ASC NURSE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
AGENDA
As an ASC nurse leader, your role is multifaceted, balancing clinical oversight, operational efficiency, regulatory compliance, and team leadership. Each year, we design a program that not only addresses these core responsibilities but also helps you grow as a strategic leader in a rapidly evolving healthcare environment.
The 2026 program features globally recognized keynote speaker Courtney Clark and the return of audience favorite Heather Lambert. With nine thoughtfully curated sessions, including interactive panels and hands-on workshops, you’ll gain practical tools, fresh insights, and renewed inspiration tailored specifically to your unique role.
Every session, even those focused on clinical operations, is approached through a leadership lens. We build the agenda based on attendee feedback to ensure it reflects your real-world challenges and goals.
You’ll also have dedicated time to connect with peers and participate in facilitated roundtable discussions, creating space for meaningful dialogue and shared learning.
Click the “details” links below to read course descriptions.
*Continuing Education: This program is approved by the California Board of Registered Nurses, Provider #17841 for 10.25 CE Contact Hours. This program is pending approval for 10.25 hours of AEU credit and 1.25 hour of IPCH credit by BASC Provider #1016. Certificates of completion will be provided for all eligible attendees
Check In & Breakfast
Check in for the conference and mingle with peers over breakfast.
KEYNOTE | ReVisionary Thinking: The Science and Strategy of Adapting to Change
- Courtney Clark
Can you reach your goals, even if things aren’t going the way you expect? Most people (and organizations) are good at setting goals and making plans, but not very good at revising those plans when things change. But that’s the real work of resilience. Backed by Courtney’s data-driven research, ReVisionary Thinking offers concrete strategies for building “future readiness” and blazing a new path when the goalposts move on you.
Leading Beyond the OR: Strategies for ASC Operational Success
- Nancy Stephens Vanessa Sindell
This interactive workshop is designed specifically for ASC nurse leaders who play a critical role in driving operational and financial success. Through hands-on assessments and benchmarking against industry standards, participants will learn how to evaluate their center’s performance across key operational metrics. The session emphasizes practical strategies for improving efficiency, fostering team engagement, and aligning clinical leadership with financial goals, empowering nurse leaders to influence outcomes for both staff and patients.
Round Table / Break
Break or option to participate in themed and facilitated round tables discussions.
Strengthen Your Accreditation Strategy: Insights from the AOs
- Debra Stinchcomb
Accreditation can feel like a maze, provisional status, deemed status, partial compliance, and evolving standards. This panel brings together representatives from AAAHC, TJC, Quad A and ACHC to demystify the process and help ASC leaders build stronger, more strategic relationships with their Accrediting Organizations. Learn how standards are developed, how surveyors are trained, and how to choose the AO that best fits your facility’s needs.
From Risk to Readiness: Mastering ASC Infection Control
- Apryl McElheny
Infection prevention and control remain a top compliance challenge for ASCs, with surveyors often citing deficiencies that impact patient safety. This course will cover key pain points, including program and risk assessment requirements, employee health, instrument processing, and infection investigations. Through case studies and practical strategies, participants will gain a clearer understanding of regulatory expectations, learn to close compliance gaps, and strengthen their ASC’s infection control program to improve safety and readiness.
Always Ready: Strategies for Continuous Survey Compliance
- Debra Stinchcomb Lisa Nagle
This session provides practical strategies for continuous survey preparedness, including common challenges faced during inspections and proven methods to maintain compliance between surveys. Attendees will learn how to improve communication with accrediting bodies and foster a proactive culture that ensures readiness year-round.
Round Table / Breakout Session
Break or option to participate in themed and facilitated round tables discussions.
Baptism by Fire: Leading an ASC Through Crisis, Chaos, and Comeback
- Nancy Stephens Lisa Nagle Vanessa Sindell
Join a panel of VMG Health consultants as they share unfiltered real-world stories from a year of extraordinary challenges working with first-time ASC administrators. From staff turnover, legal battles, financial dysfunction, and leadership breakdowns, panelists will offer candid insights into organizational turnaround, governance recovery, and the resilience required to lead through chaos and rebuild trust. This session is not just a cautionary tale, it’s a masterclass in crisis management, leadership development, and the power of strategic consulting partnerships.
Defining Success Together: A continuous Approach to Performance Learning
- Heather Lambert
Performance expectations should drive growth and engagement not just compliance. This session focuses on transforming performance management from checklist-based oversight into a collaborative process centered on communication, transparency, and psychological safety. Attendees will gain strategies to create meaningful expectations, deliver feedback effectively, and foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement.
Informed Consent: Requirements, Risks and Practical Solutions
- Will Miller Debra Stinchcomb
Designed to equip nurse managers with a clear understanding of informed consent, this session explores the ethical, legal, and clinical aspects unique to the ASC environment. Using real-world case examples, this powerhouse attorney/nurse duo will address common consent challenges, particularly those involving minors and patients with limited capacity and outline practical solutions to ensure compliance and protect patient rights.
Making QAPI Count: True Stories, Real Impact
- Apryl McElheny Vanessa Sindell
Explore the power of Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) in action driving meaningful, measurable results. This session moves beyond policies and paperwork to highlight real-world examples from ASCs that have used their QAPI plans to solve problems, inspire staff, and achieve better patient and operational outcomes. Attendees will gain tools for implementing effective change management strategies and elevating QAPI from a mandate to a meaningful culture of improvement.
BONUS WORKSHOP | Ask Us Anything: Office Hours with VMG Health Consultants
- Vanessa Sindell Nancy Stephens Lisa Nagle Apryl McElheny Debra Stinchcomb
Wrap up your conference experience with an open-access session designed for personalized insight. Bring your toughest questions, revisit topics from earlier sessions, or explore new challenges unique to your ASC. This is your opportunity to engage directly with VMG Health experts in an informal, collaborative setting—whether you need clarification, strategic guidance, or practical solutions tailored to your facility. No agenda, no slides—just candid conversation and actionable advice.