ASC Industry Leader to Know: Joe Majerus of Lakewalk Surgery Center

Written by Rachel Fields | July 28, 2010

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Walk into Lakewalk Surgery Center in Duluth, Minn., and you'll notice a difference. Instead of the traditional fluorescent lights and the smell of cleaning products associated with medical facilities, the surgery center features comfortable, printed chairs positioned around a tank full of bright blue fish. Administrator Joe Majerus says the center is designed that way to help patients feel at home in an unfamiliar, often scary situation.

"People that come to surgery are very anxious right from the get-go, and rightfully so," he said in a February interview with Duluth Superior Magazine. "We try to alleviate the anxiety. That's part of the healing process."

Despite the economic downturn that is proving a financial hurdle for many ASCs, Mr. Majerus is confident about the future of his surgery center. He takes patient feedback seriously and is proud to reference Lakewalk's 97 percent approval rating, a number that has not wavered over the past several years.

In Aug. 2009, he said Lakewalk is preempting financial difficulties by looking for ways to extend its reach in the ambulatory surgery community. "We are constantly trying to expand those specialties we already have by doing more complex procedures and adding more providers, while exploring new specialties that are under served in our area," he said. "This constant searching has helped in our growth, kept us productive and contributed to our success over the past 10 years," he says.

Lakewalk Surgery Center specializes in orthopedics, plastic surgery, gastroenterology, oral surgery, ophthalmology and pain management. Before becoming administrator for Lakewalk, Mr. Majerus served as CFO for a hospital in Minnesota. During his time at the center, he has trained his nursing staff to work in the center's six ORs, three procedure rooms and 18 private recovery areas.

Read more on notable ASC industry leaders:

-ASC Industry Leader to Know: Robert Zasa of ASD Management
-ASC Industry Leader to Know: Joe Zasa of ASD Management

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