Career Pulse

PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Health Systems has announced the appointment of Dr. Thea Calkins, a board-certified, fellowship-trained cardiologist and specialist in echocardiography, to the medical staff at Berkshire Medical Center and the physician staff of Cardiology Professional Services at BMC.

Calkins comes to the Berkshires from Maryland, where she served for many years as director of the Echocardiography Lab at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore. She also previously served with Chesapeake and Washington Heart Care in Waldorf and Leonardtown, Md.; the Veterans Administration Hospital in Manchester, N.H.; as well as Baltimore and Perry Point VA Hospitals, the University of Maryland Medical Center, and Sinai Hospital of Baltimore.

She is board-certified in cardiovascular disease and was fellowship-trained in cardiology at the University of Michigan Hospital and Johns Hopkins Hospital. Calkins received her medical degree from Stanford University School of Medicine and completed her residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital and the University of Michigan Hospital.

Calkins is accepting new patients in need of cardiology care and echocardiography testing, and provides comprehensive cardiology services, transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography, stress testing, and holter and EKG interpretation.

For an appointment with Calkins or one of her colleagues, call (413) 395-7580.

WESTFIELD — Jack Wolfe, Noble Hospital’s director of Pastoral Care, was honored at the 2014 MICAH Awards Ceremony on Jan. 25.

Each year, the Pioneer Valley Project holds the MICAH (Ministry in Community Action Honoree) awards dinner to recognize local church members for their service to the community. Various member churches and organizations nominate individuals who exemplify service and embody the writings of the prophet Micah.

Wolfe is a longtime member of Christ Church Cathedral in Springfield, which nominated him for the award. He has held almost every leadership position at the cathedral, including Bible study attender, adult education leader, and choir member.

After being hospitalized himself, he felt the need to minister to other hospital patients, so, for the past eight years, he has volunteered as a pastor and the director of Pastoral Care at Noble. He donates thousands of hours of compassionate spiritual guidance to patients, families, and friends. He has also been instrumental in setting up a live and taped spiritual-service schedule that airs on Noble TV, the in-room patient channel.

Wolfe was honored with the Noble Spirit Award in November 2013, an award that is given annually in appreciation of an individual’s dedication, commitment, and care to the hospital, staff, patients, and community.

SOUTH HADLEY — Nurse practitioner Laurette Patten recently joined Hampshire County Internal Medicine, working with clinicians Dr. Patrick Boyce and nurse practitioner Jenna Jolly. Her interests include women’s health; chronic illness, such as diabetes and hypertension; and preventive medicine.

Patten earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Vermont and a master’s in family health from UMass Lowell, as well as a nursing certificate in geropsychiatric and mental-health nursing. She said her goal is “to provide care to adults with a mix of diagnosing and treating health conditions. I educate patients on disease prevention and healthy lifestyle choices and how they impact the whole person, family, and community.”

Prior to joining Hampshire County Internal Medicine, Patten worked at Amherst Medical Associates.
She is accepting new patients at 84 Willimansett St., located near the Big Y Supermarket. Same-day appointments are available. For more information or to schedule an appointment with Patten, call (413) 534-1665.