The Leapfrog Group Announces First-Ever National Ambulatory Surgery Center Advisory Committee

WASHINGTON, March 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Leapfrog Group, a national watchdog organization of employers and other purchasers focused on health care safety and quality, today announced the members of its newly-formed Leapfrog Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) Advisory Committee. The committee is comprised of 12 respected ASC leaders from across the country, along with employer and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) leadership.

The ASC Advisory Committee is chaired by Linda Schwimmer, Leapfrog Board member and president and CEO of the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute, a Leapfrog Regional Leader. The committee, part of Leapfrog's broader strategy to catalyze quality and safety improvement in ASCs, will advise on key issues related to ASC safety, quality and efficiency, and how Leapfrog can ensure that employers have the best available data for decision-making about benefits design and direct contracting.

"More than half of all surgeries are performed in ASCs or in other outpatient settings, so getting more information on their safety and quality is a major priority for the employers that established Leapfrog," said Schwimmer. "We are proud that the Leapfrog ASC Advisory Committee brings together true visionaries in the ASC environment, all dedicated to enhancing the safety and quality in surgery centers—and giving employers a transparent marketplace."

Committee members, made up of diverse senior leadership roles including clinicians, executives and others from facilities of various specialties, sizes, geographic location and type include:

• Linda Schwimmer, JD, ASC Advisory Committee Chair, President and CEO, New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute
• Carole Guinane, RN, MBA, FNAHQ, CPHQ, BBSS, Executive Director, ASC Operations, Cedars-Sinai, Beverly Hill, CA
• Stephanie Jaross, BSN, RN, ASC Director, Proliance – Center for Spine and Joint Surgery, Terrance, WA
• Kristine Kilgore, RN, BSN, Executive Director, Surgical Care Center of Michigan, Grand Rapids, MI
• Kimberley Murray, RN, MS, CNOR, Chief Clinical Officer, Syracuse Orthopedic Specialists, Specialists One Day Surgery Center, Syracuse, NY
• Julia Nelson, RN, BSN, MBA, Executive Director, Elmhurst Outpatient Surgery Center, Elmhurst, IL
• Cori Prisco, RN, DNP, MSJ, Clinical Director, Quality and Risk Management, Hudson Crossing Surgery Center, Fort Lee, NJ
• Beth Russell, MSN, RN, Executive Director, Knoxville Orthopaedic Surgery Center, Knoxville, TN
• Lori Sylvester, MSN, RN, CASC, Administrator, Riverside Outpatient Surgery Center, Columbus, OH
• Henrietta Smith, RN, MSN, CIC, Nurse Consultant, Lead – NHSN Protocol and Training Team, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, CDC, Atlanta, GA
• Arnaldo Valedon, MD, FASA, SAMBA-F, MBA'23, Medical Director – Outpatient Perioperative Services, WellSpan Health and WellSpan Health & Surgery Center, Hannover, PA
• Andrew Weiss, CASC, Administrator/Assistant Vice President, Summit Surgical Center, Voorhees, NJ

Ex officio members of the committee include:

• Leah Binder, President and CEO, The Leapfrog Group
• Missy Danforth, Vice President of Health Care Ratings, The Leapfrog Group
• Irene Fraser, PhD, Senior Fellow, NORC at the University of Chicago, Member of the Leapfrog Board of Directors
• Aaron Schrader, M.S., Human Resources Manager, State of Delaware Statewide Benefits Office, Department of Human Resources, Member of the Leapfrog Board of Directors
• Cristie Upshaw Travis, CEO, Memphis Business Group on Health, Member of the Leapfrog Board of Directors

The annual Leapfrog ASC Survey opens on April 1, 2022. All ASCs in the U.S. have the opportunity to participate in the Survey at no charge. The deadline for completion is June 30, 2022.

About The Leapfrog Group
Founded in 2000 by large employers and other purchasers, The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit organization driving a movement for giant leaps forward for patient safety. The flagship Leapfrog Hospital Survey and new Leapfrog Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) Survey collect and transparently report hospital and ASC performance, empowering purchasers to find the highest-value care and giving consumers the lifesaving information they need to make informed decisions. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, Leapfrog's other main initiative, assigns letter grades to hospitals based on their record of patient safety, helping consumers protect themselves and their families from errors, injuries, accidents, and infections. For more, follow us on Twitter and Facebook, and sign up for our newsletter.

SOURCE The Leapfrog Group