Conference Schedule

ACCESS Foundation

2026 ASC SUMMIT

“Build It Right. Own Your Future.”

Friday, March 13, 2026 — Scottsdale, AZ

Format: 7-minute talks + panel discussion after each session

Optional Optional ASC Tour (Phoenix)

10:00 – 11:15 AM

Location: Heart Health Center ASC — Phoenix, AZ

Led by: Vijay Swarup, MD · Sudarone Thihalolipavan, MD

Pre-Event Registration, Lunch & Exhibits

12:00 – 12:30 PM

Connect with ASC development partners, vendors, and national faculty before the program begins.

Main Program (12:30 – 5:15 PM)

Plenary Opening Welcome

12:30 – 12:35 PM

Plenary Opening Keynote (7 min)

12:35 – 12:42 PM

Topic: Why the Future of Cardiac Electrophysiology Is Moving to the ASC Setting and Why Timing Matters

Speaker: Vivek Y. Reddy, MD

Session I — The Evolving Landscape of Outpatient EP 12:42 – 1:17 PM
Moderator: Vivek Y. Reddy, MD
›
12:42 – 12:49
From Hospital-Centered EP to the ASC Model: Structural Shifts and Clinical Implications
Speaker: Dhanunjaya Lakkireddy, MD
12:49 – 12:56
From Cardiologist to OrthoArizona CEO: The ASC Scaling Story—and the Playbook EPs Can Adapt
The real-world lessons on throughput, standardization, supply chain discipline, and physician governance that made Ortho scale.
Speaker: Rajan Bhatt, MD, MBA, FACC, FACP— CEO, OrthoArizona (the Southwest’s largest orthopedic group and one of the top 3 largest in the country)
12:56 – 1:03
Outpatient EP After CMS Approval: Current State and Near-Term Trajectory
Speaker: Cathleen Biga, MSN, MACC
1:03 – 1:17
Panel Discussion + Audience Q&A
Panelists: Dhanunjaya Lakkireddy, MD, Rajan Bhatt, MD, Cathleen Biga, MSN, MACC, Christie Yoder, RN MSN CPHQ CASC
Session II — Establishing and Operating a Successful EP ASC 1:17 – 1:57 PM
Moderator: Arash Aryana, MD, PhD
›
1:17 – 1:24
Developing an EP ASC: A Turnkey Solution?
Speaker: Philip Blair
1:24 – 1:31
Developing Independent EP Practices in the ASC Environment: A Turnkey Solution to My Independent EP Practice
Speaker: Kai Worrell
1:31 – 1:38
Economic Fundamentals of EP ASCs: EBITDA Drivers, Capital Recovery, and the 24-Month Horizon
Speaker: Mark Willcox, MD
1:38 – 1:45
ASC Management Essentials: Operational Oversight, Regulatory Compliance, and Billing
Speaker: Prab Nandivada, MBA
1:45 – 1:57
Panel Discussion + Audience Q&A
Panelists: Philip Blair, Kai Worrell, Mark Willcox, MD, Prab Nandivada, MBA

Pause Break

1:57 – 2:07 PM

Refresh, connect with colleagues, and visit industry exhibits.

Session III — Payer Strategy, Contracting, and Cash Flow 2:07 – 2:42 PM
Moderator: Vijay Swarup, MD
›
2:07 – 2:14
Payer Contracting for Ablations and EP Procedures in ASCs
Speaker: Nathaniel Arana
2:14 – 2:21
Product Reprocessing and Cost Optimization: An Underutilized Lever for Margin Enhancement
Speaker: Arin Barooah
2:21 – 2:28
Vendor Partnerships and Group Purchasing: Achieving Scale Without Margin Erosion
Speaker: Vijay Swarup, MD
2:28 – 2:42
Panel Discussion + Audience Q&A
Panelists: Nathaniel Arana, Arin Barooah, David Kenigsberg, MD, Ashish Sadhu, MD
Session IV — Legal, Regulatory, and Structural Considerations 2:42 – 3:17 PM
Moderators: Arash Aryana, MD, PhD
›
2:42 – 2:49
State Regulatory Frameworks, Certificate-of-Need Barriers, and Anticipated Changes
Speaker: James Daniel, Jr, JD, MBA
2:49 – 2:56
Stark Law, Anti-Kickback Statute, and ASC Structures at Regulatory Risk
Speaker: Brad Martorana, JD
2:56 – 3:03
ASC Syndication Models: Aligning Growth, Compliance, and Physician Governance
Speaker: Vijay Swarup, MD
3:03 – 3:17
Panel Discussion + Audience Q&A
Panelists: James Daniel, Jr, JD, MBA, Brad Martorana, JD, Vijay Swarup, MD, Ashish Sadhu, MD

Pause Break

3:17 – 3:27 PM

Quick reset before the final two sessions.

Session V — ASC Partnership and Governance Models 3:27 – 4:02 PM
Moderator: Vivek Y. Reddy, MD
›
3:27 – 3:34
Hospital–Physician Joint Venture ASCs: Strategic Rationale, Alignment, and Early Experience
Speaker: Roderick Tung, MD
3:34 – 3:41
Private Equity–Physician Joint Venture ASCs: Governance Structures, Incentives, and Practical Tradeoffs
Speaker: David Kenigsberg, MD
3:41 – 3:48
Toward a Physician-Led, Nationally-Coordinated, Specialty-Aligned Framework for Outpatient EP
Speaker: Arash Aryana, MD, PhD
3:48 – 4:02
Panel Discussion + Audience Q&A
Panelists: Roderick Tung, MD, David Kenigsberg, MD, Arash Aryana, MD, PhD, Tim Attebery, DSc, MBA, FACHE
Session VI — Designing and Operating a High-Functioning EP ASC 4:02 – 4:55 PM
Moderators: Vijay Swarup, MD
›
4:02 – 4:09
Designing the Ideal EP Procedure Suite — Evidence-Based Decisions and Lessons Learned
Speaker: Marwan Tamimi
4:09 – 4:16
Staffing, Sedation, Workflow, and Turnover — Operational Models That Scale Safely
Speaker: David Kenigsberg, MD
4:16 – 4:23
The RCM Command Center: Scorecards, Benchmarks, and Controls for ASCs
Speaker: John Lynch
4:23 – 4:30
From Case to Cash: How to Build a Same-Day EP/ASC RCM Workflow That Actually Works
Speaker: Ashish Sadhu, MD
4:30 – 4:37
Clinical Research in the ASC Setting — An Emerging Platform for Growth and Innovation
Speaker: Kenneth Ellenbogen, MD
4:37 – 4:55
Panel Discussion + Audience Q&A
Panelists: Marwan Tamimi, David Kenigsberg, MD, John Lynch, Ashish Sadhu, MD, Kenneth Ellenbogen, MD

Closing Closing Keynote (7 min)

4:55 – 5:02 PM

Topic: The Next Decade of Cardiac Electrophysiology: Outpatient Care as the Emerging Standard

Speaker: Roderick Tung, MD

Wrap Closing Remarks

5:02 – 5:07 PM