Career Pulse – Nov 16
Glenmeadow Taps Thomas as New President, CEO
LONGMEADOW — Paul Nicholson, chair of the board of directors for Glenmeadow, announced that Anne Thomas accepted the position of president and CEO. She began work with the nonprofit on Nov. 1.
Thomas most recently served as vice president of residential health at JGS Lifecare in Longmeadow, and she has over 25 years of experience working with seniors.
“She has strong operational, interpersonal, team-building, and financial-management skills,” Nicholson said. “Most importantly, though, her career has been devoted solely to older adults, and she is passionate about the people she serves, including the staff members she leads. She has demonstrated that she is a driven leader.”
Previous President and CEO Timothy Cotz announced his retirement in March to “give our board the opportunity to seek my successor in a thoughtful, planned way.”
Witt/Kieffer, an executive search firm with a specialty in senior living, conducted a national search, which narrowed the field to three finalists. Each spent a day at Glenmeadow meeting with residents, board members, and staff.
Thomas holds a bachelor’s degree in social work from Providence College in Rhode Island and a master’s in social work from Hunter College in New York.
“I am truly excited about the opportunity to lead Glenmeadow as its next CEO,” Thomas said. “Glenmeadow has earned its stellar reputation by its deep dedication to improving the lives of older adults. As a core value, I have always believed later life should be the best part of life. This philosophy is embedded in the Glenmeadow community, so I was immediately attracted.”
Throughout the interview process, Thomas said she talked with many residents, employees, and board members, all of whom expressed their genuine love for Glenmeadow. “Having always worked in elder care, I know the difficulty of achieving this level of confidence,” she said. “My initial goal will be to develop strong relationships with residents, employees, and board members. It will be my true pleasure and honor to guide the team. I cannot wait to get started.”
Glenmeadow is a life-plan community known for its holistic mission and innovative programs and outreach to the wider community. Once offering services only to residents, the organization now provides services to people living across the Greater Springfield area. Through such innovations as Glenmeadow at Home, the Lifestyle Pass, and Glenmeadow Learning, area residents have access to services from transportation and care management to education. The organization employs a staff of 200.
Trietsch to Oversee New Baystate Partnerships
SPRINGFIELD — Longtime community physician Dr. Howard Trietsch, has been chosen by Baystate Health to oversee and direct new collaborative partnerships with community physicians and providers.
Trietsch, a full-time attending physician at Baystate Ob-Gyn Group Inc., where he has served as managing partner since 1990, will maintain his private practice and continue to see patients.
According to Jennifer Endicott, Baystate Health’s senior vice president, Strategy and External Relations, and chief strategy officer, Trietsch has long been a staunch advocate for Baystate and for the important role of community physicians, and recognizes that enhancing these relationships benefits both patients and the community.
“As we navigate rapid change in care and reimbursement models, collaboration among all providers is essential to our success. While we have long enjoyed collegial relationships and shared care for many patients in Western Massachusetts, today’s payment and care models create an imperative for us to work together in new and innovative ways,” said Endicott. “Dr. Trietsch is passionate in his belief that the changing world of medicine and healthcare require more focused collaboration, leading to even better outcomes in care. By addressing the challenges faced by Baystate and by community providers in this new healthcare environment, we can work together to help our patients and communities thrive.”
In his role as president of the Greater Springfield Independent Practice Assoc. and member of the Baycare Health Partners board, Trietsch has seen first-hand the advances that can be made in quality and efficiency when Baystate and independent physicians work together.
“Because I have served in leadership roles for years in a private-practice setting, on the boards of the Greater Springfield IPA, Baycare, Baystate Health, and most recently Health New England, I think I have a broad perspective on the challenges faced by all of the organizations trying to improve the health of the communities we all serve,” Trietsch said. “I look forward to using this knowledge to overcome any barriers and create mutually beneficial alliances that will strengthen the individual organizations and improve the region’s ability to manage population health.”
Trietsch has been a member of the medical staff of Baystate Medical Center since 1987 and served on the Baystate Health board of trustees from 2006 to 2014. He is a member of many medical societies and serves on numerous community boards. In the past, he has served as vice president of the Western Mass Obstetrics/Gynecology Society, as well as president of the ob/gyn staff of Baystate Medical Center. He received his medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine and completed his residency at Baystate Medical Center’s Wesson Women’s Clinic.
