SBL Now Majority Owner of Effingham Ambulatory Surgery Center

Sarah Bush Lincoln purchased membership shares from United Surgical Partners International and is now the majority owner of the Effingham Ambulatory Surgery Center.

Agreements were reached with United Surgical Partners International of Texas and the physician owners in late December. The sale and transfer agreements were effective April 1. SBL also purchased the facility located at 904 West Temple in Effingham on March 13, which houses the Effingham Ambulatory Surgery Center (EASC).

Sarah Bush Lincoln President & CEO Kim Uphoff said, “We’ve enjoyed our relationship with the physician owners over the last five years and look forward to working with them to build on the success of the Surgery Center.” SBL has been a partial owner of EASC since November 2018. It has a 97 percent patient experience score from Press Ganey, a third-party national company that surveys patients about their experiences, and has received the Pinnacle of Excellence Award in 2020, also from Press Ganey.

“We look forward to collaborating with the physician owners to ensure the surgery center continues on the same path,” Uphoff added.

The transaction was also approved by the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Board.

Effingham Surgery Center Board President, Dr. James Flaig said, “Over the last five years Sarah Bush Lincoln has been a tremendous asset to the center. With this acquisition, Sarah Bush Lincoln has become an even stronger partner to the center. We look forward to where this partnership will take the surgery center and its award winning care into the future.”

SBL purchased shares from United Surgical Partners International (USPI) giving SBL approximately 72 percent ownership.

Other owners include:

James Flaig, DO, general surgeon

Kelly Haller, MD, gynecologist

John Kay, MD, ophthalmologist

Lisa Kowalski, MD, general surgeon

Frank Lee, MD, orthopedic surgeon

Kevin Malone, MD, general surgeon

Jason McAllaster, DO, general surgeon

Nash Naam, MD, hand surgeon

Didi Omiyi, MD, orthopedic surgeon

Lisa Sasso, MD, hand surgeon

Joseph Spraul, MD, ophthalmologist

Patrick Stewart, MD, hand surgeon

Jay Swanson, DDS, oral maxillofacial surgeon

Uphoff added, “I look forward to working with Jeany Dunaway, who has been with the Surgery Center since 2001 and currently manages the operations. Jeany, the surgery center staff and surgeons all do an excellent job.”