Key Staff
Richard
DeHart
CEO
Phone: 970.484.2826, Ext. 101
E-mail: rdehart@pinnacleiii.com
Rick DeHart, co-founder of PINNACLE III,
is a leading healthcare executive with more than 18 years of experience
in the outpatient healthcare industry. His vision and collaborative management
style have brought together a nationally recognized team of experts in ancillary
service development and management. Rick provides PINNACLE
III's clients with expertise in strategic planning, development and
management of ASCs, diagnostic imaging and physical rehabilitation services.
Since its inception in 1999, PINNACLE III has become recognized as a viable entity in the national healthcare consulting market. Rick was recently acknowledged in a Today’s SurgiCenter article, “Who’s Who in the Ambulatory Surgery Industry.”
Prior to PINNACLE III’s creation,
Rick oversaw the management of 14 surgery centers in 5 states for one of
the nation's largest publicly traded surgery center companies. He
also provided operational services for several outpatient rehabilitation
facilities. He is a graduate of California State University at Chico.
Robert J. Carrera
President
Email: rcarrera@pinnacleiii.com
With over 20 years of healthcare experience, Rob has spent the last 15 years developing and managing ASCs, physical/occupational rehabilitation centers, diagnostic imaging facilities, and occupational medicine clinics in a multi-state region maintaining responsibility for over $150 million in annual revenue. Rob provides PINNACLE III clients expertise in operational and financial controls/management as well as business development for both our managed centers and physician partners.
Rob’s innovative operational approach has created solid physician loyalty to the ancillary entities he oversees. Organizations who have adopted Rob’s recommended action plans experience increased volume and enhanced bottom line performance while maintaining a high level of customer satisfaction and quality of care.
Rob has been active legislatively at the State level regarding issues affecting ASCs in Colorado, Minnesota, and Utah. He formerly served as the Colorado Ambulatory Surgery Center Association’s Vice President, and was one of its founding members.
Rob received his BS in Physical Therapy from Wayne State University in
Detroit, Michigan.
Scott
Thomas
Executive Vice President
Phone: 970.484.2826, Ext. 102
E-mail: sthomas@pinnacleiii.com
Scott's role with PINNACLE III involves
corporate systems organization and special projects related to client needs.
He brings three decades of experience in healthcare management, orthopedic
facility development and strategic financial planning to PINNACLE
III's clients.
Ginger
Farquhar
Vice President of Development and Marketing
Phone: 303.450.2227
E-mail: gfarquhar@pinnacleiii.com
Ginger is responsible for PINNACLE III’s
new client development for all product lines - ambulatory surgery, diagnostic
imaging, physical rehabilitation and centralized billing - taking clients
from initial interest to contract signing. Ginger endeavors to assist surgeons,
CEOs, CFOs and practice administrators in understanding the nuances of operationally
developing and managing ancillary services as well as assisting them in
turning their aspirations into reality. Ginger also retains responsibility
for PINNACLE III’s marketing, advertising
and image projects. As an active board member of CASCA (Colorado Ambulatory
Surgery Center Association), Ginger is positioned to participate in and
remain current with legislative actions taking place in the healthcare arena.
Prior to joining PINNACLE III, Ginger
worked for a large health care company as Regional Sales Manager. Towards
the end of her 12 year tenure with that entity, she served as Regional Vice
President for a 14 state region. In these roles, Ginger was responsible
for hiring and training sales staff as well as in-servicing facility administrators
on how to market their centers and build customer loyalty.
Kim
Woodruff
Vice President of Corporate Finance & Compliance
Phone: 303.280.9101 or
toll free 1.877.852.7552
E-mail: kwoodruff@pinnacleiii.com
Serving in administrative and financial services roles in both ambulatory and inpatient settings over a span of several decades has created unique opportunities for Kim to experience firsthand the evolution of healthcare reimbursement. Drawing on her broad-based knowledge, PINNACLE III’s clients receive training, direction, effective compliance and fiduciary structure from Kim that is pivotal to the success and growth of any healthcare concern.
Kim’s role with PINNACLE III has changed in focus several times during her employment tenure. When she initially joined them in 2003, as their Vice President of Business Office Operations, Kim provided oversight of in-house business office functions for PINNACLE III’s clients in a multi-state region. One year later, Kim launched PINNACLE CBO, a centralized billing office providing coding, billing and collection services to single and multi-specialty ASCs who desire increased efficiencies via qualified personnel in a constantly changing reimbursement environment. In 2008, Kim assumed her current position as Vice President of Corporate Finance and Compliance.
Prior to joining PINNACLE III, Kim was Practice Manager for a group of psychologists, Business Office Manager and Controller for a multi-site outpatient physical and occupational therapy practice, and held CFO positions in both inpatient rehabilitation and long-term acute care hospitals. She earned her Bachelor’s of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Colorado.