“Dr. Trietsch is recognized as a local physician leader in the Western Massachusetts healthcare community, and his collaborative nature with his peers is a testament to his commitment to ensuring quality and accessible healthcare,” Endicott said.
Jain Joins Medical Staff of Berkshire Health Systems
PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Health Systems announced the appointment of Dr. Gaurav Jain, a board-certified and fellowship-trained specialist in pain medicine, to the medical staff of Berkshire Medical Center and the physician staff of the New England Pain Center at BMC. He is accepting new patients in need of pain management and joins Dr. Andrew DeMaggio at the New England Pain Center.
Jain most recently provided interventional pain medicine and physiatry services at the Brain and Spine Center in Williamsville, N.Y., and Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center. He is board-certified in internal medicine, pain medicine, and psychiatry, and fellowship-trained in pain medicine and anesthesiology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He received his medical degree from King George Medical University, India, and completed residencies in combined internal medicine and psychiatry at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine.
BFMC Wound and Hyperbaric Medicine CenterWelcomes Landes to Staff
GREENFIELD — Dr. Fred Landes has joined Baystate Franklin Medical Center’s medical staff as medical director of the hospital’s Wound and Hyperbaric Medicine Center. The center is located in the Medical Office Building, 48 Sanderson St., Greenfield.
A graduate of Hampshire College, Landes received his medical degree from New York Medical College in Valhalla, N.Y. He completed an internship at Saint Vincent’s Hospital in New York City. He is board-certified by the American Board of Emergency Medicine.
Following graduation from medical school, Landes worked as a family medicine physician for Indian Health Service hospitals in Eagle Butte, S.D. and Browning, Mont. The hospitals were exclusively for tribal members, with the exceptions of emergencies such as cardiac arrest or labor.
“I worked with Cheyenne River Sioux and Blackfoot tribes in South Dakota and Montana,” he recalled. “I even tried to learn the Sioux language, but I wasn’t too successful with that.” He noted that the reservation was about the size of Connecticut, but with only about 5,000 inhabitants, so one could drive for an hour or so without ever seeing another person. “That was quite an eye-opener for a Brooklyn boy.”
It was during his work on the reservations that Landes decided to pursue emergency medicine. “An individual came in with cardiac arrest, and I was the sole physician available to resuscitate him. It was that case that made me decide I wanted to go into emergency medicine.”
Landes completed his emergency medicine residency at Lincoln Hospital and Mental Health Center, Bronx, N.Y. He has held positions in emergency departments in New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont, and has had extensive wound-care experience, both as medical director of the Wound Healing Center of the Berkshires, Healogic Inc., and, most recently, as wound care physician at the Center for Wound Healing, Brattleboro, Vt.
“I have found wound care to be both interesting and rewarding,” Landes said. “I enjoy having a long-term relationship with my patients and seeing them through to a much healthier lifestyle than they had before they came to the Wound Center.” He also greatly appreciates his staff at the Wound Center at Baystate Franklin Medical Center. “It is great to be working with a team that is both compassionate and professional.”
McCallister Joins BMC Physiatry Team
PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Health Systems announced the appointment of Dr. Adrienne McCallister, a specialist in osteopathic manipulative medicine and neuromusculoskeletal medicine, to the medical staff of Berkshire Medical Center and the physician staff of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Services of BMC. McCallister is accepting new patients in need of rehabilitation care and is teamed with Dr. Neville Walker at Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Services of BMC.
Osteopathic manipulation therapy uses gentle, hands-on osteopathic treatments to balance structure, improve function, and help the body heal from illness and injury.
McCallister received her medical degree from the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine in Biddeford, Maine, and completed her residency in ostepathic manipulative medicine and neuromusculoskeletal medicine at St. Barnabas Hospital, Bronx, N.Y.
Craft’s Role Expanded to Government, Public Affairs
SPRINGFIELD — Baystate Health has appointed Ben Craft to the new position of senior director of Government and Public Affairs.
Craft, who has served as the organization’s director of Public Affairs since 2012, is assuming the additional responsibility of government affairs to support Baystate’s needs for strong connections with local, state, and federal government amid continuing rapid change in the healthcare environment.
