Testimonials and References

"Like all practices we are always looking for ancillary revenue opportunities. We are a medium size neurosurgical practice and have a strong relationship with a local neurology practice. While neither practice was of a size to make an imaging investment work, working together we felt that an MRI could cash flow. Mr. Veals set up a block leasing company where patients from each practice would have access to a state-of-the-art, large-bore MRI. Mr. Veals handled everything from the initial pro-forma, leasing company set-up, MRI installation and even the insurance contracting for one of the practices. As the medical landscape has changed so have our needs and because of the advanced capabilities we have found that our MRI facility is in broader demand than a block-lease arrangement will legally allow. We have again turned to Mr. Veals this time to set up an IDTF. We know of no other person that embodies all of the skills and experience needed for this project."

David VanSickle, MD, PhD
Neurosurgeon
South Denver Neurosurgery

"Overworked and concerned regarding directions we might take for our future, our Gastroenterology group contacted Stephen Veals. He developed and facilitated a first rate strategic planning session that allowed us to create an effective road map for our current and future operations as well as our growth and succession strategies. He effectively implemented a physician recruitment plan that was highly individualized to our specific practice and partner needs. Through his superb national recruitment efforts we had three first tier Fellowship Trained Gastroenterologists to choose from. When we selected a very sought after Gastroenterologist, he assisted us in the implementation of a successful onboarding program designed to get our Gastroenterologist introduced and quickly accepted for referrals from a number of well respected referring community physicians. As a highly regarded former Specialty Medical Group Practice CEO and Administrator, Stephen brings a wealth of high level experience, knowledge, and effective strategies. He is patient, professional and works quickly and efficiently to bring excellent results which addressed the many diverse needs of our gastroenterology medical practice and endoscopy center. We highly recommend Healthcare Strategies and Solutions, LLC and Stephen Veals."

Stuart Saslow, M.D.
Fellowship Trained Gastroenterologist and Partner
Digestive Health Associates and Southwest Endoscopy Center
Durango, Colorado

"Diversified Radiology has had the great pleasure of working with Stephen Veals of Healthcare Strategies on two separate projects. Stephen has a keen sense of what is needed to make things work. He clearly understands the complex dynamics of the modern radiology and healthcare environment, providing invaluable assistance to those wishing to expand or develop their practice. From start to finish he was intimately involved in the projects, serving as a reliable and effective liaison between health care providers, us, and the numerous vendors and entities on the business side of medicine. He anticipates problems before they occur and provides stabilizing leadership and guidance throughout the process. Stephen has the global perspective needed to make sure projects go smoothly and efficiently. We highly recommend his services and look forward to future collaborative endeavors."

Kelly Lindauer, MD
Musculoskeletal Radiologist
Diversified Radiology of Colorado, P. C.

I knew from the first time I spoke with Stephen Veals that I had a friend and an ally in my quest to improve our busy four-person orthopedic practice. He responded to me with complete understanding of the issues I presented to him with an action plan that has carried us through the past two years with great success. In addition, to many other practice areas, with his assistance we have negotiated a beneficial Orthopedic Services Plan with our local hospital, have installed a state of the art Extremity MRI unit, have dealt with very challenging Human Resource and Operations issues, and our medical group is performing in a manner that is very significantly improved over its previous state of functioning prior to Stephen’s retention. In the process I have gained a friend and reliable consultant to help guide us through the coming years of ongoing need for healthcare strategies. Stephen has been a pleasure to work with and I look forward to using his consulting skills to help guide us through the changing healthcare environment.

