doran is chairman of the board of Midwest Surgical Hospital in Omaha, Neb., and practices with Midwest Neurosurgery & Spine Specialists, also based in Omaha. Dr. Doran is also a clinical assistant professor of surgery at University of Nebraska Medical Center. He is board-certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgeons, and his special areas of interest include spinal instrumentation, stereotactic and functional neurosurgery, deep brain stimulation and disorders of the spine. Dr. Doran received his medical degree from the University of Nebraska Medical Center and completed both his internship and residency at the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Ken Drazan, MD. Dr. Drazan is a physician and managing director of healthcare services investments for Bertram Capital Management based in San Mateo, Calif., which includes GENASCIS among its portfolio companies. He has been a leader and he is also an investor in different businesses that serve the ASC market. Previously, Dr. Drazan was the CEO and founder of Arginox Pharmaceuticals. He was a leading academic liver transplant surgeon and basic scientist at Stanford University and UCLA. Dr. Drazan currently serves as chairman of Arginox Pharmaceuticals and Kuratek. Dr. Drazan received his medical degree from the State University of New York.
Robin Fowler, MD. Dr. Fowler is the medical director of Interventional Spine & Pain Management, based in the Atlanta area, and he has developed several different surgery centers in Georgia, Texas and New Mexico. He is also an active staff member at the Newton and Rockdale Medical Centers. Dr. Fowler spent five years establishing concurrent successful careers in the pharmaceutical industry and construction contracting before returning to earn his medical degree. He completed a residency in anesthesiology at Emory University in Atlanta and a fellowship in Emory's interventional pain program.
Dr. Fowler serves as a thought leader in pain management and is asked to speak at top medical universities, hospitals and community programs around the country. He has also served as an advisor for pain management to several private insurance carriers.
James L. Fox, Jr., MD. Dr. Fox is the founding leader of the Ravine Way Surgery Center in Glenview, Ill., and practices at the Illinois Bone & Joint Institute. He is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon who has been practicing for more than 20 years. His clinical interests include general orthopedic surgery, including fracture care and arthroscopy, as well as orthopedic oncology. Dr. Fox received his medical degree from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York. He completed a fellowship in orthopedic oncology at Sloan-Kettering Memorial Cancer Center in New York, and joint replacement at Rush Presbyterian St. Luke's Hospital in Chicago. He completed his residency with, and serves as associate clinical professor at, Northwestern University Medical School in Evanston, Ill.
Robert Gannan, MD, PhD. Dr. Gannan is the founder and clinical strategies advisor for Doylestown, Pa.-based Physicians Endoscopy. He is a nationally recognized expert in endoscopic procedures. Dr. Gannan established Eastside Endoscopy Center as one of the first outpatient endoscopy centers in Washington State. He retired from clinical practice in Dec. 2006. Dr. Gannan is a regular speaker at national meetings of gastrointestinal physicians regarding practice and development trends. He received his medical degree from the University of Rochester (N.Y.) School of Medicine and Dentistry.
David S. George, MD. Dr. George is an ophthalmologist with The Eye MDs of George, Strickler and Lazer, based in Marietta, Ohio. His special interests include topical cataract surgery and glaucoma and diabetic eye care. He is a member of the board of directors for the ASC Association and the Outpatient Ophthalmic Surgery Society. Dr. George received his medical degree from Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, and completed his internship at Riverside Hospital and his residency in ophthalmology at the Ohio State University College of Medicine.
Tom N. Galouzis MD, FACS. Dr. Galouzis is the president and CEO of the Nikitis Resource Group and currently practices as a general surgeon at Lake Park Surgicare in Hobart, Ind. Previously, he served as associate staff in the department of surgery as a clinical instructor of surgery at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, where he received his medical degree.
Scott E. Glaser, MD, FIPP. Dr. Glaser is a well-respected pain specialist and founder of the Pain Specialists of Greater Chicago in Burr Ridge, Ill. He serves on the board of the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians and was heavily involved in the lobbying efforts required to ensure passage of the NASPER bill. Dr. Glaser was one of the first instructors selected by the International Spinal Intervention Society, the first society to provide training by experts in the performance of spinal injections. As an instructor, he teaches other physicians minimally invasive spinal procedures on cadavers at national courses. He also presents continuing medical education lectures at ASIPP meetings. Dr. Glaser received his medical degree from Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis. He completed his anesthesia residency and fellowship at Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago.
