Career Pulse – Sep 2015

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Medical Center (HMC) has announced the appointment of John Kovalchik as manager of the hospital’s Center for Behavioral Health.

With extensive experience leading services in healthcare, community-based behavioral health, and child welfare, Kovalchik will spearhead the delivery of the Center’s Outpatient Services as well as the facility’s Partial Hospitalization and Intensive Outpatient Program.

“We are pleased to welcome John to this key role at Holyoke Medical Center. His experience managing clinical and outpatient services makes him uniquely qualified to support the Center for Behavioral Health,” said Spiros Hatiras, HMC’s president and CEO.

Added Kovalchik, “I am honored to join Holyoke Medical Center. I am committed to relentlessly partnering across hospital departments and community-based organizations to ensure that the clients of our programming and services receive the quality care they need at a difficult time. This includes building on our success and working to improve patient navigation and user experience.”

The Center for Behavioral Health’s psychiatric services and array of programs support individuals, families, and groups. These include access to smoking-cessation programs, treatment for gambling addiction, group-based sessions, psychiatric evaluation, medication management, and family interventions.

Holyoke Medical Center’s Behavioral Health division has seen more than 17,000 patient visits over the past calendar year.

Kovalchik was most recently director of Clinical Services at the Children’s Study Home in Springfield, where he directed all clinical programming and served as a member of the organization’s senior leadership team. He received his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Western New England University in 1992 and a master’s degree in social work from the University of Connecticut in 1998.

NORTHAMPTON — Chief Medical Officer Dr. Mark Novotny, announced that Dr. Peter Elsea will join Cooley Dickinson Medical Group, Northampton Family Medicine in September. The practice, located at 22 Atwood Dr., provides primary care to patients of all ages.

Board-certified in internal medicine and pediatrics, Elsea comes to the family practice from Cooley Dickinson’s hospitalist program, where he has served as the medical director of both the adult and pediatric teams. Hospitalists are physicians who specialize in caring for hospitalized patients and coordinate care among doctors, nurses, subspecialists, and other key clinical staff from admission through discharge.

In addition to his position with Cooley Dickinson, Elsea is the medical director of the Health & Wellness Center at Williston Northampton School in Easthampton.

Elsea earned his medical degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, and completed his internship and residency at Baystate Medical Center. As a family physician, he is particularly interested in travel medicine, adolescent health, and health promotion and wellness through exercise and sports medicine.

“I pursue a whole-family approach, and I’m interested in caring for all members of a family,” he said. “I have worked with all ages, from newborn all the way through adulthood and into the dying process. I feel that I have a good grounding in the complexities and outcomes of medical management.”

Northampton Family Medicine also welcomed nurse practitioner Chalice Santorelli this spring. Elsea and Santorelli join Dr. Julia de Almeida, Dr. Timothy Parsons, Dr. Henry Rosenberg, Dr. John Tsongalis, and nurse practitioners Christina Collins and Alexis Gorman the growing family practice.

HOLYOKE — Western Mass Physician Associates (WMPA) announced that pediatrician Dr. James Pribula has rejoined its pediatric practice, an affiliate of Holyoke Medical Center (HMC).

Pribula brings 30 years of experience in pediatric care for infants through adolescents in the Pioneer Valley. He will see patients at WMPA, located at 10 Hospital Dr., Suite 201, Holyoke, (413) 534-2800.

Board-certified in pediatrics since 1991, Pribula is also certified in pediatric advanced life support and neonatal resuscitation. He previously served as HMC’s chief of Pediatrics for many years. He returns to WMPA after having served most recently as Pediatric Department chief, pediatrician, and hospitalist at Sharon Hospital in Sharon, Conn.

“I am pleased to welcome back Dr. Pribula,” said Spiros Hatiras, president and CEO of Holyoke Medical Center and Valley Health Systems Inc. “His experience and leadership in the field of pediatric care exemplifies HMC’s team of medical professionals and our commitment to providing quality, community-based care for the Pioneer Valley.”

Added Pribula, “rejoining HMC is an exciting opportunity for me to work with a trusted team of highly skilled and caring medical staff. It is a privilege to be a part of HMC’s umbrella of award-winning care that gives patients and families peace of mind that their healthcare needs are our first priority.”

