Administrator to Know: Joan Dispenza of Ambulatory Surgery Center of Western New York

Joan M. Dispenza, MSN, CASC (Ambulatory Surgery Center of Western New York, Amherst, N.Y.). Ms. Dispenza is the administrator of the Ambulatory Surgery Center of Western New York in Amherst, N.Y. The center is multi-specialty, and physicians there perform ophthalmology, orthopedics, plastic surgery, ENT, podiatry and pain management. It opened in Oct. 1999.

Ms. Dispenza has been with the center since it opened. In her role as administrator, she functions as the chief operating and financial officers. She is responsible for day-to-day operations and strategic and long-range planning.

Prior to her current position, Ms. Dispenza was the director of ambulatory care services at Kaleida Health in Buffalo, N.Y., and director of nursing at the Millard Fillmore Gates Circle Hospital in Buffalo. Ms. Dispenza received her master's of science in community health administration and her bachelor of science in nursing from D'Youville College. In 2002, she is took the first national exam for surgery center administrators and is CASC certified. She is also a surveyor for AAAHC.

Under Ms. Dispenza's leadership, her center expanded from two operating rooms to six rooms. Additionally, she maintains 48-52 percent profitability annually.

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