Ep. 215 Rethinking how surgeons deliver care with Dr. Ronen Elefant

Description: In this episode of the BOSS Business of Surgery Series, I sit down with Dr. Ronan Elefant, trauma surgeon, entrepreneur, and pilot, to explore a radically different way of delivering surgical care. Dr. Elefant shares how his background in biomedical engineering shaped his view of surgery, why he believes healthcare insurance should be reserved for catastrophic events, and how transparent, bundled cash pricing can lower costs while paying surgeons more. We discuss his company, ACES National Surgical Team, which leverages underutilized ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) nationwide—without building hospitals. We also dive into how aviation allows him to scale surgical access across multiple states, manage complications safely, and maintain quality of life—plus how mid-career surgeons can shift from achievement to mentorship without burning out. Keywords: surgery entrepreneurship, healthcare economics, cash-pay surgery, ambulatory surgery centers, surgeon business models, physician leadership, nontraditional surgical practice