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Medical DialogueKEEPING PHYSICIANS ABREAST OF THE LATEST NEWS AND INFORMATION AT DIGNITY HEALTH – ST. MARY MEDICAL CENTERSUMMER 2024Q&A with Our President and New Chief of StaffFor the rst time in St. Mary Medical Center’s history, we have both a female President and female Chief of Sta. To mark this celebratory moment, each of them posed questions to one another so we can get to know them better. Arlene Vernon, MD, Chief of Staff Interview with Carolyn Caldwell, Hospital PresidentVernon: What inspired you to enter your role as President of St. Mary Medical Center?Caldwell: Becoming the Hospital President/CEO gave me an opportunity to not only do what I love professionally, which is operate hospitals, but to also work for a mission driven organization with a focus on the betterment of our community. St Mary Medical Center is a beacon of hope for so many in the Greater Long Beach Community and that is a responsibility I take very seriously as the Hospital President. Vernon: What are you most proud of at St. Mary Medical Center?Caldwell: I’m most proud of the care we provide to everyone in our community regardless of who they are, the zip code they reside in or how they identify. Whether it’s our CARE Center, which opened more than years ago to treat those impacted by the AIDs crisis, the Low Vision Center that provides free vision screenings in schools for underserved children or our Families in Good Health program, which opened in and supports the Cambodian people who immigrated to Long Beach after the “Killing Fields” genocide. Today, Families In Good Health is a multilingual, multicultural health and social education agency. St. Mary Medical Center has been answering the call for over years to provide the highest level of care to our community in an equitable manner. We have a dedicated team of employees and physicians who show up every day to ensure that we make a dierence in the lives of those we serve and that we treat all of our patients and family members with dignity and respect. Vernon: What are you most looking forward to accomplishing as the leader of St. Mary?Caldwell: St. Mary Medical Center is a Champion for Health Equity, which is critical for the health of our community. We will continue to work collaboratively with our medical team and community partners to focus on creating equal access to health care for all. The mission of our founders, The Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate World, more than years ago, was to make Long Beach a better place for all and that remains our focus today. Therefore, as the Hospital President, my goal is to continue in that spirit of our Founding Sisters to create an environment where compassionate and equitable care is at the center of everything we do. Carolyn Caldwell, President & CEO St. Mary Medical Center Since 2017Continued on page 2Arlene Vernon, MD, Chief of Staff St. Mary Medical Center January 2024 – December 2025
2 St. Mary Medical DialogueVernon: Who are your role models?Caldwell: My parents have been my greatest inspirations. Despite facing challenges, such as my father’s inability to read or write and my mother’s unnished education, they exemplied qualities of compassion, empathy, hard work, and integrity. Witnessing their dedication and pride in their achievements has deeply inuenced my own values and character. Their perseverance and the values they instilled in me have shaped me into the person I am today.Vernon: What do you like to do in your spare time?Caldwell: During my free time, I cherish spending quality moments with my husband of years. He is not only an exceptional husband but also a devoted father, grandfather, and my closest condant. As we approach our th anniversary this year, I am grateful for the bond we share. Additionally, I nd immense joy in being with my children and grandchildren, creating lasting memories and nurturing our family connections.Carolyn Caldwell, Hospital President Interview with Arlene Vernon, MD, Chief of Staff Caldwell: What inspired you to enter the medical field? Vernon: I rst saw doctor-themed TV shows when I was about nine years old and was inspired by the idea that you could save people’s lives for a living! I still think that part of being a doctor is amazing and humbling.Caldwell: What does it mean to you to be our first female Chief of Staff? Vernon: I am humbled and excited to be the rst woman in this role- and yet, am somewhat chagrined that it has taken years to happen.Caldwell: What are your goals during your term as Chief of Staff? Vernon: I want to bring an increased sense of collegiality and engagement to our Medical Sta. And I want the community of Long Beach to know what outstanding physicians work for them at St. Mary Medical Center. We are committed to providing them excellent care. I am looking forward to bringing medicine INTO the community with increased health fairs and opportunities for education on site at St. Mary Medical Center.Caldwell: Who are your role models? Vernon: Both my parents were smart and hard working, but my mom was born in the wrong generation. I got to do what she missed out on with her talent for science and engineering. Due to the era, she was steered towards home economics. I know she was proud that I became the rst in our family to be a physician. I was also lucky enough to have multiple family members model the helping professions: My aunts taught elementary school and another was a professor of nursing at Cal State LA. Beyond that, I admire Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her endless hard work that took her to the highest peak of her profession against incredible odds.Caldwell: What do you like to do in your spare time? Vernon: Together with my wife, adult children, and grandchildren, I am a homebody who enjoys family time. I also love the ocean, traveling, golng, and pickleball. When I eventually retire, I am looking forward to traveling more, learning more languages, and as a read-a-holic, reading even more books!Q&A continued from page 1MyWellness Healthy Lives Lecture Opportunity Thank you John Javien, MD, Cardiologist, for hosting the inaugural MyWellness Healthy Lives Lecture via Zoom this past February. The lecture, titled “Treating Your Heart with Kindness” provided heart-healthy tips with an emphasis on women’s wellness.If you’d like to host an educational lecture, please contact Lydia Ortega, Senior Director Business Development and a St. Mary Wellness Committee Leader at lydia.ortega@commonspirit.org or -.“There is no limit to what you can accomplish if you don’t care who gets the credit”— Ronald Reagan