Andreas Sauerbrey, M.D.
Orthopaedics of Steamboat Springs
Steamboat Springs, Colorado

As we all know, managing a physician practice in this day and age is becoming increasingly more difficult. In somewhat of a crisis state this past summer Stephen Veals (Principal of Healthcare Strategies and Solutions) was recommended to us and came to our rescue. Our group of Neurosurgeons, Orthopedic spine surgeons and Physiatrists were in need of improved business direction. Our clinical services functioned well, but our business bottom line wasn’t flourishing the same way. After an introductory phone call and an email or two it became evident that we needed his help and he rather quickly flew to Michigan. After two long days, visiting all of our practice sites, multiple employee and physician interviews, financial data analysis, and patient data analysis, he presented to us an organized and professional overview of our practice. We learned about issues from patient flow, billing, collections, inadequacies in insurer contracting, practice style differences between physicians that could hamper production, employee issues, and basically we were presented a ‘to-do’ list in how to remedy our practice. We understood where we ranked on a national basis with regards to our business performance. Stephen is energetic, honest, and extremely knowledgeable in national practice trends. If you are in need of a medical practice business analysis and resulting strategy to optimize your business I would strongly recommend contacting Healthcare Strategies and Solutions, LLC, and speak with Stephen Veals…..

Jason A. Brodkey, M.D., F.A.C.S., F.I.P.P.
Board Certified Neurosurgeon, Board Certified Pain Medicine,
Fellowship Trained Spine Surgeon
President; Michigan Brain and Spine Institute, dba;
Ann Arbor Spine Center
Ann Arbor Michigan

Stephen Veals (Principal of HCSAS) has excellent skills in all aspects of the design, creation, management, strategic growth, and leadership for a specialty group medical practice. He reminded me that Wayne Gretsky, the hockey legend, once said; “I don’t skate to where the puck is, I skate to where it is going to be”. That is the same kind of thinking and action Stephen brings to the table. If you are interested in creating or ensuring you are a part of a financially sound, cost effective, efficient, clinically progressive, customer service friendly, leading edge medical practice, I would encourage you to contact Healthcare Strategies and Solutions, Stephen can make it happen……

Andrew J. Paterson, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Chief of Adult Orthopedic Spine Surgery
Department of Orthopedics
University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, New Mexico

When Stephen Veals (Principal of HCSAS) was recruited to Pinon Hills Hospital in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the hospital was losing large amounts of money, had closed treatment units, and was in a very undesirable and negative situation. Stephen worked with the Administrative Team and Medical Staff and developed and implemented a very clear, innovative, clinically sound, and highly effective set of strategies to save the facility. In the year following his arrival, with his direct assistance, our Specialty Hospital made a dramatic and very positive return to profitability and success. Our success was highly acclaimed nationally and won the coveted Touchstone Award from the American Society of Healthcare Marketing and Public Relations (American Hospital Association).

Robert Hillman, M.D.
Psychiatrist-Santa Fe, New Mexico
Previous Medical Director-Pinon Hills Hospital

For a number of years, I observed Stephen’s work with a high profile medical group. I saw his effectiveness, consistency, and real results in building from the ground up; the highest quality medical entity to be found anywhere in the United States…….I had often said, my organization needed a Stephen Veals to be as an effective business as possible. Even though he was in the Medical Practice/Hospital field and not in the IT/Network business world, we asked him to take on the challenge and he has given our organization the ; analytical skills, business intelligence and expertise, customer service programs, wisdom and guidance, to increase in size, success, and customer satisfaction. I can strongly recommend his services to any business that aspires to achieve the greatest level of success!

Ryan Bono, President
Computer Medics, LLC
Colorado, New Mexico, Texas

Stephen Veals (HCSAS Principal) was contacted, assisted me on a moment’s notice and with great success, in making sure we had a very effective customer service program for our MRI services. I strongly recommend to all medical entities, his guidance and strategic assistance in the area of Ancillary Service Implementation. Stephen possess the knowledge, skills and expertise of the best consultants along with the ability to understand the physician psyche, which ensures optimal results.

George D. Trantow, MHA
Executive Director
Aspen Orthopedic Associates
Aspen and Basalt Colorado

I had been trying to recruit a new physician into my pediatric practice for a few years to no avail. Running a solo practice does not allow one the time needed to properly pursue such an endeavor. Stephen was hired to help with this task and now I have a new physician in my practice! Stephen created an action plan that allowed us to ensure that we were approaching the task in a strategic manner. Throughout this undertaking, Stephen was always open to my concerns, questions and suggestions which allowed me to feel as though I was still in the driver’s seat. When my current physician showed an interest in the practice, he brought a level of professionalism to the process that I could not have. My young physician was given information on the local community including schools, neighborhoods, and the local economy as well as taken to the places he had carefully determined might be of importance to the physician candidate. I believe that Stephen made my practice irresistible as compared to the other practices my physician was evaluating. Thank you Stephen for all of your assistance!