Pribula brings to WMPA extensive experience as a pediatric generalist and hospitalist, having previously practiced general pediatrics in a two-physician practice in New Milford, Conn. and as a pediatric hospitalist at Shady Grove Adventist Hospital in Rockville, Md.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in biology from Fordham University and a master’s degree in biology at Fairleigh Dickinson University. He earned his doctorate in medicine from Saint Georges University School of Medicine in Grenada, West Indies. He completed his residency in pediatrics at Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, N.J.

GREENFIELD — Anne Corrinet, a nurse midwife at Baystate Medical Practices – Pioneer Women’ Health, was recently inducted as a fellow in the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) at its annual meeting in National Harbor, Md. Fellowship in the ACNM is an honor bestowed upon midwives who demonstrate leadership, clinical excellence, outstanding scholarship, and professional achievement.

A graduate of the University of Vermont, Burlington, with a bachelor’s degree in nursing, Corrinet completed her master’s degree in maternal-child health nursing at Boston College. She received her certificate in nurse midwifery at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

Corrinet has been practicing as a nurse midwife since 1981, when she practiced at Greenfield Ob/Gyn Associates, and has been on staff at Baystate Franklin Medical Center since then. She joined Pioneer Women’s Health in 2009.

Leadership on a national, regional and local level was part of the criteria earning the fellowship honor for Corrinet. During her 43 years as a certified nurse midwife, she has been an active member of the American College of Nurse-Midwives, serving on the board of directors, the clinical practice committee, and the education committee. She was part of a team developing three sets of guidelines for alternative birth sites: establishing a home birth practice, establishing an alternative birth center (out-of-hospital), and establishing a hospital birth room. She also helped develop guidelines for experimental education programs.

Locally, Corrinet founded the first nurse midwifery private practice in Western Mass. in 1981 and co-developed the first in-hospital birth center in Western Mass. in 1985. She also co-wrote legislation legalizing CNM practice in Massachusetts.

“I am constantly impressed with how much progress we have made as certified nurse midwives over my years in practice,” Corrinet said. “When I first joined ACNM, there were, tops, about 150 members in the association; now there are over 4,000.” That progress includes obtaining hospital privileges, being authorized to write prescriptions, and, overall, being accepted as colleagues by the American College of Ob-Gyns.

NORTHAMPTON — Physical therapist Erin Menard-Johnston has joined the Rehabilitation Services team at the Atwood Health Center, a program of Cooley Dickinson Health Care.

She comes to Cooley Dickinson from her most recent position at Pioneer Spine and Sports Physicians in East Longmeadow. Menard-Johnston earned a bachelor’s degree in health science and a master’s degree in physical therapy from Quinnipiac University. In addition, she received a doctor of physical therapy degree from Temple University.

For the past 14 years, Menard-Johnston has worked as a licensed physical therapist throughout Hampden County at area hospitals, sports-medicine practices, and outpatient clinics. Her areas of interest include orthopedic and sports injuries, manual therapy, and neurological disorders. She is a certified Cincinnati Sportsmetrics instructor and enjoys developing community-outreach programs for athletes of all ages.

The Sportsmetrics program is a specific plyometric training approach that is used to prevent anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. Physical therapists Jennifer Johndrow, Rehab Services, Southampton, and Teingo West, Rehab Services, Atwood, are also Sportsmetrics-certified instructors.

To make an appointment or for more information, call (413) 582-2113.

PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Health Systems announced the appointment of Dr. Dawn Brooks, fellowship-trained medical oncologist, to the medical staff of Berkshire Medical Center (BMC) and the physician staff of Berkshire Hematology Oncology.

Brooks is accepting new patients in need of oncology care, and joins a team of experienced specialists at the BMC Cancer Center. She is partnered with Drs. Michael DeLeo, Harvey Zimbler, Trevor Bayliss, and Paul Rosenthal at Berkshire Hematology Oncology.

Brooks is board-certified in internal medicine and fellowship-trained in medical oncology from Oregon Health and Science University. She received her medical degree from the University of Florida College of Medicine and completed her residency in internal medicine at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in New Hampshire. She also has a PhD in molecular biology from Princeton University.