St. Mary Medical Dialogue 3Survey SuccessTJC SurveyWe’re pleased to share that St. Mary Medical Center recently underwent its triennial unannounced Joint Commission Survey, which lasted four-days. SMMC was surveyed house-wide on Standards, Elements of Performance and CMS Conditions of Participation. The Medical Sta credentialing and privileging tracer was led by Tom Gates, MD, Chair, Credentials Committee; Arlene Vernon, MD, Chief of Sta; and Shannon Vinson, Director, Medical Sta Administration. During the tracer, the surveyor asked detailed questions about the credentialing and privileging process, the Initial Focused Professional Practice Evaluation also known as proctoring and Ongoing Professional Practice Evaluation programs. The surveyor was impressed and remarked, “This is probably the best Medical Sta tracer I’ve conducted.” Laboratory This past March, our Laboratory Service underwent a biennial accreditation survey conducted by the College of American Pathologists CAP. The CAP accreditation program is globally recognized as the most rigorous choice to achieve and maintain regulatory compliance. As part of the accreditation process, our laboratory is inspected every two years, either in-person or virtually in addition to a self-inspection using materials provided by the CAP. Thank you to Lisa Shane, MD, Medical Director of Pathology, for her superb leadership of our Anatomic and Clinical Pathologists and for a successful CAP Survey! Surgical Weight Loss CenterThis past November, our Surgical Weight Loss Center underwent a successful survey by the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program. Thank you to the following individuals for a successful survey: Sepehr Lalezari, MD, FACS; H. Joseph Naim, MD, FACS, Medical Director; Malgorzata Stanczyk, MD, FACS; Garren Stewart, MSN, RN; Rosita “Rosie” Venegas, Authorizations/Scheduling; Chatara Bass, Registration; Luz “Maria” Garcia, Medical Assistant; Daisy Gonzalez-Robb, RN, BSN; and Katie Monroe, MSW, Social Worker-PD.Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center This past March, The Joint Commission surveyed St. Mary as part of the process to renew our Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center Certication. This was our second successful re-credentialing for TJC certication. We did exceptionally well with only three ndings. The surveyors were extremely complimentary regarding our positive hospital culture of support and teamwork among each other and our patients, our very strong stroke care that meets above standards consistently, and our impressive periods for accomplishing our interventions. We could not have done this without the support of this exceptional team: Aakash Bodhit, MD; Ignacio Carrillo-Nunez, MD; Wled Wazni, MD; Lisa Johnson, NP, Director; Ardel Avelino, DrNP, Vice President and Chief Operating Ocer; Melinda Jennings, RN; Subita Thapa, RN; Teri Leivan, RN; Alekhine Sabalo, RN; Julia Namalata, RN; Akkieba Mills, RN; the entire IR team; and all the individuals that support our stroke patients every day.Trauma CenterThis past May, the American College of Surgeons conducted a rigorous recertication survey for our Trauma Program. Thanks to the following team members for a great display of leadership and teamwork: Brian Love, MD, Trauma Medical Director; Bill Paige, Trauma Service Program Manager; Pat Arvizu, RN; and Kathy Dollarhide, Director, Disaster Resource Center.In all four of these instances, the Medical Sta is extremely thankful and sincerely appreciates the hard work and faithful collaboration from all clinical and non-clinical partners house-wide for your tireless eorts in taking care of our patients every day.
4 St. Mary Medical DialogueCALL FOR ARTICLES: We encourage members of the St. Mary Medical Staff to submit information or articles for publication. We welcome your input! Issues are published quarterly (Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring).Article submissions are due to the Communication Department a month in advance of the next quarterly issue.Please call Tracie Gipson, Medical Dialogue Editor at 818.522.4574 or email TracieCheesemangipson@CommonSpirit.org.EDITORIAL TEAMChristina ZicklinExecutive EditorTracie GipsonMedical Dialogue EditorShannon VinsonMedical Staff DirectorBonnie MathewsMedical Staff Coordinator1050 Linden Avenue • Long Beach, CA 90813 | 1.888.4STMARY (1.888.478.6279) | dignityhealth.org/stmarymedicalOur values are the core principles that enable us to deliver humankindness.CommonSpirit Values: Compassion | Inclusion | Integrity | Excellence | CollaborationHigh Resolution Anoscopy at St. MarySt. Mary Medical Center has acquired the THD® Proctostation with High Resolution Anoscopy HRA, which gives us the ability to more precisely detect cancer. HRA features a magnifying digital camera that is connected to a scope to provide more detailed and magnied views of the anus. If an abnormal area is seen, a very small piece of anal tissue may be removed and sent to a pathologist to check for signs of cancer. The procedure takes about minutes. If you have a patient you’d like to schedule for this procedure, please call Carmen Ruiz, MD, Colorectal Surgeon, located in our bariatric clinic: -.Welcome New Physicians to the St. Mary Medical Center FamilyAnesthesiologyJoshua Clark, MD Yevgeniy Romanenko, MDNicholas Schiavoni, MD Clinical Neurophysiology Victoria Cannon, MDDiagnostic RadiologyJason Murri, DO Dentistry Farzad Farhat, DDSEmergency Medicine Yasmina Boyd, DOKylie Tyler, PA-CKunal Sukhija, MD Family Medicine & Palliative CareNicholas Jaurequi, MDGastroenterology Cameron S. Sikavi, MDHematology/Oncology Taras Benzar, MD Karla Olmedo Gutierrez, MD Amar Parikh, MDInternal Medicine/HospitalistChantell Strong, MDInterventional Radiology Omowunmi Ajibola, MDMichael Secrist, MD NeurologyAnna Chen, MDChristopher Lening, MD Orthopedic Surgery John Attenello, MDPhysical Medicine and RehabilitationHassanali S. Mohamedali, DOPodiatryIbrahim Akkari, DPM Sammy Xian, DPM Radiation OncologyDavid Khan, MDSayana Shah, MDRadiology Reza Amerinasab, MD