Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society - Austin, Texas

ABOUT TASCS

With one of the largest state contingents in the nation (approximately 400 ASCs), Texas patients and health care providers have clearly embraced the incredible quality that ASCs provide and made ASCs an integral part of our state's health care delivery system. In addition to employing over 7,300 Texans, the nearly 400 Texas ASCs will have an estimated economic impact of nearly $1.7 billion and will pay an estimated $424 million in 2009 taxes (according to a January 2009 economic study conducted by the Texas ASC Society).

Founded in 2003, the Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society (TASCS) serves as the voice of the Texas ASC industry. In addition to serving as the Texas ASC industry's stakeholder voice in both the regulatory and legislative arenas in Austin, TASCS provides its members with timely information about public policy and industry information that often cannot be found elsewhere, interactive conferences that bring in some of the nation's top speakers, and valuable vendor and continuing education discounts and services.

WHY DO TEXAS ASCS HAVE A TRADE ASSOCIATION?

Over 180 Texas ASCs have decided that pooling their resources together to advance their industry’s needs is more effective than having multiple fragmented and incomplete voices. TASCS serves as a collective body to advance the industry’s public policy needs, obtain timely and leading-edge information critical to ASC operations, and learn more about industry innovations through networking opportunities.

Like the ASC that you operate, TASCS is a low-cost and efficient organization that focuses on producing the highest quality possible and outstanding results for its members. Despite the low membership fee, TASCS provides a high rate of return on your investment.

Among the membership benefits:

• John Constantine

  John Constantine

  John Constantine is a partner in Surgical Management Partners which owns and manages three ambulatory surgery centers and an imaging center in Central Texas. Mr. Constantine also sits on the Board of Advocate MD, a major medical liability insurance company. Mr. Constantine testified before the Texas Legislature on behalf of TASCS during the 79th Legislative Session and has served on the TASCS Board since January, 2005.

• Bruce Levy, MD, JD

  Bruce Levy, MD, JD

  Chief Executive Officer, Austin Gastroenterology
  Chief Executive Officer, Austin Endoscopy Center I & II
  Dr. Levy received his Medical Degree from Hahnemann Medical College and his Legal Degree from The University of Houston Bates School of Law.
  
  He is a Board Certified Anesthesiologist who previously practiced at The Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas and served on the Baylor College of Medicine faculty.
  
  He was appointed the Executive Director of the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners in 1993 and served in that capacity until 2000. During that same time, he also served as the Executive Director of the Texas State Board of Physician Assistants, as well as Chairman of the Health Professions Council of Texas.
  
  Dr. Levy has served on multiple, prestigious national medical policy commissions and has been a consultant to a majority of the national medical organizations. He is the past Deputy Executive Vice President of the Federation of State Medical Boards of the United States.
  
  Dr. Levy “unretired” and became the Chief Executive Officer (C.E.O.) of Austin Gastroenterology, P.A. and Austin Endoscopy Centers in 2002.
  
  Dr. Levy has actively testified in front of the Texas Legislature for TMA, TSGE, and on behalf of the ASC industry, as well as in front of the United States Senate Committees on Health Issues.

• William Crowder, Jr., M.D., FACOG

  William Crowder, Jr., M.D., FACOG

  William Crowder, Jr., MD helped to start the Conroe Surgery Center in 1983 with 16 other physicians. After resyndicating and building a new larger facility in 2003, he is currently the Chair of the Board of Managers of that facility, which supports approximately 55 physicians who actively practice there. He actively practices OB/GYN along with five partners and lives in the Conroe/Woodlands area. Dr. Crowder has been on the HealthSouth Board of Advisors for the past four years.

• Marilyn Christian, RN, BSN, CNOR, CASC

  Marilyn Christian, RN, BSN, CNOR, CASC

  Ms. Christian is the President/CEO of Advantage Surgical Partners has extensive experience in the Ambulatory Surgery Center multi-specialty industry serving as Center Administrator, Director of Nursing, Vice President of Clinical Operations and Regulatory Compliance, Chief Operating Officer, and consulting services for ambulatory healthcare facilities including: ambulatory surgery centers, diagnostic imaging centers and surgical hospitals. Mrs. Christian’s experience and responsibilities include all phases of start-up, development and management of healthcare operations which include periOperative services, physician relations, business office operations, marketing, budgeting, contracting, governance, quality assurance, benchmarking, plant operations, regulatory compliance, national accreditation, personnel management and vendor relationships.

