AMSURG’s Jade Sampson Selected as Nashville Emerging Leader Award Recipient

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On July 26, Jade Sampson, MBA, M.Ed., Director of Talent Management for AMSURG, received a Nashville Emerging Leader Award (NELA) in the HR category.

The NELAs, hosted by the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and YP Nashville, honor Nashville’s young professionals for significant accomplishments in their career fields as well as their commitment and contributions to the community. More than 900 applicants were nominated for the awards, and those applicants were then narrowed down to 75 finalists with five in each category. Jade was selected out of five HR professionals from companies such as TechnologyAdvice and Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center.

In addition to her role at AMSURG, Jade serves in leadership positions with Junior League of Nashville and Young Leaders Council. She also founded her own nonprofit, Dressed for the Test, which provides school uniforms to children in need.

“Being recognized as one of Nashville’s Emerging Leaders is a true honor, and I still cannot believe I was among the incredibly talented young professionals that were part of this group,” Jade said. “I cannot adequately express my profound gratitude for the leaders in our professional and philanthropic communities here in Nashville.”

When reflecting on the positive impact Jade has had on AMSURG and the Nashville community, Katie Lamb, Vice President of Human Resources, said, “We all know how fantastic Jade is and it is wonderful to see her receive this prestigious recognition.”

Congratulations Jade on your accomplishment!

AMSURG and Make-A-Wish Join Forces to Make Child’s Dream a Reality

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Gabe's Make-A-Wish[2]_colorcorrectedOn Friday, July 13, superheroes descended on the AMSURG headquarters in honor of a very special child. Make-A-Wish of Middle Tennessee teamed up with AMSURG to treat 7-year-old Gabe to a morning filled with all his favorite things and to make his special wish – taking a cruise with his mother, father and sister – come true.

Gabe has congenital heart disease, a condition that was diagnosed when his mother was pregnant with him. He has undergone two open heart surgeries, with the first procedure performed when he was a mere five days old. In total, he has bravely faced five surgeries.

Despite everything Gabe has endured, his aunt said that he always has a smile on his face.

The Make-A-Wish event aimed to take Gabe’s mind off his health challenges and give him a rare opportunity be a carefree kid. His mother said, “We want him to live life as normally as possible.”

The celebration allowed him to do just that.

During the event, Gabe feasted on his favorite food – corndogs – along with an assortment of snacks. He also posed for photos with superheroes such as Iron Man and Black Widow.

Superhero decorations adorned the walls throughout the space while football-themed games kept him entertained.

Gabe and his family began their Disney cruise to Castaway Cay in the Bahamas July 15, just two days after the celebration. When asked what he was most looking forward to about the cruise, he said the waterslides He was also excited about how large their room would be.

It was a privilege to partner with Make-A-Wish to bring some much-needed happiness to a young child whose life has been filled with so much adversity and hardship. We hope Gabe and his family will make lifelong memories on their cruise and that those memories will help carry them through future challenges.

AMSURG Broadens Ophthalmology Portfolio With Strategic Physician Practice Partnership

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. – AMSURG, an Envision Healthcare solution, today announced the acquisition of Horizon Eye Specialists & LASIK Center, an Arizona-based ophthalmology practice, which includes four practice locations, an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) and three optical centers. For AMSURG, a national leader in the strategic and operational management of ASCs, this introduces a new practice partnership model designed for long-term growth.

“The alignment marks a significant milestone for AMSURG and, in particular, our ophthalmology division,” said John Grant, President of Ophthalmology for AMSURG. “Strategic partnerships like this are crucial to improving the delivery of consistent quality eye care and being a provider patients can trust. Horizon Eye Specialists & LASIK Center embodies our commitment to delivering patient-centered care and upholding high clinical standards. We are thrilled to welcome its expert team of physicians, optometrists and administrative staff to the AMSURG family.”

Horizon Eye Specialists & LASIK Center includes four locations in the metro area, the Eye Surgery Center at the Biltmore and the Sharona Optical Centers in the Phoenix metro area. The group’s seven physicians and six optometrists provide an array of services, including LASIK eye surgery, cataract surgery, multifocal intraocular lenses and comprehensive eye care.

“We are thrilled to join AMSURG, a nationally recognized leader in ophthalmic care,” said Robert McCulloch, M.D., Medical Director and Senior Cataract Surgeon for Horizon Eye Specialists & LASIK Center. “The partnership will provide us with the support, expertise and resources we need to position our practice for long-term growth and success as we continue to expand our footprint within the Phoenix area and provide our patients with the high-quality care they have come to expect.”

“For more than 30 years, we have partnered with physician practices to build comprehensive outpatient surgical solutions, drive utilization, improve quality measures and expand their breadth and scale of service,” said Phillip Clendenin, President of AMSURG. “In a rapidly changing environment, we seek to be the physician-centric strategic alternative of choice for the entrepreneurial and independent physician practice. Partnering with Horizon Eye Specialists & LASIK Center was a natural fit given our existing presence in the Phoenix area and our common operational philosophy. We strongly believe our shared equity partnership model differentiates us from our competitors and will allow Horizon Eye Specialists & LASIK Center to continue to recruit top clinical talent for years to come.”

As an industry leader in outpatient care, AMSURG supports physicians in providing quality patient care through the management and operation of their ASCs. While AMSURG specializes in many areas of care, the organization has particular expertise in eye health. Its network of providers consists of more than 700 ophthalmologists and optometrists, as well as the staff members, at more than 75 surgery centers. In 2017, centers affiliated with AMSURG performed nearly 225,000 eye procedures.

With the addition of Horizon Eye Specialists & LASIK Center, the organization is building on its commitment to improve care coordination between practices, hospitals and surgery centers and enhance the overall delivery of care.