John R. Harvey, MD, FACC. Dr. Harvey formed the Oklahoma Cardiovascular Associates (formerly the Heart Group of Oklahoma), a 40-man cardiovascular group in Oklahoma City, Okla. He is currently president and medical director of the Oklahoma Heart Hospital in Oklahoma City and serves as a director on the board of Physician Hospitals of America. Dr. Harvey received his medical degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine in Oklahoma City and completed a fellowship in cardiology at University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City, and interventional cardiology at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston. He served on the boards of the American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association and the Oklahoma Foundation for Cardiovascular Research.
Scott Holley, MD. Dr. Holley is the president and founder of Great Lakes Plastic & Hand Surgery in Portage and Battle Creek, Mich. He is board certified in general surgery, plastic surgery and holds the certificate of added qualification as a specialist in hand surgery. Dr. Holley is president of the Michigan Association of Hand Surgery and is a member of numerous professional societies. He received medical degree from the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis and completed residencies in general and plastic surgery at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. He completed fellowships in hand and microsurgery at the Kleinert Institute in Louisville, Ky., burn surgery at the Shriner's Hospital in Cincinnati and cosmetic surgery with Drs. Baker, Stuzin and Gordon in Miami.
Jack E. Jensen, MD, FACSM. Dr. Jensen is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon and medical director of Athletic Orthopedics and Knee Center, an integrated healthcare plaza specializing in the care of knees, and the founder of a surgery center in Houston. He has a very active role in the Texas Ambulatory Surgical Center Association and remains an extremely solid contributor to the ASC industry. He received his medical degree from Kansas University, and completed his orthopedic surgery residency at the University of Texas and a fellowship in sports medicine at the University of Oregon. Dr. Jensen has served as an orthopedic consultant to the U.S. Gymnastic Federation, team physician to Karolyi's Gymnastics, the USA Swimming Foundation, the Association of Tennis Professionals and orthopedic physician to numerous Olympic and professional athletes.
Marc E. Koch, MD, MBA. Dr. Koch is the president and CEO of Somnia Anesthesia Services based in New Rochelle, N.Y., where he focuses on ensuring that all efforts further the company's mission of offering high-quality, cost-efficient anesthesia solutions to hospitals, ASCs and office-based facilities nationwide. Dr. Koch co-founded Resource Anesthesiology Associates in 1996. He is both a brilliant physician as well as a leader in the anesthesia area. He graduated with honors from the State University of New York at Stony Brook and completed his internship at Winthrop University Hospital in Mineola, N.Y., and a residency in anesthesia at the Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Conn. Dr. Koch is a board-certified anesthesiologist.
Donald Kramer, MD. With a medical practice spanning more than 25 years, Dr. Kramer has developed several successful ASCs in the Houston market and is the founder of Northstar Healthcare, which develops and, in conjunction with physician partners, owns and operates significant ASCs in concentrated markets. He serves also as president and medical director for Northstar. Dr. Kramer is an active member of the Harris County Medical Society, Texas Medical Association and Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society, and previously served on the faculty of Baylor College of Medicine and The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. He received his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia.
Timothy Kremchek, MD. Dr. Kremchek is one of the leading shoulder surgeons in the country and is a physician with Beacon Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine in Sharonville, Ohio. He has developed tremendous plans and thoughts around operating surgery centers and building and marketing brands for orthopedic surgeons and for surgery centers. He also serves as medical director and chief orthopedic physician for the Cincinnati Reds and as a team physician for area high schools. Dr. Kremchek received his medical degree from the University of Cincinnati.
Peter R. Kurzweil, MD. Dr. Kurzweil is the founder of the Surgery Center of Long Beach (Calif.) and is an internationally recognized orthopedic surgeon with expertise in arthroscopic and reconstructive surgery of the knee and shoulder and the treatment of athletic injuries. He is the fellowship director for the Southern California Center for Sports Medicine in Long Beach. He is team physician for California State University in Long Beach, the Long Beach Ice Dogs, a professional hockey team in the IHL, as well as several local high school football teams. Dr. Kurzweil is also a designated "Neutral Orthopedic Surgeon" for the National Football League and served as team physician for the Long Beach StingRays of the American Basketball Association. He received his medical degree from the University of Rochester (N.Y.) School of Medicine and Dentistry, and completed his residency at the Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in New York and his fellowship in sports medicine, arthroscopic surgery, knee and shoulder reconstruction and replacement at the Southern California Center for Sports Medicine.