• Steve Blom RN, MA

  Steve Blom RN, MA

  Mr. Blom is the Executive Director for Specialty Surgery Center in San Antonio, Texas and concurrently operates as a Regional Director for National Surgical Care (NSC). Mr. Blom has served as the Executive Director for nine years at the Specialty Surgery Center which is a multi-specialty ASC performing over 9,000 cases annually. Prior to employment with NSC, he was the director of cardiovascular services at Northeast Baptist Hospital in San Antonio and held a progression of nursing management positions within the Methodist Hospital System in San Antonio. Mr. Blom earned his B.S.N. from the U.T. Health Science Center at San Antonio and his M.A. in Health Services Management from Webster University. Mr. Blom has been an active member of the Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society since its inception in 2003.

• Stephen E. Blake, JD, MBA, President

  Stephen E. Blake, JD, MBA, President

  Steve Blake is the CEO for Central Park Surgery Center, LP in Arlington, TX and was instrumental throughout the building, development, implementation, accreditation, and operational phases of the facility. In addition to his administrative duties at the surgery center, Steve also is the CEO for Central Park Ear, Nose, and Throat, LLP. Previous background includes being a certified public accountant (LA, FL), parish (county) manager, and has worked with numerous healthcare systems, ASCs, and medical groups across the country. Mr. Blake has served on the TASCS Board since 2008.

• Jill Sluder, RN CASC, Vice President

  Jill Sluder, RN CASC, Vice President

  Ms. Sluder serves as Administrator for Summit Ambulatory Surgery Center in Houston where she is a leading member of the Governing Board. Ms. Sluder has over 14 years experience in the surgical field. Ms. Sluder is an active AAAHC surveyor since 2006 and performs surveys for facilities throughout the United States as well as Medicare Deemed Ambulatory Surgery Centers. Ms. Sluder has worked as a clinical consultant with several health care facility development and management firms. Ms. Sluder is a current member of the AORN, ASCA and TASCS.

• Chris Shoup

  Chris Shoup

  Mr. Shoup’s recent responsibilities have been as a Group Vice President for Nueterra Healthcare managing and overseeing multiple surgery centers and hospitals in Texas. Prior to this, he was responsible for the opening of a 30-bed physician owned and managed by National Surgical Hospital spine hospital in San Antonio, Texas. Before his tenure with National Surgical Hospitals, he was an Administrator with HCA/ASD. He has worked in the ASC arena for the past seventeen years functioning in many different roles for a number of facilities within Texas and neighboring States. Mr. Shoup participated in the Texas Department of Health committee that re-wrote the Ambulatory Surgery Center guidelines and worked with the Texas Workers Compensation Commission to restructure their fee guidelines for Hospitals and Surgery Centers. Mr. Shoup earned his degree from Oklahoma State University.

• Raymund C. King, MD, JD

  Raymund C. King, MD, JD

  Dr. King is the principal and founder of the Law Offices of Raymund C. King, MD, JD, PLLC, in Plano, Texas. Featured in the 2008 Forbes Magazine “Texas Legal Profiles,” named one of 2007 Fortune Magazine’s “America’s Premier Lawyers” as well as a Texas SuperLawyer “Rising Star” in Healthcare Law, Dr. King represents a broad spectrum of clients in the corporate and healthcare arena. After receiving his undergraduate degree with honors from the University of Dallas, he obtained his medical degree from the University of Texas Medical School in Houston, Texas. He completed his residency training in Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center prior to going into private practice. After ten years of medical practice, he obtained his law degree from the Oklahoma City University School of Law, and in 2004 he was awarded the Distinguished Young Alumnus Award from the OCU law school.

