Emma Gimmel, Director of Nursing at Manhattan Endoscopy Center

Summary

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Becker’s Healthcare Podcast: Emma Gimmel, Director of Nursing at Manhattan Endoscopy Center

Date: August 17, 2025
Host: Laura Dardo
Guest: Emma Gimmel, Director of Nursing, Manhattan Endoscopy Center

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Episode Overview

This episode features Emma Gimmel, Director of Nursing at Manhattan Endoscopy Center, discussing the latest developments and trends in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), the evolution and future of endoscopy services, and how centers like hers are adapting to shifting industry and patient care demands. The conversation centers on diversification, growth, regulatory changes, and the critical ongoing role of ASCs in delivering high-value outpatient care.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Introduction and Background

• Emma’s Experience & Role (00:16 – 01:13):
  • Emma introduces herself, highlighting five years as Director of Nursing at Manhattan Endoscopy Center, recent integration into a larger corporation (SCA), and her administrative history in hospital and ASC settings.
  • Quote:
    “We became part of sca, a much larger corporation, and also remaining trying to individualize our care for our community.”
    — Emma Gimmel (00:39)

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Major Trends in Healthcare & ASCs

• Growth of ASCs Nationwide (01:28 – 03:00):

  • Emma outlines the explosive growth of ambulatory surgery centers: from 5,000 ASCs in 2010 to over 11,000 today.
  • Expansion is benefiting a wide range of specialties beyond GI, with increased focus on patient safety and criteria.
  • Quote:
    “In 2010 there were about 5,000 ASCs in the United States and right now we're like over 11,000. So it's great growth and also the benefits that provide to the general population not only in GI but in all specialties.”
    — Emma Gimmel (01:39)

• Diversification Beyond GI (02:40 – 04:10):

  • GI remains a core specialty, but Emma’s center is preparing to add non-invasive vein procedures — a significant step requiring adaptation but seen as both challenging and exciting.
  • Bringing in new specialties requires rigorous preparation: consulting experts, ensuring compliance, and modifying both the physical environment and standards.
  • Quote:
    “Bringing more services, providing for more specialties and increasing or within control our [acuity]. I think those are the three main things that I'm looking ahead.”
    — Emma Gimmel (03:40)

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Preparing for New Specialties

• Operational & Compliance Considerations (04:11 – 05:25):

  • Adding new specialties demands certifying need, altering protocols, and ensuring the environment is ready—both physically and in terms of standards.

  • Quote:
    “It is a lot of preparation... preparing the terrain, preparing the environment... but it's worth it, not only because expands our services but also because it prepares us for better and more.”
    — Emma Gimmel (04:32)

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Anticipating Federal and Industry Changes

• Federal Policy & Reimbursement Updates (05:35 – 07:00):

  • Emma is monitoring federal changes, notably the 2025 outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) updates, with a modest 2.9% increase and new approvals for previously inpatient-only procedures.

  • Resilience in the industry has positioned ASCs to adapt and play a collaborative (not competitive) role alongside hospitals.

  • Quote:
    “We have created resilience in the industry of ambulatory and we should be able to add more in order to provide better in the whole spectrum of ambulatory care—not in competition but in actually association or in collaboration with the hospitals.”
    — Emma Gimmel (06:20)

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The Role of ASCs in Healthcare’s Future

• High-Value, Outpatient Care (07:04 – 07:45):

  • The conversation highlights the increasingly prominent role of surgery and endoscopy centers in offering cost-effective, high-value care as more procedures migrate to outpatient settings.

  • Quote:
    “Part of the solution. And that's what the perspective will become, part of the solution... it's a fascinating world to remain in ambulatory.”
    — Emma Gimmel (07:24)

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Growth Strategy and Community Focus

• Adapting to Market and Community Needs (07:45 – 10:25):

  • Emma describes a cautious but optimistic approach to expansion, focusing on affordability, competitive edge, and customizing care to distinct community needs.

  • The ASC sector isn’t a “cookie cutter;” patient demographics and health needs differ, and services must be tailored accordingly.

  • Anticipated industry changes include potential impacts of increased U.S.-based manufacturing for medical supplies.