Brent Lambert, MD. Dr. Lambert has revolutionized approaches to ASC management. He is the chairman of the board and a founder of Ambulatory Surgical Centers of America and takes a hands-on approach to ASC management. Dr. Lambert is a board-certified ophthalmologist. He is a graduate of Harvard College, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary residency program. Prior to the founding of ASCOA, Dr. Lambert was the developer and owner of three ASCs, including the first eye ASC in New England.
James J. Lynch, MD, FACS. Dr. Lynch is the president, founder and CEO of SpineNevada based in Reno, Nev., and he also serves as the director of spine service for Regent Surgical Health. He is a board-certified neurological surgeon who specializes in complex spine surgery, cervical disorders, degenerative spine, spinal deformities, trauma, tumor infection and minimally invasive spine surgery. He is on staff at St. Mary's Hospital and Renown Medical Center, both located in Reno. Dr. Lynch is a frequent lecturer at national meetings on spine topics related to ASCs. He earned his medical degree from Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, and completed a residency at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. Dr. Lynch completed spine fellowships from Mayo Clinic, Queen Square in London and Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, Ariz.
Thomas Lorish, MD. Dr. Lorish is the medical director of the Providence Brain Institute in Portland, Ore. He is a physiatrist and tremendous leader of their efforts to move towards an ASC effort and philosophy. With his help, Providence has become one of leaders in ASC joint ventures in the country. Dr. Lorish earned his medical degree at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland and completed a residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine in Rochester, Minn. He is a past president of the Oregon Medical Association's Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Section and has served on the Oregon Physical Therapy Licensing Board.
Lance J. Lehmann, MD. Dr. Lehmann is an interventional pain physician who spends a tremendous amount of time studying business and healthcare. He is a physician with the Pain Consultants of Florida in Hollywood, Fla. Dr. Lehmann completed his pain management fellowship at Harvard University's Beth Israel-Deaconess Medical Center in Boston and is a former instructor in anesthesiology and pain management at Harvard University. He received his residency training in anesthesiology and critical care at the University of Miami and completed an internship in internal medicine at Yale University's Greenwich (Conn.) Hospital. He is board certified in pain management by the American Board of Anesthesiology and the American Board of Pain Medicine.
Laxmaiah Manchikanti, MD. Dr. Manchikanti is the medical director of the Pain Management Center of Paducah (Ky.) and Ambulatory Surgery Center in Paducah. He is the CEO and chairman of the board of the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians. Through his work with various organizations, Dr. Manchikanti has been instrumental in the preservation of interventional pain management through specialty designation, mandatory Carrier Advisory Committee representation, reimbursement and the passage of NASPER. He graduated from Gandhi Medical College at Osmania University Hyderabad in India, and completed his internship and residency in anesthesiology at Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad, India, Youngstown (Ohio) Hospital and Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh. He completed a fellowship in anesthesiology and critical care medicine at the University of Pittsburgh.
Ajay Mangal, MD, MBA. Dr. Mangal is the founder, CEO and a board member of Prexus Health Partners, and is also a board-certified ENT physician. As a hands-on executive at Prexus, he has been instrumental in developing ASCs and assisting existing centers and hospitals to prosper. He is on staff at Butler County Medical Center, Fort Hamilton, Mercy Fairfield and Cincinnati Children's Hospitals. Dr. Mangal received his medical degree from The University of Iowa College of Medicine in Iowa City, Iowa. He completed his residency in Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery from The University of Cincinnati (Ohio). Dr. Mangal received his MBA from Xavier University in Cincinnati.
