Career Pulse

Neurologists Join Berkshire Health Systems and BMC Medical Staff

PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Health Systems announced the appointments of

Dr. Thomas J. Kwiatkowski, Jr., and Dr. Gayle B. Rebovich, board-certified and fellowship-trained neurologists, to the medical staff of Berkshire Medical Center and the Neurology physician practice at BHS.

Kwiatkowski and Rebovich join Dr. Herbert Gregg, Dr. Laurence Ufford, and Dr. Emma Weiskopf in providing comprehensive Neurology services, with offices located at the BMC Medical Arts Complex, 777 North St., Pittsfield.

Kwiatkowski served on the Neurology staff at Massachusetts General Hospital from 2001 to 2009. He received his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine and completed his residency training in Neurology from Mayo Graduate School of Medicine. He was fellowship trained in Neurodegenerative Disorders at the Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Ariz., and he is board certified in Neurology. Dr. Kwiatkowski has a Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics from Baylor College of Medicine.

Rebovich received her medical degree from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and completed her residency in Neurology at Tufts Medical Center. She was fellowship trained in Cerebrovascular Neurology at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Boston and is board certified in Neurology.

Beauzile joins Baystate Mary Lane Hospital and Quabbin Adult Medicine

WARE — Dr. Ronald Beauzile has joined the Baystate Medical Practice, Quabbin Adult Medicine as a primary care physician, providing care at both Quabbin Adult locations: 95 Sargent St. in Belchertown and at the practice located at Baystate Mary Lane Hospital in Ware.

“We are proud to have Dr. Beauzile join the Medical Staff at Baystate Mary Lane Hospital,” said Dr. Mohammed Ahmed, chief medical officer of Baystate Mary Lane and the Baystate Health Eastern Region, “He is dedicated to offering health promotion, preventive medicine and wellness to our community members.”

Beauzile is a member of the American Medical Assoc. and the American College of Physicians. He earned his medical degree from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Haiti, and completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center in the Bronx section of New York City.

“I am thrilled to be joining the Quabbin Adult Medicine team to provide care in the communities close to my home,” said Beauzile. “I chose primary care as my specialty because of the close and regular contact it allows me to have with my patients. I believe that the doctor-patient relationship is the key to good health, and I look forward to establishing this important rapport with all those that I care for. Regular checkups are a valuable tool in maintaining good health.”

“Taking proper care of your health can prevent problems in the future,” he continued, “And for patients who already have a medical condition, like diabetes, asthma, or heart disease, I will work with them to help them take an active role in their health and wellbeing.”

In addition to his love for providing health care, Beauzile plays classical guitar. He has a great appreciation for classical music and has performed professionally as a concertist in classical guitar as a member of the National Philharmonic Orchestra in his native country of Haiti and in Martinique. Beauzile is fluent in English, French, Haitian, Creole, and Spanish. In his spare time, Dr. Beauzile also enjoys playing soccer and ping pong.

Bukalo Named Medical Director of Hospitalists at Holyoke Medical Center

HOLYOKE — Dr. Nermina Bukalo has been named medical director for the Hospitalist Program at Holyoke Medical Center. Bukalo comes to Holyoke Medical from Cogent Health Care, located in Brentwood, Tenn.

She had previously worked at Holyoke Medical Center as a hospitalist/nocturnist from 2005 to 2007.

In her new post, she will be employed by Cogent Healthcare Inc. and will have both administrative and clinical duties at HMC.

“I’ve had the opportunity and the privilege of being a Holyoke Medical Center employee and it was an extremely positive experience,” said Bukalo. “This gives me an opportunity to work again with people I respect so much.

“I want to build a very strong hospitalist team in which every hospitalist will become a leader in the field of hospital medicine,” she continued. “I want to integrate our hospitalists into hospital operations and expand and tighten the collaboration with all key stakeholders of the hospital. This way we can ensure that we provide the highest quality of care to our patients.”

Bukalo, a native of Bosnia, received her medical education from the Karl Franzens University Graz Medical School, in Austria and her postgraduate training in the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Danbury Hospital, in Danbury Conn.

Lee Joins Department of Surgery at Baystate Medical Center

SPRINGFIELD – Dr. Jacqueline Ji-Eun Lee has joined the Department of Surgery at Baystate Medical Center, where she will specialize in thoracic surgery.

