Administrator to Know: Judy Graham of Cypress Surgery Center

Judy Graham (Cypress Surgery Center, Wichita, Kan.). Ms. Graham is administrator of Cypress Surgery Center, a free-standing, multi-specialty ASC that opened in Dec. 2000. The center includes six ORs, three procedure rooms, two RCU beds and a two-suite GI/endoscopy unit. Surgeons at Cypress specialize in gynecology, orthopedics, ophthalmology, otolaryngology, general surgery, reproductive surgery, pain management, plastic and reconstructive surgery, oral and maxillofacial surgery, urology and GI/endoscopy. In 2006, the physicians that founded Cypress entered into a joint venture with Symbion Healthcare. In 2009, the center performed 10,972 cases.

Ms. Graham has been with Cypress for 9.5 years, since construction began. She has a strong clinical background in the operating room and ambulatory surgery and previously served as an OR manager and a clinical director in ASCs before becoming an administrator. "I have been in the ASC setting for most of my career, and it has always been my passion, and I truly love what I do," she says. "I have enjoyed the challenges, opportunities and relationships that it has afforded me."

During her time at Cypress, Ms. Graham has faced many challenges, including developing a partnership between a privately owned center and a corporate partner. "It was of the utmost importance for us to find a corporate partner that held the same high standards and to also accomplish a seamless transition for our physicians and employees — change always makes everyone nervous," she says. "We were able to accomplish both of these with Symbion's help."

When it comes to Cypress' success, Ms. Graham says, "Our employees have always been the source of our success, and it has been such an honor and privilege to lead them the past 9.5 years.  We are very fortunate to have the same OR staff that we opened the Center with, and I have learned so much from our medical director, David Grainger, MD.  He is one of the many reasons I look forward to coming to work everyday, and he has always believed in my ability to succeed.  Cypress is very fortunate to have a great group of physicians who work well together and treat the staff with dignity and respect."

Ms. Graham enjoys watching her center grow and believes being an administrator helps her to continue learning and growing every day. Working with the physicians and staff members also makes her job enjoyable. "I like being responsive to our patients, physicians and staff," she says.  "I enjoy marketing Cypress because I believe strongly in all we have to offer our patients and physicians. I have always believed if we can get them in the facility just once, we will usually always get them back."

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