Operators first. Advisors second.
AxisMD was founded by two healthcare executives who spent their careers running physician organizations: building the budgets, negotiating the contracts, and sitting in the board meetings. That experience now works only for physicians.
Mark Heffer
Mark Heffer is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of AxisMD Advisory, where he partners with physicians and practice leaders to improve operational performance, accelerate growth, and build scalable care delivery models.
With executive leadership experience spanning physician practices, anesthesia, cardiology, allergy, dental, and behavioral health, Mark has built a reputation for translating complex operational challenges into practical, measurable strategies. His expertise includes practice operations, revenue cycle management, payer contracting, mergers and acquisitions, provider compensation, strategic growth, and healthcare market expansion.
Throughout his career, Mark has served in senior executive roles, including President, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Executive Officer, Vice President of Operations, and Market President. He has led organizations ranging from independent physician groups to private equity-backed healthcare platforms, overseeing multi-site operations, provider networks, clinical service lines, and large-scale growth initiatives.
At AxisMD, Mark focuses on helping practices strengthen operational infrastructure, improve financial performance, expand market access, and develop sustainable growth strategies. He is particularly passionate about supporting physician-led organizations as they navigate an increasingly complex healthcare environment.
Mark believes that successful healthcare organizations are built by aligning providers, operations, finance, and patient experience around a shared vision. His leadership philosophy centers on transparency, accountability, and creating systems that allow clinicians to focus on what matters most: delivering exceptional patient care.
Based in Dallas, Texas, Mark enjoys spending time with his wife and two daughters, traveling, and remaining actively involved in his church and local community.
Sara Sommers
Sara Sommers is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of AxisMD Advisory, where she works with independent physicians and practice owners to strengthen operational performance, evaluate partnership opportunities, and protect physician interests in complex transactions.
With executive leadership experience spanning cardiovascular, pediatric, neonatal, renal, and multi-specialty physician enterprises, Sara has built a reputation for turning operational and financial complexity into decisions physicians can act on. Her expertise includes practice operations, physician compensation design, private equity and MSO partnership evaluation, mergers and acquisitions, payer strategy, service line development, and multi-site growth.
As Regional President for Southeast Texas at US Heart & Vascular, Sara led a region with more than $150 million in annual revenue, 50 physicians, and more than 300 employees within a private equity-backed platform. Under her leadership the region expanded margins 50% year over year, grew ancillary revenue 500%, and opened two cardiac ambulatory surgery centers. She cut A/R days from 45 to 32 and raised net-to-expected revenue from 84% to 92% in six months. Across her career she has worked on more than 25 transactions ranging from $250,000 to $40 million.
Earlier roles at Mednax/Pediatrix, Texas Children's Hospital, and US Renal Care gave her experience across national physician group management, one of the country's leading academic pediatric institutions, and value-based care. Her record centers on growth that holds up: standing up new service lines, opening and integrating new sites, and meeting demanding targets by partnering closely with physicians rather than working around them.
At AxisMD, Sara focuses on helping physicians understand the economics of their own practice before someone else does: modeling compensation, pressure-testing deal terms, and building the operational infrastructure that makes a practice both more valuable and more independent.
Based in Houston, Texas, Sara is a competitive tennis player and spends her time outside of work with her husband and their children.
"You built an independent practice. We help you keep it that way."