Craft returned home to Western Mass. to join Baystate in 2008, having worked previously at the United Nations and the Wall Street Journal in New York City. His work at the UN included communications and policy advocacy with government, nonprofit, and civil-society partners. He will report to Jennifer Endicott, Baystate’s chief strategy officer and senior vice president of Strategy and External Relations.
“With his deep understanding of the challenges facing healthcare providers today and a strong network of relationships in the community and across Baystate Health, Ben is well-positioned to serve as point person for our local, state, and federal government partners,” said Endicott. “Ben is committed to finding ways to improve the dialogue between our dedicated elected officials and Baystate Health, the largest provider of safety-net services and largest private employer in Western Massachusetts. Ben’s previous experience, particularly at the UN, will be invaluable in achieving this goal.”
Craft grew up in East Longmeadow and is a 1996 graduate of UMass Amherst.
Chau Joins Staff of Baystate Eastern Region
PALMER/WARE — The Baystate Health Eastern Region announced the addition of Dr. Zeling Chau, general surgeon, to its medical staff.
“Improving access to local surgical care remains one of our top priorities, and Dr. Chau is a wonderful addition to our team,” said Dr. David Maguire, chief medical officer for the Eastern Region, which includes Baystate Mary Lane Outpatient Center in Ware and Baystate Wing Hospital in Palmer. “He joins us in our commitment to provide community members across the region with easy access to outstanding surgical care close to home.”
Chau received his medical degree from the New York Medical College in Valhalla, N.Y., and completed his residency at UMass Medical Center in Worcester, where he served as chief surgical resident and received the 2016 H. Brownell Wheeler Outstanding Resident Award. In addition, he was inducted into the Arnold Gold Humanism Honor Society, which recognizes individuals who embody the qualities of integrity, excellence, altruism, respect, and empathy, and who serve as role models, leaders, and advocates for humanism in medicine.
As a resident of Worcester County, Chau is excited about providing care in the region he knows and loves. He is fluent in English and Chinese (Wenzhou). He is accepting new patients and joins Dr. Kelly Galster and physician assistant Michael Bell in providing surgical care in Baystate Health’s Eastern Region.
Holyoke Medical Center Honors Bombardier, Resnic
HOLYOKE — Holyoke Medical Center recently honored Dr. Garry Bombardier and civic leader attorney Burton Resnic with Lifetime Achievement Awards for their dedication and hard work on behalf of Holyoke Medical Center and the Holyoke community.
Bombardier is currently the medical director of the Work Connection, an occupational-health facility located at Holyoke Medical Center. His numerous roles at HMC began as a private-practice primary-care physician in 1979 and grew to include chief of the Emergency Department, hospital medical director, medical director for Western Mass. Physician Associates, medical director for the Holyoke EMS, and board member of both Holyoke Medical Center and Valley Health Systems.
Resnic served on the board of directors for Holyoke Medical Center for 35 years, serving on numerous committees from 1975 until he stepped down in 2010. He served as chair for the hospital’s capital campaign in 1986, which raised $3 million for facilities improvements. He is also an active member in the community, serving in volunteer leadership roles for many local organizations, including the Holyoke Public Library, Pioneer Valley Council Boy Scouts, the Holyoke Redevelopment Authority, and the Congregation Sons of Zion.
Plastic Surgeon Brooks Offers New Lip Treatment
LONGMEADOW — Aesthetic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, P.C., a community-centered cosmetic-surgery and non-invasive practice serving Western Mass. and Northern Conn., announced that the practice is among the first to offer Juvéderm Volbella XC within the Pioneer Valley. “Volbella is an injectable lip treatment that improves volume lost above the upper lip,” said board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Glen Brooks. “It has also demonstrated significant success filling in fine lines around the mouth and eyes.” Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in June, the treatment is being administered by very few providers at this time. As a ‘diamond-level’ provider of Allergan products, the manufacturer of Volbella, Brooks’ practice was selected to provide the treatment in October. Diamond-level practices represent the top 3{06cf2b9696b159f874511d23dbc893eb1ac83014175ed30550cfff22781411e5} of all Allergan providers in the U.S.