Lee earned her medical degree from the University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor. She completed her residency in general surgery at Tufts Medical Center and her cardiothoracic surgery fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

She has a special interest in benign and cancerous diseases of the lung and esophagus, multidisciplinary approaches to thoracic malignancies, and minimally invasive techniques for lung resections, reflux disease, achalasia, and emphysema.

Lee sees patients at Baystate Thoracic Surgery located at 2 Medical Center Dr. in Springfield. Physicians at the Baystate Medical Practice specialize in surgical management of a variety of conditions affecting the lungs and thoracic organs, including lung and esophageal cancer. Baystate Thoracic Surgery is currently the only team in Western Mass. performing advanced minimally invasive thoracoscopic procedures, including thoracoscopic lobectomy. These techniques minimize patient discomfort, increase accuracy and control during surgery, speed healing, and eliminate scarring, compared to traditional invasive surgery.

Martin Joins Western Mass Pediatrics

HOLYOKE — Because parents are involved in most aspects of their children’s health care, decisions are more family-oriented than in most adult medicine scenarios. So Dr. Elizabeth Martin’s guiding philosophy on treatment fits perfectly with her chosen field of pediatrics. She knows that, just as every patient is different, families, too, have unique approaches and dynamics.

“I try to partner with families to find solutions to their concerns, and make sure those solutions work with their style and their comfort zone,” she said.

Martin is the newest pediatrician to join Western Mass Pediatrics, with offices on the Holyoke Medical Center campus. She joined colleagues Dr. Dorothy Kelly, Dr. Daniel Parrish, and Dr. Aleska Pelaez-Acosta in the practice in July.

Martin said she became a physician because she has “always been interested in the mixture of magic and science of medicine.” As far as choosing pediatrics as a specialization, Martin added that, for her, it was an easy choice.

“I can’t imagine a more fulfilling or fun job,” she said. “I love spending my whole day with kids and making them feel better. I really love what I do.”

Pediatrics is a field that covers a wide age range — from newborns up through young adults — and Martin works gladly with all of her patients.

“I’m ready for whoever comes through our doors, from a baby’s very first doctor visit to people in their early 20s,” she said. “The big changes children go through as they get older makes pediatrics a bit more challenging than adult medicine, but that’s what makes it so interesting and engaging.”

One of the biggest challenges of her job comes not from the changes in children’s bodies as they grow, but from putting her stated philosophy in practice with some families.

“The biggest challenge is when a family or parent is resistant to the necessary care for their child,” she said. “That’s why it’s important to make sure you address their concerns in a way that fits their style.”

After growing up in Maine, Martin graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with her bachelor’s degree, then attended the Medical College at Rush University in Chicago for her medical degree. She is also a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Pediatricians who maintain their FAAP designation have obtained board certification in pediatrics and have made an ongoing commitment to lifelong learning and advocacy for children.

After training locally in Western Mass., she became committed to staying here and considers joining Western Mass Pediatrics a great opportunity.

In her down time, Martin enjoys reading and playing with her son, as well as taking walks and hikes with her family. Professionally, Martin’s immediate goal is to build her practice, and to that end, said she is gladly accepting new patients.

McKeon Joins CDH South Deerfield Rehab

SOUTH DEERFIELD — To help meet the growing demand for rehabilitation services in Franklin County, Cooley Dickinson Hospital announced the arrival of Terrance McKeon, physical therapist, at the South Deerfield Rehabilitation Services office located at 21B Elm St.

McKeon received his bachelor’s degree in Physiotherapy from Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada in 1992. Since then, he has continued his education and acquired specialty certifications in manual therapy from the University of St. Augustine and earned a lymphedema specialist certification from the Lymphedema Association of North America.

In addition to his background in physical therapy and orthopedics, McKeon has special interests in spine care, sports rehabilitation, and foot conditions.

McKeon is currently working on his doctorate in Physical Therapy though the Institute of Health Professions at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, and is accepting new patients for physical therapy services with a physician’s referral.

In his spare time, McKeon enjoys spending time with his children. He is also a triathlete and a recreational guitar player.

Millay Joins Team of Emergency Medicine Physicians at Baystate Medical Center

SPRINGFIELD – Emergency medicine physician Dr. Scot Millay has joined the medical staff at Baystate Medical Center, where he will deliver care in the state’s second-busiest Emergency Department and the region’s only Level 1 Trauma Center.

Millay earned his medical degree from University of Vermont College of Medicine in Burlington and recently completed his residency in emergency medicine at Baystate Medical Center where he served as chief resident. His numerous professional affiliations have included membership in the American College of Physicians, Emergency Medicine Residency Association, Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, American Medical Student Association, and American Medical Association.