Thomas D. Meade, MD. Dr. Meade is a senior partner with the physician group that drives the Surgery Center of Allentown (Pa.), OAA Orthopedic Specialists. He specializes in knee surgery, both sports injuries and joint replacements (with the rare exception of displaced clavicle fractures, where he is recognized as a leading expert in surgical treatment). He holds academic positions at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Penn State University and Lehigh Valley Hospital in Allentown. Dr. Meade received his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, and he completed his internship at The Allentown (Pa.) Affiliated Hospitals, his residency at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia and a sports medicine fellowship at the Cincinnati (Ohio) Sports Medicine and Orthopedic Center. He is board certified and a member of numerous professional societies.
Keith Metz, MD, JD, MSA. Dr. Metz is a practicing clinical anesthesiologist and medical director at Great Lakes Surgical Center in Southfield, Mich. Dr. Metz serves on the board of directors for the ASC Association and was program committee chairman for the association's first meeting held in San Antonio. In 2003, Dr. Metz organized a group of surgeons to develop an ASC in southeast Michigan. The physicians obtained a CON, purchased land, built a facility, obtained state licensure and Medicare and AAAHC certification. The current facility has four licensed ORs and one procedure room and performs approximately 7,000 procedures annually with about 25 surgeons.
Thomas K. Miller, MD. Dr. Miller is an orthopedic surgeon at the Roanoke (Va.) Ambulatory Surgery Center and the Roanoke Orthopaedic Center. He has specialty experience in sports medicine, arthroscopy and knee and shoulder reconstruction. Dr. Miller has been team physician for the U.S. National Triathlon Team and the Salem Red Sox baseball team. He is board certified in orthopedic surgery and holds academic appointments as assistant professor of medical specialties, orthopedics, at Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Blacksburg, Va., and as clinical associate professor of orthopedic surgery at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Va.
William C. Mobley, MD, FACS. Dr. Mobley is a practicing urologist with Davenport, Iowa-based Urological Associates. He is certified by the American Board of Urology and is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Dr. Mobley received his medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia School of Medicine in Augusta, Ga., and completed his residency at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics in Iowa City, Iowa. He is a member of the Iowa Medical Society, the American Urological Association, the American Association of Clinical Urologists, the American Fertility Society and the American Medical Association.
Eric Monesmith, MD. Dr. Monesmith has performed extensive studies on total knees performed in surgery centers and hospitals and is a practicing physician with OrthoIndy in Indianapolis. He specializes in the treatment of arthritic knees and hips. A graduate of Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, Dr. Monesmith completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago. Afterward, he completed the Aufranc Fellowship in constructive joint surgery at the New England Baptist Hospital in Boston. He then was awarded the Schwartz Traveling Fellowship and studied cartilage transplantation in Gothenburg, Sweden, and hip replacement in Exeter, England. Dr. Monesmith is a past president of the Indiana Orthopaedic Society.
Daniel B. Murrey, MD. Dr. Murrey is a leader at OrthoCarolina and the OrthoCarolina Spine Center in Charlotte, N.C. He specializes in treatment of both surgical and nonsurgical spinal disorders, with special interest in cervical spine surgery, spinal deformities and disk replacement. He is involved in teaching and training other surgeons as well as in developing new spine technologies. Dr. Murrey is a graduate of Harvard Medical School in Boston and completed his orthopedic surgery residency at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., and his fellowship in spine surgery at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, N.C.
Bergein Overholt, MD, FACP, MACG. Dr. Overholt is a physician with Gastrointestinal Associates in Knoxville, Tenn. He served in the Cancer Control Program of the U.S. Public Health Service and developed the flexible fibersigmoidscope-colonscope, which earned him the Schindler Award from the ASGE and the William Beaumont Award from the AMA. Dr. Overholt has served as president of the ASGE and the American Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers and is a founding member and past president of the Tennessee Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. He was the chief of staff at St. Mary's Medical Center from 1981-1983. Dr. Overholt serves as the medical director of the laser department of the Thompson Cancer Survival Center. Dr. Overholt received his medical degree from the University of Tennessee Medical School and completed his internship, residency and fellowship in gastroenterology at the University Hospital in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Greg Parsons, MD. Dr. Parsons is the medical director of the Carolina Surgical Center, a joint venture with Tenet Health Systems in Rock Hill, S.C. He has been on the staff of the center since its beginning in 1989 and has been the president of the physician group for more than 10 years. He was instrumental in the hiring of Joe Zasa, the co-founder of Woodrum/ASD, to manage the center. Recently, the center was revitalized by adding 14 new physicians. Dr. Parsons, in conjunction with Tenet and Woodrum/ASD, has led this redevelopment process and it has resulted in a dramatic resurgence for the center.