For an appointment with Brooks or one of her colleagues, call Berkshire Hematology Oncology at (413) 443-6000.

HOLYOKE — Dr. Elizabeth Noyes, an American Board of Family Medicine-certified family practitioner, has joined Western Mass Physician Associates (WMPA), an affiliate of Holyoke Medical Center (HMC). Specializing in internal medicine, Noyes will practice at 10 Hospital Dr., Suite 305, in Holyoke.

“Dr. Noyes is a tremendous asset to WMPA and Holyoke Medical Center, as she is committed to advancing the goals of personalized patient care, which leads to better healthcare outcomes,” said Spiros Hatiras, president and CEO of Holyoke Medical Center and Valley Health Systems Inc.

Added Noyes, “I am excited to join WMPA and HMC. Holyoke Medical Center’s growing reputation is making it the healthcare provider of choice for more and more residents. I look forward to helping Pioneer Valley residents access the critical care they need to support their overall health and wellness goals.”

Noyes previously worked in private practice for several years in Pittsburgh. A graduate of the College of New Jersey in Trenton, the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, and the School of Osteopathic Medicine in Piscataway, N.J., she served as chief resident from 1993 to 1994 at the Forbes Health System in Monroeville, Pa., where she completed her residency in family medicine.

Additionally, Noyes serves as a study coordinator for two separate FDA studies. She will be traveling to Tanzania, Africa this fall with her husband, neurosurgeon Dr. Christopher Comey, former chief of surgery at Holyoke Medical Center, to provide medical care for patients in a rural setting.

Noyes is accepting new patients and works on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. To make an appointment, call (413) 533-2452.

LEE — Ashlee Salvador recently joined Porchlight VNA/Home Care as the new associate director of Human Resources. She has more than nine years of experience in human resources, including recent positions in the service and hospitality industry in the Greater Springfield area. Her expertise lies in talent recruitment, organizational training and development, and leadership coaching.

Salvador earned a bachelor’s degree in resource economics and environmental science from UMass Amherst. She also completed an MBA from American International College. She also volunteers for the American Red Cross Disaster Response Team and serves as the recruitment and new-membership alumni advisor for her college sorority, Sigma Kappa, at the University of Hartford chapter.

At Porchlight, her focus will be on continuing to grow the agency’s reach in the community with talent recruitment, staff development, and retention strategies. Porchlight has received several awards, including HomeCare Elite Awards of Excellence as one of the top 500 home-health agencies in the U.S. from Decision Health and National Research Corp. Most recently, Porchlight is the only Western Mass. home-care agency with a five-star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid.

LONGMEADOW — Aesthetic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, P.C., a plastic-surgery and non-invasive practice serving Western Mass. and Northern Conn., announced the practice has been recognized with the prestigious Diamond Status by Allergan Inc., and CoolSculpting Premier Crystal Status by ZELTIQ Aesthetics Inc.

Allergan is an innovator of modern medicine, best-known to the public as the maker of Botox Cosmetic, Juvederm, and Latisse. ZELTIQ Aesthetics is a medical-technology company focused on developing and commercializing products utilizing its proprietary controlled-cooling technology platform. The CoolSculpting System, ZELTIQ’s first commercial product, is designed to selectively reduce stubborn fat bulges that may not respond to diet and exercise.

“Expertise is essential for the best results, which is why it’s important for patients to consider not just what treatment will provide the desired aesthetic, but also the skill level of the medical professional providing the treatment,” Brooks said. “While many cosmetic practices and other medical providers do offer treatments like injectable fillers by Allergan, they most likely have not achieved Allergan’s Diamond Status. This designation is more than just a label — it’s a vote of confidence that these medical professionals are the best in their industry.”

Brooks is a board-certified plastic surgeon who sees patients and performs procedures at several local hospitals, including Baystate Medical Center, Mercy Medical Center, Baystate Noble Hospital, and Holyoke Medical Center. He is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the New England Society of Plastic Surgery, and the Mass. Society of Plastic Surgeons.

LONGMEADOW — Erika Kaftan has been appointed assistant director of Educational Services at the Willie Ross School for the Deaf. She replaces Linda Carfora, who is retiring after more than 20 years at Willie Ross.

