ASC Leader to Know: Michael Weaver of Symbion

During his decade with outpatient surgical facility operator Symbion in Nashville, Tenn., Michael Weaver has learned how to develop successful long-term partnerships and joint-venture collaborations with physicians. In a 2009 interview with Becker's ASC Review, he said hospitals, doctors and any third-party managers must be sure that the ownership structure and governance of a partnership is fair to all parties.

"One word: listen. The more you listen, the better you can affect the documents and accommodate them to meet the parties' needs," he said.
Accurate, thorough documentation can save a lot of headaches later on, he told Becker's ASC Review in another interview. "A well-drafted operating agreement will allow physician owners to retain certain super-majority voting rights on certain key issues," he said.

He also recommended that surgery centers constantly look for ways to grow and expand their services. "Nothing will prevent an ASC from being successful like sitting on your laurels," he said. "Every day you have to be working on how to grow it and develop and create a strategic plan everyone buys into." While a center plans for future growth, he said administrators need to set their standards high and expect nothing but the best from its staff, from the janitors to the surgeons.

Before being named vice president of acquisitions and development for Symbion in 2002, Mr. Weaver served as vice president of business development. In this position, he oversaw the operational growth of the multi-specialty surgery division. Prior to joining Symbion, he served as director of corporate development for Sheridan Healthcare in Sunrise, Fla., where he was responsible for internal growth and outside growth through acquisitions and development.

Mr. Weaver is a nationally recognized speaker and regularly lectures on surgery center and physician-owned hospital acquisitions and development. He has also contributed to various national trade publications.

Read more on notable surgery center leaders:

-ASC Industry Leader to Know: Linda Peterson of Executive Solutions for Healthcare

-ASC Industry Leader to Know: Dr. William Lahners of the Center for Sight

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