Administrator to Know: Marcy Sasso of Ambulatory Surgical Center of Union County

Marcy Sasso (Ambulatory Surgical Center of Union County, Union, N.J.). Ms. Sasso is the director of operations at the Ambulatory Surgical Center of Union County in Union, N.J. The multi-specialty center has been open for nine years and offers orthopedics, pain management, podiatry, general surgery, chiropractics and oral surgery.

Ms. Sasso joined the ASC of Union County in May 2004. Previously she served in many roles at other surgery centers and at Saint Barnabas Hospital. She was also the financial and legal administrator for a multi-physician practice and office manager for an outpatient physical therapy center. In 2000, Ms. Sasso and a fellow administrator started, and now co-chair, a surgery center coalition. The SCC has over 75 other New Jersey centers as its members. "Although our group is 'grassroots,' we don't behave that way," she says. "We are very committed to financial success, and patient infection and safety rates rank number one on our priority list."

Ms. Sasso also encourages staff members to bring their own unique personality and talent to work everyday. As a result, the ASC of Union County has great physician and staff retention, and the center is able to recruit new members. "The key is treating everyone like family. It makes them want to come to the center," she says. "We educate our patients, and our staff decided to send out flu literature and a reminder about colonoscopy screenings. Many of the education ideas they come up with are purely on their own, (and it is) very exciting for an administrator to have such dedicated caring staff."

In addition to caring for patients, Ms. Sasso encourages staff members to give back to the community. Recently, Ms. Sasso spearheaded the New Jersey medical supply collection efforts for Haiti and collaborated with N.J. for Haiti, Inspire Haiti and the Red Cross to collect durable medical goods, medicine and all types of medical/surgical supplies. Ms. Sasso was nominated for the New Jersey Jefferson Award 2010 for outstanding public service and was also named Humanitarian of the Year by the New Jersey Salvation Army. She is now a member of N.J. for Haiti, Inspire Haiti and Aid for AIDS.

ASC of Union County also hosted a toy drive and a coat drive for the Union community. Ms. Sasso notes that these efforts could not have been successful without a dedicated staff. "We are family here, and without each and every member we would not be as successful as we currently are," she says. "I am a bit on the OCD side, and my staff is used to it because they know I am passionate about our ASC always being the best, and they strive to be that way everyday."

Ms. Sasso says her involvement in relief efforts this year have given her a new motto: "Belief in Relief." "I also love making a difference in people's lives, sharing and mentoring staff and striving to make everything be great," she says.

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