  • Safety, innovation, and offering “more for less” remain core guiding principles.

  • Quote:
    “We remain competitive, we remain applicable to the communities, not all cookie cutters. There are differences and we need to attend to those differences because the communities do deserve that attention.”
    — Emma Gimmel (08:38)

  • Quote: “These are among the things that I'm looking forward to see—hopefully everything to congruently work. So we remain in business and also... the best option for... more accurately procedures and for the care of our communities.”
    — Emma Gimmel (10:08)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Industry Growth:
  “...Great growth and also the benefits that provide to the general population not only in GI but in all specialties.”
  — Emma Gimmel (01:39)

• On Preparing for Diversification:
  “It is a lot of preparation... but it's worth it... because it prepares us for better and more.”
  — Emma Gimmel (04:32)

• On Collaboration with Hospitals:
  “Not in competition but in actually association or in collaboration with the hospitals. So we can be part of the solution of healthcare as a need in our nation.”
  — Emma Gimmel (06:28)

• On Community and Customization:
  “Not all cookie cutters. There are differences and we need to attend to those differences because the communities do deserve that attention.”
  — Emma Gimmel (08:38)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:33 — Emma Gimmel’s background and Manhattan Endoscopy Center’s journey
• 01:28 — Major trends transforming ASCs: growth and diversification
• 04:32 — Operational steps to add new specialties
• 05:35 — Upcoming federal payment and regulatory changes impacting ASCs
• 07:24 — The evolving role of ASCs in U.S. healthcare as high-value, low-cost providers
• 08:00-10:25 — Outlook on growth, community focus, and the impact of industry changes

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Episode Takeaways

Emma Gimmel articulates a vision for ASCs centered on agility, service diversification, close community ties, and a collaborative (rather than competitive) stance with traditional hospitals. She underscores the pivotal role outpatient centers have in healthcare transformation by providing more accessible, patient-focused, and financially sustainable care. The discussion emphasizes the broader trend of innovation and expansion in the ambulatory surgery sector, highlighting both the exciting opportunities and the operational complexity of growth and diversification.

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Transcript

[A]

This is Laura Dardo with the Beckers Healthcare Podcast. I'm thrilled today to be joined by Emma Guimo, who is a Director of Nursing at Manhattan Endoscopy Center. Emma, it's a pleasure to have you on the podcast today.

[B]

Thank you so much for the opportunity and the privilege to participate. Thank you, Laura.

[A]

Absolutely. Well, I'm excited for the opportunity to speak with you because I know there's so much happening in healthcare and particularly the GI Endoscopy center space is just truly fascinating. So I'm excited to hear your perspective. But before we dive in, can you introduce yourself and tell us just a little about your background? Sure.

[B]

Thank you personally. Manhattan Endoscopy center serving as a Director of Nursing. Next month is going to be five years now, throughout the changes of not only our current administration, which we became part of sca, a much larger corporation, and also remaining trying to individualize our care for our community. Before that it's been in between hospitals and ASC, most the last 13 years in ASCs and mostly in administrative positions.

[A]

Well, that's great to hear and absolutely I know things are kind of constantly shifting and changing, so I can appreciate that flexibility now. What are the top three trends that you're following in healthcare and ASCS today?

[B]

Healthcare today and ASCS. We have grown so much in the past 30 years. From the time they started ASCS in the 70s to right now has been a big loop and from the last, I would say 20 years even more. In 2010 there were about 5,000 ASCs in the United States and right now we're like over 11,000. So it's great growth and also the benefits that provide to the general population not only in GI but in all specialties. And we haven't stopped really adapting to other specialties, into bringing other specialties into ases. So that is exciting and beautiful to see. We are actually seeing some transformation and the ability to provide care for the most majority. Except we remain ASC criteria specific to for patient safety. And I think that is very important. Although there is more and more to be done in ASCs, we do maintain that patient safety perspective and limit to ASCs 1, 2 and 3. Even though we do see more accurity in patients nowadays, we still remain providing patient safety also. Well, with that said, GI has actually been one of the forefront NISS and remains one of them. But in order to survive, we see that we kind of benefit from extending our services to other to incorporate other specialties other extend our services. Our present practice is actually looking forward to bringing Non invasive vein related procedures. And so that will be a big step for us to extend our services and I'm looking forward to it. Having had experience in a multi specialty surgery before going beyond GI here, it's going to be amazing. So yeah, bringing more services, providing for more specialties and increasing or within control our curie. I think those are the three main things that I'm looking ahead.