AMSURG Partner R. Bruce Wallace, M.D., Recognized at ASCRS Annual Meeting

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R. Bruce Wallace, M.D., was recently honored at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery’s Annual Meeting for his contributions to ophthalmology. Dr. Wallace is the founder and medical director of Wallace Eye Associates in Alexandria, Louisiana, and is an AMSURG physician partner at Wallace Laser and Surgery Center. He is also a clinical professor of ophthalmology at Tulane School of Medicine and at Louisiana State University Medical School. Named one of the 50 Most Influential Ophthalmologists by Cataract & Refractive Surgery Today, Dr. Wallace is a member of numerous professional organizations and was president of the Outpatient Ophthalmic Surgery Society, the Society for Excellence in Eye are and the American College of Eye Surgeons. He has served as a primary investigator and consultant for a number of investigational IOLs, including nine multifocal IOLs. He has also organized numerous courses for the American Academy of Ophthalmology, ASCRS, the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology and the American College of Eye Surgeons.

AMSURG Partner Discusses Increase in Colon Cancer in Young Adults

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Antonio Serna, M.D., gastroenterologist at San Antonio Gastroenterology Associates and Endoscopy Center, recently appeared on FOX San Antonio to discuss the increase of colon cancer in young adults. According to a 2017 study, people born in 1990 are twice as likely as those born in 1950 to be diagnosed with colon cancer and four times as likely to be diagnosed with rectal cancer. The cause isn’t known, but physicians suspect diet and sedentary lifestyles may be to blame.

In the video, Dr. Serna urges young adults not to ignore symptoms and to talk to family members to learn whether they have a family history of colorectal cancer. Symptoms include blood in the stool, a change in bowel pattern, abdominal discomfort and unintentional weight loss.

Dr. Serna stresses that a referral from a primary care physician is not needed to be screened for colorectal cancer and early detection is often a lifesaver. The full video can be viewed here.

AMSURG Vice President Joins ASCA’s Board of Directors

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Mark Wainner, AMSURG’s Vice President of Corporate Services, has been elected to the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association’s Board of Directors. Wainner has been with AMSURG for 20 years and has held various positions with the company, ranging from business development to financial analysis. His current role encompasses revenue management, supply chain, physician recruiting and more.

Congratulations to Mark!

Kendall Endoscopy Center’s Creative Cake Promotes Colonoscopy Screenings

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In honor of National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, Kendall Endoscopy and Surgery Center in Miami, Florida created a cake to encourage colon screenings. The cake features multiple tools used to perform routine home repairs and urges patients to “know when to call an expert.” The pamphlet featured on the cake then directs patients to StopColonCancerNow.com. The cake can be seen here.

Phillip Clendenin Wishes AMSURG Partners a Happy Doctors’ Day

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March 30 is National Doctors’ Day, and I want to take this opportunity to thank you for the important work you do to deliver high quality, patient-centered care in your community. Last year, you and your fellow physicians performed more than 1.7 million procedures at AMSURG centers. Whether you are preventing colon cancer, restoring vision or repairing injuries, you are improving the health and lives of those around you.

At AMSURG, we are working every day to ensure you have complete confidence in the operations, quality and overall health of your center, allowing you to focus on caring for your patients.

Happy Doctors’ Day. We’re proud to partner with you.

Safety is our Priority

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As one of the leaders in providing ambulatory surgery options for patients, we are deeply concerned by the recent stories that called out patient tragedies and undermined a proven healthcare service option to gain viewership and readers. In addition, we believe all outpatient surgery centers should follow strict licensing, accreditation and patient safety processes to ensure the highest quality care and safety.

For decades, ambulatory and outpatient surgery have been valid options for surgical care. These settings enable shorter recoveries and offer more affordable options for identified procedures.

At AMSURG, we partner with our physicians and employees to deliver the highest standards of care and quality. AMSURG centers are Medicare approved and undergo voluntary accreditation by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) or The Joint Commission. In addition, our centers voluntarily comply with the OAS CAHPS (Outpatient and Ambulatory Surgery Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) survey process. Each center’s Governing Board and medical staff review quality information every quarter to ensure a culture focused on safety, quality, and the patient experience. We pride ourselves in providing every patient with personalized care.

All patients undergo a complete health assessment and medical history review to ensure they are an appropriate candidate for care in an ambulatory surgery center. Based on the medical condition of the patient, medical history, and the planned surgery, the physician may determine that the patient should receive care in a hospital.

Our clinical quality team is focused on ensuring our teams continuously review quality and patient safety data in each center. Operational and clinical staff members review quality metrics monthly with a goal of continually meeting and exceeding patient expectations. However, like all surgical procedures, even those in the hospital, there are risks. Patients should review those risks with their physician before making a final decision on their care.

We want to assure our current and future patients that our ambulatory surgery centers are committed to offering a safe, high quality patient experience. The ambulatory surgery environment is a safe and affordable option for those patients who meet health and medical review requirements.

Additional Information:

Ambulatory Surgery Center Association Website

ASCA News Release

AMSURG and a Partnering ASC Shared Total Joint Replacement Advice in OR Manager

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In OR Manager’s February 2018 issue, Troy Sparks, BSN, RN, CNOR, Regional Vice President and Total Joint Program Coordinator, AMSURG, shared advice on developing a high-quality total joint replacement program in ambulatory surgery centers (ASC). In the article titled, “Total joints present increasingly attractive option for ASCs,” he stressed the importance of physician leaders, strict patient eligibility criteria and patient education.

Sparks worked closely with Surgery Center of Long Beach, an AMSURG partner, to develop the program. In 2017, the center became the first ASC in the U.S. to receive a Center of Excellence Award in Orthopaedic Certification by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care.

View the full article here.