From staffing decisions to growth strategy, these are the changes ASC leaders said they would make if given a do-over for 2025.
Question: Looking back at the past year, what’s one thing you would do differently?
Editor’s note: Responses have been lightly edited for clarity and length.
Scott Bergman. President of Peak Health Associates: Real simple, looking back at the past year, I would have prioritized the importance of a good work-life balance sooner.
Brett Bernstein, MD. Chief of the Division of Gastroenterology at Mount Sinai Beth Israel and Medical Director of East Side Endoscopy (New York City): I always think there’s more opportunity to share my gratitude with our staff for their efforts and expertise. I have put a weekly reminder into my phone to do so in 2026!
Peter Bravos, MD. Anesthesiologist and Chief Medical Officer of Sutter Surgery Center Division (Sacramento, Calif.): Looking back on the past year, I would invest more time in upfront stakeholder alignment. While we advanced several growth and access initiatives, in some cases, we moved forward without full alignment on intent, trade-offs or success measures, resulting in rework and friction that slowed momentum. If approaching these efforts again, I would engage clinical and operational leaders earlier and clarify process, purpose and metrics before rollout. Stronger front-end alignment would have reduced friction, built trust and accelerated execution.
Megan Friedman, DO. Chair and Medical Director of Pacific Coast Anesthesia (Los Angeles): Looking back, I would have implemented a dedicated anesthesia board runner at each site earlier. Real-time coordination significantly improves throughput, communication and day-of-surgery staffing flexibility. The cost savings from proactively managing end-of-day adjustments exceeded expectations, while also meaningfully improving anesthesiologist satisfaction.
Wayne Gillis. President and CEO of Rehoboth McKinley Christian Health Network (Gallup, N.M.): Looking back at 2025, the one thing I would do differently is narrow our focus sooner and be even more disciplined about execution. We had no shortage of good ideas, but I learned that real progress comes when leaders create clarity, protect priorities and help teams finish what matters most. If I could do it again, I would spend more time early on saying “no,” so our people could succeed at the “yes.”
Patrick McEneaney, DPM. Owner and CEO of Northern Illinois Foot & Ankle Specialists (Crystal Lake): When dealing with the hustle and bustle of everyday life, sometimes the staff gets overlooked. One thing that I would do differently in the last year would be re-evaluate my staff more often. We get comfortable with the current staff and focus on the fires that need to be put out every day. While this is essential to function of the facility, the staff can be swept to the background.
I have employees who are performing well and feel like they need more. It might be with a new role, a new task in their current role or a new project. Motivated employees need to be challenged or they get bored and move on. Additionally, underperforming employees need to be identified and retrained. You can’t assume that they will “get it” eventually. Focused time set aside for them is essential to their success. This also allows you to evaluate if the employee is retrainable; some are not. I was busy this year, and I waited until later in the year to do this; however, I think it should be a constant consideration throughout the year.
Tammy Rowland, RN. Executive Director of University Orthopaedic Surgery Center (Knoxville, Tenn.): Looking back at the past year, one thing I would do differently is focus more on being “in the moment” with people. We often get so busy personally and professionally that we miss opportunities to truly engage and empathize with those in our lives. I believe that everyone is there for a reason, and it is important not to miss out on discovering why.
Teresa Tam, MD. Minimally Invasive Gynecological Surgeon and Owner of All for Women Healthcare (Chicago): Looking back at this past year, I wish I had invested more time building relationships and partnerships beyond just clinical work. Being in private practice, it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day patient care, but I think there’s real value in connecting with other professionals in healthcare, whether other private practitioners, CEOs, administrators or people on the business side. As physicians, we can get too siloed when we only focus on the clinical aspects, and I’ve found that learning from seasoned professionals across different areas of healthcare creates a more well-rounded experience and opens up opportunities for growth.