[A]

Absolutely. That makes a lot of sense. And you know, it's particularly intriguing to think about adding more services and specialties. What is it like to prepare for him and actually bring in a new specialty? When you have a legacy of being a single specialty center in the past, how do you have to think differently and do things a little bit differently in order to make that work?

[B]

Actually it is, it is a lot of preparation involving special our consultants and also preparing the terrain, preparing the environment to actually comply with with all certificate of need needed to be changed. So with that also we need to prepare to maintain not only the standard we in the physical environment that we have, but also increasing our outlook and what needs to be done and maintain in order to add that specialty. It's, it's. It's a lot of involvement but it's worth it in the. Not only because expands our services but also because it prepares us for better and more.

[A]

Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. Thank you for speaking to it. Now what are the most exciting things that are on your mind right now? What are you looking forward to?

[B]

I'm looking forward to see what changes is the Federal Health Administration going to bring just recently and we were looking for it. The opps were published for the 2025 and we are okay considering that could be a different Panorama with a 2.9 increase and also with the perspective on increasing older, more complicated or previously never thought brought into ambulatory procedures approved. So that is a good thing to see and. But yes we will. I'm looking forward to see what is going to bring us the new changes and how we're going to adapt to it. I think we have created resilience in the industry of ambulatory and we should be able to add more in order to provide better in the whole spectrum of ambulatory care. Not in competition but in actually association or in collaboration with the hospitals. So we can be part of the solution of healthcare as a need in our nation. If that makes sense. Right?

[A]

Absolutely. Absolutely. No, I love that. I think there's such an important role that surgery centers and BASCO centers and you know, the outpatient services really plays, especially as more care goes outpatient and you know, the health care system at large is looking for more ways to provide that high value, low cost care, Correct?

[B]

Yep. Part of the solution. And that's what the perspective will become, part of the solution. Acting should remain as a denominator even though there are so many pieces that are variables. But it's a fascinating world to remain in ambulatory.

[A]

Absolutely. Now, before I wrap up here, I'm curious, how are you thinking about growth over the next 12 months or so? I know we talked a little bit about that in previously in the conversation, but when you think about growth, even in some of your legacy services, what does that look like?

[B]

So as we witness and are part of the ongoing effort to become an affordable health care system nationwide, I'm looking ahead to see what is it. There are changes that are going to accomplish this, perhaps not in a turnaround 190 degrees, but little by little and to solve some of the biggest issues, financial issues with the health care system. I believe that ambulatory can provide strong elements of solution for this, but we need to remain aware of where we're going with it. I'm looking to that and at the same time make sure that we remain competitive, we remain applicable to the communities, not all cookie cutters. There are differences and we need to attend to those differences because the communities do deserve that attention. Changes will be happening and I'm looking forward to it in the next 12, probably initially 12 months, but it probably will extend to longer. Remain safe, remain best possible option for, for patients and as we increase our purity and then growing, keep just growing and offering more for less if that would be possible somehow. Also the creations of manufacture business, manufacture suppliers within the United States, how is that going to affect us? It's yet to really be seen. So a few changes coming in the 12 months, but these are among the things that I'm looking forward to see hopefully everything to congruently work. So we remain in business and also we remain an option, the best option for this more accurately procedures and for the care of our communities.

[A]

Absolutely. Well Emma, thank you so much for joining us on the podcast today. This has been such an informative and enlightening conversation and I look forward to connecting with you again soon.

[B]

Thank you so much, Nora. It's good to see you again.

[A]

Absolutely. And you know, definitely looking forward to seeing you at our ASC meeting in October is just such a unique and fun time to see people in person and be connecting about the big challenges as well as continuing these conversations that we've been having today. So thank you so much for being here, and I look forward to seeing you in person there, too.

[B]

Looking forward as well. Thank you, Laura.