Kaftan will oversee the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System Alternate Assessment (MCAS-Alt) portfolios and the School to Work program. She also will assist in supervising and evaluating staff, hiring new staff, and reviewing and approving quarterly progress reports.

Prior to joining Willie Ross last month, Kaftan was the individualized education plan (IEP) coordinator at the EDCO Program for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Newton. She also worked as a teacher for the deaf at the high-school level at EDCO.

Kaftan began her career as a paraprofessional and substitute teacher for elementary-school students at a charter school in California. She received her bachelor’s degree in liberal arts from California State University, Northridge, with a focus in American Sign Language, and went on to earn two master of education degrees, from Boston University in deaf education and from Endicott College in organizational management.

The Willie Ross School for the Deaf provides a comprehensive educational program stressing academic excellence that focuses on the development of students’ intellectual, social, and emotional growth from the early childhood level through high school. Willie Ross serves students at its main campus in Longmeadow and at its partnership campus located in the East Longmeadow public schools. Mainstreaming opportunities are provided at the partnership campus.

EASTHAMPTON — Brian Lepine recently purchased Fitness Fusion after working at the gym for a year.

Because he had worked at Fitness Fusion for a year with former owner John Glynn, Lepine said the transition was seamless. Fitness Fusion, at 150 Pleasant St., offers personal training in small and large group classes as well as in one-on-one and boot camp-style sessions. The gym also offers nutrition counseling and discounts for families, corporations, and those in the military.

Lepine graduated from the American College of Sports Medicine with a degree in personal training. He feels lucky to have found his passion in training and wants to share it with anyone who is interested in attaining their health and fitness goals.

“There is a sense of support and community here that you can feel from the first time you enter the gym,” Lepine said. “Fitness Fusion is not your average fitness center. Members motivate each other — not just the personal trainers. We work hard and have fun.”

Fitness Fusion welcomes people of all ages and fitness levels. For a calendar of events or to read Lepine’s blog, visit fitnessfusioneasthampton.com. For more information, contact Lepine at (413) 977-3938 or info.fitnessfusion@gmail.com.

WORCESTER — AdCare Hospital has named Mary Beth Papcsy Community Services representative for Central Mass.

Papcsy served as Public Relations and Marketing coordinator at AdCare for nearly a decade, a role she enjoyed tremendously, she said, “because of the excellent treatment AdCare provides for so many individuals and families struggling with substance-use disorders and also because AdCare continues to grow to meet the huge need for treatment in our community.”

As Community Services representative for Central Mass., she will assist area organizations in providing substance-use treatment to employees and patients, and continue to increase public awareness of AdCare Hospital’s wide range of care for substance-use disorders.

Papcsy’s background combines public relations/marketing positions with teaching experience. She holds a bachelor’s of arts degree in English from Trinity College in Hartford, and a master’s degree in Marketing from Clark University in Worcester.

Conceived in 1975 as a 10-bed alcoholism service in a general hospital, AdCare Hospital in Worcester provides the care for people affected by substance-use disorders, and operates inpatient and outpatient facilities in Worcester, Boston, Quincy, North Dartmouth, and West Springfield, Mass., and in Warwick and North Kingston, R.I.

PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Health Systems announced the appointment of Dr. Kyle Chambers, an otolaryngologist and head and neck surgeon, to the medical staff of Berkshire Medical Center and the physician staff of Berkshire ENT & Audiological Associates, P.C.

Chambers — who specializes in medical and surgical care of conditions of the ears, nose, throat, sinuses, and upper aerodigestive system for adult and pediatric patients — is accepting new patients in need of ear, nose, and throat care, joining Dr. John Loiodice at Berkshire ENT & Audiological Associates.

Chambers received his medical degree with honors from the University of Washington in Seattle and completed his residency in otolaryngology and head and neck surgery through Harvard Medical School in a combined training program at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Massachusetts General Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Boston Children’s Hospital. He also received additional training in the diagnosis and treatment of allergies.

For an appointment with Chambers, ask a physician for a referral or call Berkshire ENT & Audiological Associates at (413) 448-8291 in Pittsfield or (413) 664-5484 in North Adams.