Pakhi Chaudhuri, M.D.
Pediatrician
Pediatric Associates
Durango Colorado

The process of fellowship training in Orthopedic Spine Surgery is daunting enough. Much more daunting however, is as a younger physician, determining where you wish to practice, and who you wish to practice with. Stephen Veals (HCSAS Principal) very adeptly, facilitated my recruitment, hiring, relocation, and seamless inclusion in the private practice setting. He provided me with invaluable professional guidance every step of the way in creating successful patient treatment schedules and practice patterns in the clinic setting. He patiently provided professional understanding, and interpretation of sometimes complex partnership and practice documents. He created and implemented a flawless strategic marketing and business development plan that brought me great regional exposure and an outpouring of patient requests to be seen, seemingly overnight. Stephen has created in the high profile, high volume practice setting, a very successful and welcome set of strategies for blending the needs of the senior partners with the needs of the less senior partners, resulting in the necessary but sometimes elusive and challenging group practice cultural understanding. I owe Stephen my sincere appreciation for my very successful transition from; physician candidate, to employed physician, to full physician partner. He is patient, personable, highly skilled, and a great consultant asset to any and all medical entities who chose to utilize his many diverse talents and skill sets.

Douglas G. Orndorff, M.D.
Orthopedic Spine Surgeon-Partner
Spine Colorado

Northeast of Santa Fe, New Mexico is a vast area served by Northeastern Regional Hospital in the community of Las Vegas, New Mexico. The only Orthopedic Surgeon in this somewhat remote community had retired and the community hospital faced a significant challenge in hiring and supporting another Orthopedic Surgeon. Stephen Veals (HCSAS Principal) was the administrator of an Orthopedic Group in Santa Fe and was the architect, negotiator, and full facilitator of a novel, very successful joint venture between Northeastern Regional Hospital and his orthopedic group. Stephen coordinated my recruitment, hiring, and relocation from Atlanta to Las Vegas, and set up a strong fully functioning satellite clinic that was supported from Santa Fe. A number of years later, I continue to live and practice in Las Vegas, NM. I thank Stephen for his guidance, advice and assistance. I remain very impressed with Stephen and the process and strategy undertaken to make this important joint venture possible.

Paul Conescu, M.D.
Orthopedic Surgeon
Las Vegas, New Mexico

Stephen Veals (Principal of HCSAS) has been contacted by the physicians in our group, often at short notice, and asked to analyze a significant problem, determine the best possible solution to practice and shareholder needs, and provide quick delivery of the solution(s). Stephen has provided state of the art, well conceived, and group friendly solutions. These solutions have been appropriate for our physicians and our group. Stephen is a get it done, no frills, high quality professional. We have been impressed with his ability to build winning relationships between physician groups and community hospitals. Stephen’s success in building high quality, high profile medical groups is well known. He is a friendly and pleasant person, this of course, make all interactions more successful.

Kimberly Priebe, M.D.
FACOG, Partner
Four Corners OB/GYN
Durango, Colorado

Stephen Veals (Principal of HCSAS) has been providing highly successful consulting services to our multi site physical therapy practice for a number of years. He has provided us with financial and business analysis, payer analysis, and internal and external customer service analysis and plans. He has assisted us in the recruitment, hiring, and mentoring of a high quality administrator. Most recently he conducted a thorough top to bottom assessment of our managed care plans, and he very successfully negotiated a vastly superior set of managed care contracts for our group. He has been contacted and responded on a moment’s notice when we required high level crisis management assistance. Stephen is extremely knowledgeable about all aspects of the medical field. He has clearly identified what he was going to do on our behalf, and he did it, always with great results. His ongoing assistance has been a significant factor in our continued success, and we hope to always be able to call upon Stephen’s formidable experience and skills.

Randy Junttonen, PT
President
Integrated Physical Therapy
Durango, Colorado