• Jeff Blankinship

  Jeff Blankinship

  Jeffery C. Blankinship, a resident of Dallas, TX, has been in healthcare for 20 plus years. Starting out in California in 1988 after graduating from Southern Methodist University,  Mr. Blankinship established a network of industrial medical facilities ultimately evolving into a network of Pain Management Surgical Centers throughout the Southwest. Upon his return to Dallas, he worked in home healthcare, physician practice management, pain management, and the ambulatory surgical business.  Jeff and his wife, Courtney created Surgical Notes in 1997.   Surgical Notes began with its focus on medical transcription, tailored specifically towards ambulatory surgical centers.   By working closely with each of the ASCs, Surgical Notes sensed the need for a cohesive, synchronized medical records solution.  Surgical Notes created a digital medical records product, an application which was borne out of witnessing the day-to-day, often repetitive, manual procedures performed by their ASC customers.  Today, VMR Express is revolutionizing chart creation and document imaging and management.
  
  Mr. Blankinship has since created several internet-based companies such as MyDoctorsNotes.Com, and is currently a part owner of an International Medical Software and Service Company based in India.   He and his family are ardent supporters of Families at the Dump, an organization which serves to meet the physical, spiritual, medical, emotional and educational needs of families that live along Hope Road, located at the base the city dump in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.  Mr. Blankinship is married and has three boys ages 16, 10 and 8. (Miles,  Dawson and Pierce)

• Mark Quigley, MBA, CASC, Secretary/Treasurer

  Mark Quigley, MBA, CASC, Secretary/Treasurer

  Mark Quigley, MBA, CASC, is the Chief Operating Officer for Atlantic Health Group based in Houston. Atlantic Health Group, which develops, finances and manages ASCs, Hospitals, and Medical Office Buildings. Mr. Quigley was formerly the Divisional Vice President of Operations for Foundation Surgery Affiliates, former President of the Texas Medical Group Management Association, and has served as TASCS's Vice President since January of 2005.

• Vicki Schultz, RN

  Vicki Schultz, RN

  Vicki Schultz, RN is Vice President of Regional Operations for ASCIRA Partners, LLC, where she is in charge of developing and operating surgery centers in Texas and surrounding States. Ms. Schultz has more than 20 years experience as a nurse and health care administrator. Ms. Schultz is a member of ASORN, FASA, and AAASC, and previously served as Regional Manager – Surgery Division for Healthsouth. Ms. Schultz has served on the TASCS Board since January, 2005.

• Milla Jones

  Milla Jones

  Milla Perry Jones is the Vice President of Communications and Government Affairs for United Surgical Partners International. USPI owns and operates 31 ASCs and 7 surgery hospitals in Texas. Ms. Jones has been very active in recruiting Facility Members and is a passionate advocate at both the state and national level for physician ownership of healthcare facilities. Ms. Jones has served on the TASCS Board since January, 2005.

• Joe Zasa, JD

  Joe Zasa, JD

  Joseph Zasa, JD is a partner in Woodrum/ASD and leads Woodrum/ASD's Dallas office where he provides development, operations, management and merger and acquisitions expertise for the firm's ambulatory clients. Mr. Zasa specializes in consummating strategic joint ownership arrangements for the firm's clientele with physicians, hospitals, and strategic partners as well as assisting the firm's clientele in raising capital to finance their ambulatory care requirements. Mr. Zasa has served on the TASCS Board since January, 2005.

• Jerry Ford

  Jerry Ford

  Jerry Ford is the administrator of Wortham Surgery Center in Houston, Texas. Mr. Ford is a veteran health care administrator with over 25 years experience. He is a Diplomat in the American College of Hospital Executives and worked previously at the prestigious M.D. Anderson Cancer Institute. For the last six years, Mr. Ford has been working as an Administrator for an Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC).  These Centers provides a safe, efficient environment for physicians to provide quality healthcare at the least cost.  He has been in Houston over 17 years, after retiring from the Air Force Medical Services Corps.  His last assignment was at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. where he worked for the Assistant Secretary of Defense, Health Affairs.