Kenneth Pettine, MD. Dr. Pettine is the co-founder of Rocky Mountain Associates in Orthopedic Medicine in Loveland, Colo. He has an extensive background in spinal surgery, research and rehabilitation and is board certified. Dr. Pettine co-invented, designed and patented the Maverick Artificial Disc, a new technology for neck and back intervertebral disc replacement. He received his medical degree from the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Denver and completed his residency and his master's degree in orthopedic surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. He completed his fellowship at the Institute for Low Back Care in Minneapolis.
Larry Pinkner, MD. Dr. Pinkner was the long-term leader of the American Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers. He was a founder of the Surgery Center of Baltimore. He was a leader in the ASC Association and has overall been a tremendous asset to the surgery center business. Dr. Pinkner has now retired.
Thomas J. Pliura, MD, JD. Dr. Pliura is a physician, healthcare lawyer and the founder and manger of four ASCs, with a potential fifth under development. Additionally, he is the founder of zChart EMR, an electronic medical records related company. Dr. Pliura received his medical degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Chicago and Peoria, Ill., and his juris doctorate from the University of Illinois College of Law in Champaign, Ill. He is a member of the American Medical Association, the Illinois State Medical Society and the McLean County Medical Society. In 1998, he sought and received the first favorable Medicare Advisory Opinion in the country, certifying that a proposed ASC was exempt from Stark Laws under a rural provider exemption.
Thomas E. Price, MD (R-Ga.). Dr. Price is an orthopedic physician who now serves in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing the sixth district of Georgia. Dr. Price has been an outspoken advocate for patient-centered healthcare reform in Washington, D.C., and developed the Comprehensive HealthCARE Act, designed about positive changes to provide access for all Americans to affordable, quality healthcare. Prior to serving in Congress, he was medical director of the Orthopaedic Clinic at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, teaching resident doctors in training, and was in private practice for nearly 20 years. Dr. Price received his medical degree from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich., and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Emory University in Atlanta.
David J. Raab, MD. Dr. Raab is the founder, president and CEO of the Illinois Sports Medicine & Orthopedic Surgery Center in Morton Grove, Ill., and an orthopedic surgeon with Illinois Bone and Joint Institute in Des Plaines, Ill. He specializes in orthopedic surgery in sports medicine, total joint replacement and arthroscopy, among other areas of interest. Dr. Raab received his medical degree from Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago and completed his internship and residency in orthopedic surgery at Northwestern. He completed a fellowship in sports medicine at the Minneapolis Sports Medicine Center.
Herbert Riemenschneider, MD. Dr. Riemenschneider is founder of Knightsbridge Surgery Center in Columbus, Ohio. He is a urologic surgeon, a dedicated patient advocate and an innovator in delivering superior urologic care. He currently is a member of the faculty at Ohio State University in Columbus, clinical assistant professor of Urology at OSU's College of Medicine and director of urologic education at Riverside Methodist Hospitals. He performed the first prostate cryoablation in Ohio. Dr. Riemenschneider received his medical degree from the OSU College of Medicine and completed his residency in urology at Indiana University in Indianapolis.
J. Michael Ribaudo, MD. Dr. Ribaudo has more than 27 years of experience as a surgeon, healthcare executive and real estate developer and currently serves as CEO and chairman of Ballwin, Mo.-based Surgical Synergies. He is a pioneer in the development of physician-owned ASCs and has served as executive vice president of Surgical Health Corp. and HealthSouth Surgery Centers. Dr. Ribaudo graduated from Louisiana State Medical School with graduate medical school training at Emory University in Atlanta, Washington University in St. Louis, Mo., and New York University. He received postgraduate training at Harvard Law School in Cambridge, Mass., Kellogg Business School at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., and Stanford (Calif.) Graduate School of Business.
Paul Rohlf, MD. Dr. Rohlf was the initial urologist who obtained the first surgery center certificate of need for a center in Iowa. While he is now retired, he is a strong leader in the surgery center industry, a former president of the American Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers and he deserves special mention in this list.
