Anne Dean conducted the first seminar on ambulatory surgery for the AORN and wrote the first article on ambulatory surgery for the AORN magazine. She has spoken widely throughout the United States, Africa and Italy on the subject of ambulatory surgery. Anne provides “hands on” consultative services to the ADA clients, authors staff development services such as inservices and competency assessments. Writing and revising all the policies and programs needed to not only become licensed, certified and accredited is her forte. As a Health Care Risk Manager, she provides training in risk assessment and intervention and is available to provide Expert Witness for the ASC and the physician -owners. Her blog on the website provides the ADA clients with the latest information regarding surveys and outcomes, as well as trends and legislation impacting the ambulatory surgery industry.
Stephanie Smelt is the co-founder of the ADA Group and has been involved tin the development of ASCs since the inception of the company in 1985. Her “hands on” training by Anne Dean has led her to carve out her niche in the company. Stephanie performs financial feasibilities for the clients identify the whole, complete and comprehensive analysis of real costs, such that physicians can make a learned decision regarding the development of their own center. While not an architect, Stephanie provides invaluable assistance to the physicians by reviewing the proposed architectural drawings and making suggestions that will not only enhance efficiency, but will prevent costly change orders down the road into the construction of the ASC. She puts herself into the drawings analyzing the effective flow of patients, physicians, staff, supplies, records and equipment. Part of this process is the developing of a detailed time line for the project which Stephanie develops and presents as an early tool for project management.
An essential, and early, component of the development of an ASC lays in the identification of all the required equipment. Stephanie compiles a complete list of equipment needed and required for every room in the center and provides the necessary cut sheets to the architect. Furthermore, she assists the physician-owners in saving resources by identifying acceptable refurbished equipment and vendors who will provide such items.
Stephanie is the organization’s credentialing specialist compiling the physician files in readiness for approval by the Board and according to regulations and standards be it licensure, certification and accreditation, but also, the AMA, NPDB to name a few authoritative agencies. She also compiles the initial files and employee health files according to regulations. Stephanie serves as the Credentialing Specialist for numerous clients.
As a Health Care Risk Manager, Stephanie is instrumental in developing the organization’s risk management program and monitors incoming client incident reports for tracking and trending and vulnerable issues.
Stephanie has spoken at international meetings on the subject of ambulatory surgery
Tony Cowan first joined the ADA Group in 1994 and instrumentally helped grow the company by over 70%. Tony provides his experience beyond ASCs in ambulatory health care to include mobile clinics (Clinics on Wheels”), and telemedicine. These clinics may include operating rooms for disaster zones such as Hurricane Maria in Puerta Rica where Tony was instrumental in working with The Department of Health for the deployment of these units using FEMA funds in response to the disaster. Tony worked with the ADA group in developing the design for mobile clinics to include ASCs on wheels.
Prior to his entry into the mobile clinic world Tony was instrumental in working with physician groups interested in developing their own ambulatory surgery centers and assisting them in identifying the early stages in this process to include the identification of specialties for inclusion in the physician mix, costs, construction issues, potential snafus, feasibility, design preferences and needs. Tony assists the physicians in providing clarity for the overall development of the project.
Tony brings to the project his past experience and knowledge regarding managing of the production team for the various projects to ensure they stayed on target time wise. In addition, Tony’s comprehensive knowledge regarding equipment to include radiology and cardiac cath, MRIs, etc. has proven a valuable contribution to the ADA clients. Tony works with the ADA clients in fine tuning their vision, goals and mission albeit an ASC, telemedicine or mobile clinics/ORs on wheels. Tony has an innate ability as an “idea” man to assist the physicians in fine tuning their visions for the center for today and, looking into the future, for tomorrow such that the physicians are able to identify services that may fit into their project much more clearly. This ability has enabled the physicians, and their architect, to properly “size” their project.
As a Health Care Risk Manager, Tony is able to contribute these services, as needed, to the ADA clients.
Currently working on his book “Medical Compliance and the Mobile Platform” Tony provides access to new mobile technologies and the understanding required to produce mobile medical technology. Tony brings his ability to stay on the forefront of ambulatory care services and regulatory changes to the table.
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