Swiggard Relocates Practice, Expands Services

NORTHAMPTON — William J. Swiggard, MD, Ph.D has relocated his medical practice to 30 Locust St., Cooley Dickinson Hospital from Carlon Drive.

Swiggard, an infectious diseases physician, specializes in the treatment of HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C, Lyme Disease and MRSA, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. In addition, Swiggard sees patients in Cooley Dickinson Hospital’s Wound Clinic ,where he diagnoses and treats patients with chronic and/or complex wounds. He is also a resource for referring physicians and health care providers in the areas of infectious diseases and wound care.

Swiggard attended Cornell Medical School and earned his Ph.D from Rockefeller University. He completed an Infectious Diseases fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania and later joined the faculty of its medical school as an assistant professor of Infectious Diseases.

In addition to treating patients, Swiggard has spent almost 20 years in immunology research at Cornell University, Rockefeller University, The National Institutes of Health, the New York Blood Center, and the University of Pennsylvania.

Swiggard is board certified in both Infectious Diseases and Internal Medicine and is a fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Before entering medical school in his 30s, Swiggard spent many years as a singer and actor, appearing numerous times on Broadway and on national tours.

Tappin Joins Baystate Mary Lane Ob-Gyn Practice

WARE — Dr. Dyanne Tappin has joined Baystate Medical Practice Mary Lane Ob/Gyn. Tappin, Dr. Mohammed Ahmed, chief of Ob/Gyn services, and Lisa Beaudry, certified nurse midwife share the common goal of providing a full range of comprehensive care to women in the many communities served by Baystate Mary Lane Hospital.

“We are pleased to welcome Dr. Tappin to our team”, said Ahmed. “She brings with her a tremendous knowledge of women’s health and we are certain she will be a great addition to our practice.”

Tappin earned her undergraduate degree at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, her medical degree from the University of Vermont College Of Medicine in Burlington Vermont, and completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Baystate Medical Center, Tufts University, in Springfield.

Because her education was centered in New England, Tappin is excited about coming to Ware. “I look forward to joining the many physicians at Baystate Mary Lane Hospital who have been providing outstanding health care in this region over the years,” she said. “I am originally from the Midwest, but have come to love all the wonderful things New England has to offer. From the beauty of the countyside, to the mountains, and the changing seasons, this is the perfect location to enjoy the benefits of living in the county and still be in close proximity to city life; joining Mary Lane Ob/Gyn will allow me the privilege of working in a small, tight knit hospital which is also member of the Baystate Family.”

In addition to her passion for women’s health, Tappin has been a volunteer of the organization HOPE Worldwide, an international charity that delivers community-based services to the poor and needy. Tappin speaks of the many personal rewards of helping those in need as her volunteer work ranged from visiting and serving in nursing homes to cleaning neighborhoods.

Tappin joins Ahmed and Beaudry, CNM, providing comprehensive care to women at two locations: Baystate Medical Practice Mary Lane OB/Gyn, at Baystate Mary Lane Hospital in Ware or at 95 Sargent St., Rt. 9 in Belchertown.

SPHS Welcomes New Director of Pharmacy

SPRINGFIELD — Melissa Zaslow, Pharm.D, has been named to the position of director of Pharmacy at Mercy Medical Center and Providence Behavioral Health Hospital.

In this role, Dr. Zaslow is responsible for all pharmacy distribution and clinical services at the in-patient pharmacies at Mercy Medical Center and Providence Behavioral Health Hospital, and all out-patient pharmacy services at Providence’s methadone maintenance clinics and Mercy Rx.

Prior to joining the Sisters of Providence Health System, Zaslow was the Clinical Pharmacy Manager at Beth Israel Medical Center, an 800-bed tertiary teaching hospital in New York City, where she successfully implemented many drug-utilization cost savings initiatives and served in a key position during the hospital’s conversion to a physician order entry system. Previous to Beth Israel, Dr. Zaslow served as a clinical pharmacist at Hartford Hospital in Hartford, Connecticut. Her professional affiliations include serving on the Board of Directors of the New York City Society of Health System Pharmacists and membership in the American Society of Health System Pharmacists.

Zaslow received a doctorate of Pharmacy degree as well as a bachelor of science degree in Pharmaceutical Studies from the University of Connecticut in Storrs, Conn.