Working Relationships Between Evergreen Surgeons  

Published in FromWithin, Oak Leaf newsletter, June 1998

Evergreen Surgical's secret to success may be due to the great working relationship of the three partners, Steven C. Immerman, M.D., Brent M. Wogahn, M.D. and Rick J. Daniels, M.D.

"We all get along so well," said Wogahn, who has been with Evergreen Surgical for almost three years.

These general surgeons, who specialize in surgical oncology and general, vascular, thoracic and laparoscopic surgery, emphasize the importance their staff has on their success.

"I think it is the small size of the office that makes things work well. In general, each of the staff members know all the patients. The surgeons have close communications about difficult situations," Immerman said.

"Our staff is very knowledgeable, not only in the patient-care aspects, but all the insurance and paperwork aspects," Daniels said.

Within the summer of 1996, Daniels finished his general surgery residency at the University of North Dakota, moved to Eau Claire, began a new practice and married his wife, Amelia. That was a lot of change in a relatively short time, which caused "high" stress, Daniels admitted. But, the staff's experience and the team effort of the partners helped make the transition easier.

The group effort of this clinic is one of its main strengths. Staff members are cross-trained to do multiple tasks, and the physicians are always ready to provide assistance to staff members and each other. For example, Daniels is learning thoracic surgery from Immerman." I am fortunate to have Immerman to teach me," said Daniels, who noted that surgery residents are not taught thoracic surgery as extensively as they were 20 or 30 years ago.

"We are constantly doing something different," Wogahn explained. "After three years, it is rare that a month goes by that we do not perform a new procedure."

The physicians' work philosophy is not all they have in common. Both Immerman and Daniels are busy with home renovation projects and enjoy working with computers. In addition, Wogahn and Immerman spend a lot of time with their families. Immerman, and his wife Eileen, have three sons, Doug, 13, Andy, 9 and Matt, 7. Wogahn and his wife, Kristin, who is a Family Practice physician with Pine Grove Family Practice, have a daughter, Kimberly, 5 and son Kyle, 19 months.

Like Wogahn, Daniels enjoys spending time in the outdoors, although, because he has no children yet, finds much more time for outdoor activities than Wogahn. All three enjoy living in Eau Claire.

"We really like Eau Claire, both the community in general and the medical community," Daniels said.

Immerman can take the credit for creating this dynamic trio of physicians. He had the foresight, among many other things, to recruit the two Eau Claire newcomers.

A native of suburban New York, Immerman was accepted into medical school right after high school. He spent two years as an undergraduate at Northwestern University before entering their medical school. He finished medical school early and went on to complete their five-year surgical residency program. He completed an American Cancer Society Clinical Fellowship in surgical oncology at Evanston Hospital in Evanston, Illinois.

After being lured to the area for a vacation by his roommate, Chippewa Falls native Steven Cook, M.D. in 1975, Immerman decided that the Chippewa Valley was a perfect place to eventually begin his practice in 1981.

Immerman understood the value of being an independent physician both to himself and his patients, and yet he worried that if trends continued, it would be impossible for any independent physician to survive. It was his leadership that led to the formation of Oak Leaf Medical Network.

"I thought it was paradoxical that our group of physicians had the greatest numbers, the greatest skill, probably the best patient satisfaction, and yet, because we did not have an organization to look out for our interests regarding providing group marketing, contracting, recruiting and helping with business ventures, that we were going to rapidly lose market share," Immerman explained.

The initial creation of the "clinic without walls" was the most difficult, Immerman admitted, but today the network is not only growing but thriving.

"Without Oak Leaf, independent physicians would slowly be eaten up," said Wogahn, who likes being independent but also appreciates the cohesiveness of the Oak Leaf members.

"Oak Leaf is a vital organization," Daniels explained. "I think it is the only way to survive in the managed care market today. Independent physicians need to group together and help each other. To stay independent, they have to offer their services as a group. Oak Leaf offers that. So, you have the best of both worlds."

"That is the whole point of Oak Leaf - trying to keep the successful small clinic doing what they are doing," Immerman said. "So far, we have been successful. Over the last five years, we have been adding physicians instead of losing them."

For more information on Evergreen Surgical, call 832-1044.