L. Edwin Rudisill, Jr., MD. Dr. Rudisill is one of the leading hand surgeons in the country and practices with The Hand Center in Greenville, S.C. He received his medical degree from Bowman-Gray School of Medicine in Winston Salem, N.C. and completed his orthopedic training with the Greenville (S.C.) Hospital System. He completed a hand and microsurgery fellowship was completed at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Dr. Rudisill holds a certificate of added qualifications in surgery of the hand and is a member of the American Society of Surgery of the Hand, American Society of Reconstructive Microsurgery and is board certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery.
Michael E. Russell, II, MD. Dr. Russell is an orthopedic surgeon with Azalea Orthopedics and is a board member at the Texas Spine & Joint Hospital in Tyler, Texas. He received his orthopedic training at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School at Dallas. He completed his residency in spine surgery at The Carolinas Medical Center at Charlotte (N.C.). Dr. Russell is board certified and serves as a director on the board of Physician Hospitals of America.
Kuldip S. Sandhu, MD, FACP, FACG. Dr. Sandhu is a gastroenterologist at the Sutter Roseville (Calif.) Endoscopy Center in and is president of Capitol Gastroenterology Consultants Medical Group. He received his medical degree from Punjabi University, Patiala, India, and completed his internship and his residency in internal medicine at MLK-Drew Medical Center in Los Angeles. Dr. Sandhu went on to complete his fellowship training in gastroenterology at LAC-USC Medical Center in Los Angeles.
Kent Sasse, MD, MPH, FACS. Dr. Sasse is one of the leading bariatric physicians in the country, serves as the director of the Western Bariatric Institute in Reno, Nev., and is an attending surgeon at several hospitals in the area. Dr. Sasse is the author of the 2009 book titled Outpatient Weight-Loss Surgery: Safe and Effective Weight Loss with Modern Bariatric Surgery. He received his medical degree from the University of California, San Francisco, a master's in health and medical sciences at UCSF-UC Berkeley Joint Medical Program and an MPH in epidemiology from UC-Berkeley School of Public Health. Dr. Sasse completed his residency at the UCSF department of surgery and his fellowship at the Lahey Clinic department of colon and rectal surgery in Burlington, Mass.
David Shapiro, MD, CPHRM, LHRM, CHC. Dr. Shapiro is a partner in Ambulatory Surgery Company, an ASC consulting firm, and is the chair of the Ambulatory Surgery Foundation and chair-elect of the ASC Association. Previously, Dr. Shapiro held the position of senior vice president of medical affairs for Surgis, an ASC management company, serving as the corporate medical director for more than 20 facilities.
Thomas A. Simpson, MD, FACS. Dr. Simpson is chairman of the board of directors for the Iowa City Ambulatory Surgery Center and led the board of this multi-specialty ASC as it came together to plan and develop the ASC with Mercy Hospital. He also serves as president of the board of directors for Mercy of Iowa City Regional PHO and is a former president of the Iowa Academy of Otolaryngology. Dr. Simpson received his medical degree from the University of Iowa College of Medicine in Iowa City, Iowa.
Eric J. Stahl, MD. Dr. Stahl, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports injuries and shoulder and knee surgery, is the president of Golden Ridge Surgery Center in Golden, Colo. During his military service in France, he was the physician for the climbing school and the mountain rescue team in Chamonix. Dr. Stahl completed his internship and surgical residency at St. Joseph Hospital in Denver and his orthopedic residency at Mount Sinai Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio, and Phoenix, Ariz.
Steven Stern, MD. Dr. Stern is a Harvard-trained orthopedic physician. He is the medical director and the vice president of neurosciences orthopedic and spine of United Healthcare. Prior to coming to United Healthcare, he was a leading surgeon at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago and has developed a very successful surgery center.
Charles Tadlock, MD. Dr. Tadlock is the founder of Surgery Center of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas. He is also the CEO of Epiphany Surgical Solutions and an avid developer of surgery centers.
