A Day in the Life of an Administrator: Lisa York

‘There Is No Crying in an ASC!’ — But There Are Plenty of Memorable Patients

Welcome to A Day in the Life of an Administrator, our online column, where we sat down with

Lisa York, MSN, RN, CASC, CAIP, executive director at Hunterdon Center for Surgery, Flemington, N.J. Outpatient Surgery Magazine is posting these profiles to give the administrators, directors and other leaders in ambulatory facilities a voice — and to share, in their own words, what it’s like to walk in their shoes. Their stories offer a glimpse into the significant role these individuals play on the OR team and the challenges they face as they work alongside their colleagues.

Outpatient Surgery Magazine (OSM) How would your family describe what you do to a stranger?
Lisa York (LY): They’d say, “My mom is the executive director of an ambulatory surgery center that handles a variety of same day specialty surgeries. Her role is more business-oriented now, but she is a nurse at heart, and her career has been defined by exceptional patient care.”

OSM: If your surgery center was a Broadway musical, what would it be and why?
LY: I can’t pick just one. As a Broadway musical, I think our center would be some combination of “The Lion King” and “Les Misérables” To varying degrees (and depending on the day!) the themes of redemption, love, courage and working together are all very fitting for us.

OSM: What is the strangest hobby or most unusual skill among your staff?
LY: I have a nurse here who can tie a cherry stem in a knot with her tongue so … that would probably be the strangest. There are plenty of interesting hobbies and skills among our team. We have equestrians and a DJ; we have artists and quilters — there is no shortage of talent among our staff.

OSM: What do you remember about your very first surgical case?
LY: There were two competing thoughts going through my head. I remember wondering, “What the heck is happening?” while also being very curious and eager to help, thinking “Let me in there!”

OSM: Who was the most memorable patient you ever had?
LY: I’ve had many memorable patients, but the one who physically took themself off the OR table and ran out the room sticks out in my mind as the most memorable!

OSM: Finish this sentence, “Strong leadership at a surgery center comes down to... ”
LY: “...Boots on the ground, eyes everywhere, an abundance of empathy and patience, and pure grit. To paraphrase the famous Tom Hanks (as Jimmy Dugan) line from “A League of Their Own” — There is no crying in an ASC! We truly are in a league of our own here.

Note: Outpatient Surgery Magazine would like to thank Lisa for sharing her life with us! On behalf of our team, we are sending a small token of appreciation to Lisa and her OR team. If you are an administrator, director or any type of OR leader and would like to share your day and special insights for this online exclusive column, please contact our Editor-in-Chief Jared Bilski at [email protected]. Have a great day! OSM