Nurse leader on this New York ASC’s keys to success

Ithaca Journal spoke with Angela Leonard, RN, BSN, CNOR, of SurgiCare Center in Ithaca, N.Y., about the ASC’s successes over the years. Ithaca-based Cayuga Medical Center owns the ASC. Ms. Leonard has been with the ASC since its inception in 1997 and currently manages pre-admission testing for both the ASC’s and Cayuga Medical Center’s surgical patients.

Advertisement

She said the surgery center’s operations run smoothly since the ASC offers elective procedures to “primarily healthy patients.” Hospitals and other settings often have emergency cases that disrupt the schedule, which is not an issue at Surgicare.

Additionally, all staff members are willing to help in any way they can, according to Ms. Leonard. This willingness to help bolsters the surgery’s center safety and efficiency. Patient and physician satisfaction are high due to factors such as skilled staff, high compliance with infection protocols and surgeons trusting their staff members.

Ms. Leonard said, “If a surgeon needs a particular piece of equipment, we buy it. This increases surgeon satisfaction and makes us more efficient because they have what they need. And our surgeons know we’ll take good care of their patients.”

More articles on surgery centers:
Eye Associates Surgery Center to host charitable cataract surgeries — 3 insights
NYU Langone planning $84M ASC — 4 insights
2 Tenet board members resign, citing ‘irreconcilable differences:’ 4 takeaways

Advertisement

Next Up in Leadership

  • From doubling down on patient experience to staying flexible, four ASC leaders joined Becker’s to share the best advice they’ve…

  • The ASC industry adapted to numerous disruptions in 2025, from regulatory barriers and reimbursement cuts to an ongoing workforce shortage.…

  • ASCs have emerged as a dynamic force within the healthcare industry, offering a more comfortable, convenient and affordable setting for…

Advertisement

Comments are closed.