Larry Teuber, MD. Dr. Teuber, a neurosurgeon, is the founder and physician executive of Black Hills Surgery Center in Rapid City, S.D., one of the country's most successful small surgical hospitals. He also serves as the president of Toronto, Canada-based Medical Facilities Corp., and is founder and current managing partner of The Spine Center in Rapid City. Dr. Teuber received his medical degree from the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, S.D., and completed his general surgery internship and neurosurgery residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. Dr. Teuber served for 17 years in the U.S. Army and Army Reserve as an aviation and medical officer.
George M. Tinawi, MD. Dr. Tinawi is the president of Surgery Center Partners and its management subsidiary, Endoscopy Management Services Organization, which he founded with Samuel Marcus, MD. He was a practicing physician in Mountain View, Calif., from 1986-2004. As a practicing physician, Dr. Tinawi developed a clear understanding of the business issues faced by physicians in today's challenging environment. A graduate of the Medical School of University of Aleppo in Syria, Dr. Tinawi completed his residency in internal medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medicine Program in Worcester, Mass., and his fellowship in gastroenterology at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. He is board certified in both internal medicine and gastroenterology.
George A. Violin, MD, FACS. Dr. Violin is the founder of Medical Eye Care Associates in Massachusetts. He devotes most of his practice to cataract surgery, LASIK and related surgeries and was one of the early investigators of epikeratophakia, a precursor of current LASIK technology. Dr. Violin is one of the three founding principals of the Ambulatory Surgery Centers of America and is affiliated with Caritas Norwood Hospital, Faulkner/Brigham and Women's Hospital and Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and New England Medical Center. He graduated from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York, N.Y., and completed his ophthalmic residency at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in Boston.
Jeffrey L. Visotsky, MD, FACS. Dr. Visotsky is a member of Illinois Bone and Joint Institute and founder of the Morton Grove (Ill.) Surgery Center. He is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon and specializes in conditions of the hand, elbow and shoulder, arthroscopy shoulder/elbow, shoulder reconstruction and replacement, among other areas. Dr. Visotsky serves as assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at Northwestern University in Chicago and an instructor in the physicians assistant department of the Finch University of Health Sciences Chicago Medical School. He received his medical degree from Northwestern University and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at McGaw Medical Center in Chicago and his fellowship in hand and upper extremity microsurgery at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.
Robert Welti, MD. Dr. Welti is the corporate medical director and COO, Western region, for Westchester, Ill.-based Regent Surgical Health. He served as the medical director and administrator of the Santa Barbara (Calif.) Surgery Center and was affiliated with Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital for 20 years. A board-certified anesthesiologist, Dr. Welti earned his medical degree from Stanford (Calif.) University School of Medicine, where he also served his internship and residency and completed his fellowship in cardiothoracic anesthesia at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta.
Thomas Wherry, MD. Dr. Wherry is co-founder of Total Anesthesia Solutions, a company dedicated to addressing the emerging anesthesia subsidy crisis and developing innovative anesthesia service solutions for practitioners, hospitals and major health systems. He has worked with Health Inventures since 1996. In addition to his roles as medical director for the Surgery Center of Maryland and consulting medical director for Health Inventures, he has collaborated with professionals in the United Kingdom, Japan and Kuwait to improve the delivery of ambulatory surgery. Dr. Wherry earned his medical degree from the University of Cincinnati (Ohio). He completed a residency in anesthesiology at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Md. He received additional training in ambulatory and pediatric anesthesia and pain management and earned a one-year certificate in The Business of Medicine from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Wherry is board certified in anesthesiology and pain management.
Richard N.W. Wohns, MD, MBA. Dr. Wohns is a spine surgeon and one of the first physicians involved with the development of ambulatory spine practices. He is the founder of South Sounds Neurosurgery in Puyallup, Wash. He also founded Neospine, a spine ASC development company, which is currently part of Symbion Healthcare. His areas of expertise in the field of neurosurgery include brain tumor and skull base surgery, numerous complex minimally invasive spinal surgical techniques, teleradiology, computer-based neuronavigation and stereotaxis. He was one of the first neurosurgeons in the United States qualified to perform the revolutionary XLIF technique for minimally invasive lumbar fusions. Dr. Wohns attended medical school at Yale University School of Medicine and completed his neurosurgery residency at the University of Washington in Seattle. He also holds an executive MBA from the University of Washington and is currently pursuing a law degree from Seattle University School of Law.