today's surgicenter Conference Attracts 221 ASC Industry Professionals

LAS VEGAS -- Ambulatory surgery center (ASC) owners, operators, and investors attended two days of seminars, networking events and exhibits at the second annual today's surgicenter conference held at The Venetian and The Sands Expo, Nov. 10-12. The conference was produced by Virgo Publishing, publisher of today's surgicenter magazine, and developed with Stryker Corporation.

"The growth of the conference is a direct result of the high-caliber education program and faculty, the array of products and services available in the exhibit hall, and the networking opportunities," said Peggy Jackson, director of publishing for Virgo's Health & Nutrition Division. "With the support and drive from today's surgicenter magazine and the partnership with Stryker Corporation, the success and relevance to the industry is tangible."

The conference began with exhibits and a networking reception the evening of Thursday, Nov. 10. Held in the exhibit hall, attendees had the opportunity to meet a variety of exhibitors offering an array of products and services during the reception.  To view a list of companies that exhibited, visit http://www.surgicenterconference.com/2005/exhib.html.

"I thought it was a terrific conference," stated Ronald Wadle, DO, of Michigan-based Meadow Brook Medical Center, who is in the process of building a multi-specialty, four- OR/three-procedure room, physician-owned ASC. Wadle said, "The exhibits were fantastic because I was able to talk to -- and network with -- developers for our next project."

General sessions on Friday, Nov. 11 addressing "Regulatory and Legal Updates" and "Physician/Hospital Joint Ventures-Perspectives from the Board Room and Staff Lounge" kicked off the education program first thing on Friday morning. Afterward, attendees broke into targeted concurrent sessions for start-up and existing facilities.  Speakers in the start-up sessions discussed feasibility analysis, project and equipment financing, business models, facility/land/existing building costs and evaluations, and designing for efficiency, certification, licensure, and accreditation.  The existing track covered surviving and thriving with managed-care contracts, risk management strategies, tracking and lowering costs through inventory management, and legal strategies for recruiting and removing physician members.  To view an agenda and faculty biographies, visit http://www.surgicenterconference.com/2005/faculty.html.

"Evidence of the relevance and importance of the course material could be summed up in one observation," says Joe Delligatti, director of new business development for Stryker Corporation. "At 5:15 p.m. on a Friday night in Las Vegas, the sessions were still full of participants!"

Attendees enjoyed catered breaks and exhibits on Friday. Also, during Friday's plated lunch, Anita Lambert-Gale, vice president of clinical operations, and Matt Collins, vice president of operations for HealthMark Partners, Inc., made a presentation, "The Benefits of Corporate Partnership for Your ASC," which was sponsored by HealthMark Partners Inc. 

On Saturday, the education program resumed with concurrent sessions and culminated with general sessions, "Case Studies: Challenges During Our First Year of Business" and "Stark 101: What You Really Need to Know About the Law as You Develop Your Center." Managed-care contracts and multi vs. specialty centers were addressed in the start-up track while marketing strategies and reimbursement were discussed in the existing track.

"I think this is a very important conference," said Alicja Ogorkiewicz, MD, founder of Bakersfield, Calif.-based European Pain Medicine. Ogorkiewicz said she came across the literature for the conference and decided it was an event she must attend. "I've learned a lot and it has been a very positive experience," she added.

"As a hospital CEO, I found the conference uniquely diversified," said Chuck Davis, MPA, CHE, of Salt Lake City, Utah-based Mountain West Medical Center. Davis said he attended the conference because he is looking into adding an ASC to his existing facility. He mentioned his excitement to build upon the contacts and resources he acquired at the conference -- from the networking he was able to execute, all the way down to the conference speakers' contact information listed in the syllabus; he said he plans to fully "use what I've found here."

The next today's surgicenter conference is scheduled for Sept. 14-16, 2006 at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.  For more information, call (800) 454-5760 or visit www.surgicenterconference.com

Virgo Publishing publishes ICT: Infection Control Today (www.infectioncontroltoday.com), today's surgicenter (www.surgicenteronline.com) and EndoNurse (www.endonurse.com) magazines as well as produces the today's surgicenter conference. 

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