Kim is an active member of the Healthcare Billing Management Association, a non-profit trade association of professional billing companies.
Robert
Estes, MSPT
Vice President of Operations
Phone: 303.981.1100
Email: bestes@pinnacleiii.com
Bob’s 18 years in the medical field have provided him with a broad spectrum of experience. With his combined clinical training as a physical therapist and multiple business management roles, Bob brings hands-on value to all projects. Managing the many details required of all phases of operations, for multiple centers, is an area in which he thrives. Working with development and management projects for all three of our out-patient divisions, he can assist with any of our clients’ needs. He has developed and is managing our two most recent surgery centers. Obsessive about quality, his thorough and thoughtful approach for our clients and their staff ensures both clinical and business success.
Bob brought his expertise to the PINNACLE III team in January 2004 complementing our expansion of services in Diagnostic Imaging and Physical Rehabilitation. His prior work as Director of Operations for a large Radiology group in Denver included oversight of their three multi-modality imaging centers. On the forefront of digital image acquisition, storage, and HIPAA compliant networking, his centers built state-of-the art processes for efficiency and delivery of care.
Previous oversight of four free-standing imaging centers brought national awards for the businesses Bob oversaw while working for a large national corporation. He served as a member for the National Diagnostic Advisory Board based upon his innovation, contributions and management talents. His superior clinical outcomes for patient care and budgetary success while involved with multiple PT centers are among Bob’s proudest accomplishments. Consulting and teaching opportunities for the University of Colorado continue to bring Bob great satisfaction, as well.
Bob earned dual Bachelor’s degrees from the University of Colorado,
and a subsequent Master’s of Sciences Degree from the University of
Colorado School of Medicine. Complementing his clinical training and education
will be his Master’s of Business Administration from Troy University
in the fall of 2007.
Lisa A. Austin, RN, CASC
Vice President of ASC Operations
Lisa has been an RN for over 27 years. She has worked in ambulatory care for the majority of those years. Lisa’s extensive ASC operational, development, management, and consulting experience provides clients with expertise in facility administration, budget development, regulatory compliance, staff recruitment and retention, equipment procurement, policy and procedure development and implementation, and organizational interfacing. Lisa’s national ASC development and management expertise affords clients, who are opening new ASCs, unparalleled success.
Lisa has developed numerous surgery centers, working in concert with investors, corporations, hospitals, architects, builders and equipment manufactures/distributors through all phases of surgery center development and management.
Lisa has achieved CASC, the credential that connotes expertise in ASC administration.
Lisa is a board member of CASCA, the Colorado Ambulatory Surgery Center Association, and is currently chairing the committee on Emergency Preparedness Plan for ASC’s in Colorado. Lisa also served as co-chair of the Public Policy Symposium, Government Relations Committee, and is now serving on the Surgery Center Advisory Board of Med Assests.
Kelli McMahan, R.N.
Vice President of Operations
Kelli, an R.N. for greater than 28 years, began her career as a surgical technician. Upon completion of her nursing degree, she assumed roles with increasing responsibility, eventually becoming the Assistant Head Nurse with a 450 bed, 16 OR surgical suite hospital. When presented with the opportunity, Kelli assisted with the operational development and management of a large physician owned ambulatory surgery center in Fort Wayne, Indiana. At the completion of her 12 year stint in this arena, the ASC she managed performed 7,000 procedures in its 4 operating rooms, 1 procedure room, and 5 overnight suites.
Kelli also assisted the Triad Hospital in implementing a new self-contained Orthopaedic Tower for inpatient orthopaedic procedures. She brings to PINNACLE III knowledge in all aspects of ASC operational development and management and is adept in equipment procurement, budgeting, supply costing, managed care contracting, and physician relations.
Kelli is a member of the Indiana Federation of Ambulatory Surgery Centers and served on their Board for 3 years. She also served a 3 year term on MedAssets’ Surgery Center Advisory Board.
Daniel J. Connolly
Vice President of Payer Relations
Dan is the Vice President of Payer Relations for PINNACLE III. As such, Dan performs all aspects of managed care contracting including contract negotiations, renegotiations, analysis, market analysis, implementation, and compliance monitoring for ASCs in multiple markets.
Dan has worked within the healthcare industry for twenty years (both on the ancillary provider and payer sides). Dan has previously fulfilled such roles as workers’ compensation claim adjuster, claims supervisor, cost containment specialist, network development specialist, and founder/director of a large provider-based fully-integrated occupational health network.
Dan has been certified in Risk Management by the Insurance Institute of American, has a B.S. degree in Business from the University of Colorado, and has a Masters degree in Health Care Systems from the University of Denver.