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In this issue Top Honors from Healthgrades Welcome New Medical Sta Director Shannon VinsonStreamlining Credentialing UpdateMedical Sta Leadership Education & Training Top CDI Query Response Achievers Honoring Our Veterans St. Mary’s First-Ever Hybrid Cerebral Case Inaugural Spirit of St. Mary AwardsHelping Hands Holiday Event for Deserving Children Welcome New Physicians to the St. Mary Medical Center FamilyNational Women Physicians DayPhysician Appreciation EventEmployee Health Services Move California Medical Board’s New Requirement for Physicians Physicians in the News In Memoriam John Rosental, MDMedical DialogueKEEPING PHYSICIANS ABREAST OF THE LATEST NEWS AND INFORMATION AT DIGNITY HEALTH – ST. MARY MEDICAL CENTERWINTER Top Honors from HealthgradesThanks to our physicians’ steadfast commitment to excellent patient care, Dignity Health – St. Mary Medical Center is nationally recognized in critical care and received several ve-star ratings from Healthgrades, the leading marketplace connecting doctors and patients. Notably St. Mary Medical Center is a recipient of the Critical Care Excellence Award™ for the second consetcutive year -. To identify top-performing hospitals, Healthgrades evaluated patient mortality and complication rates for of the most common conditions and procedures at nearly hospitals across the country.Below is a complete list of St. Mary Medical Center’s achievements.•Critical Care Excellence Award™ for Years in a Row -•Five-Star Recipient for Cranial Neurosurgery •Five-Star Recipient for Gallbladder Removal Surgery for Years in a Row -•Five-Star Recipient for Treatment of Respiratory Failure •Five-Star Recipient for Treatment of Sepsis for Years in a Row -Thank you to all of our physicians for your commitment to providing the exceptional care that made these awards possible.
2 St. Mary Medical Dialogue.Welcome New Medical Staff Director Shannon VinsonPlease welcome St. Mary Medical Center’s New Medical Sta Director Shannon Vinson. In this role, Shannon will promote Medical Sta compliance with regulatory and accreditation agencies by continuously monitoring the operations of the Medical Sta oce.Shannon joins us most recently from Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, Texas, where he served as Assistant Director of Medical Sta Services, Graduate Medical Education and Continuing Medical Education. Shannon brings a strong background and knowledge in health care administration, provider relations, leadership, and health care quality improvement. He received his undergraduate degree in Healthcare Administration from The University of Arizona and a Master of Business Administration from Texas Woman’s University.We’re excited to welcome Shannon to the St. Mary Medical Center family.Medical Sta Leadership Education & TrainingMedical Sta Leadership education and training is coming to St. Mary Medical Center. The Medical Sta, in collaboration with Administration, will be hosting a day and a half training session for the Medical Sta Ocers, Department Chairs, Committee Chairs, Administration, and the Community Board on Saturday, January and Sunday, January , at the Hotel Maya in Long Beach. This event is by invitation only for all interested Medical Sta Leaders who have received details about this training.Streamlining Credentialing UpdateThe CommonSpirit Credentials Verication Oce CVO is now conducting the verications of credentials on all applications to the Medical Sta, with the exception of those applying for locums privileges. In addition, the second cycle of Medical Sta reapplications have been sent electronically to all practitioners scheduled for reappointment in April and May of . These improvements will have a positive impact for practitioners and their oce managers who are involved with credentialing matters by streamlining this process and signicantly reducing duplication. A huge thank you to the entire Medical Sta Services Department Team, Bonnie Mathews, Casey Coker, Shelley Leigh, Je Nortelus, and Robert Garcia for their work on this project. Please feel free to reach out to any one of these professionals at with any questions or if you run into a glitch during your application or reapplication submittal.IntegrityExcellenceCompassionInclusionCollaboration
St. Mary Medical Dialogue 3.Top CDI Query Response Achievers High physician response rates help accurately reect patient severity of illness and intensity of service. We thank the following physicians for their diligence and commitment to St. Mary Medical Center. Criteria for Top Clinical Documentation Improvement CDI Query Response Achievers: Only physicians with three or more queries and an answer rate of – are included. Below are the top achievers for September, October, and November . Congratulations on a job well done!Christopher Allahverdian, MD, Internal MedicineFataneh Amidi, MD, Obstetrics & GynecologyAakash N. Bodhit, MD, Neurology Chester Choi, MD, Infectious Disease Debby Chung, MD, Internal Medicine Michael Cogan, MD, Obstetrics & GynecologyJose De La Rosa, MD, Obstetrics & GynecologyMamak Eatesam, MD, Internal MedicineNima Fatehi, MD, Internal Medicine Peter Ferrera, MD, Internal MedicineReza Ghetmiri, MD, Internal MedicineMauricio Heilbron, Jr., MD, General SurgeryBrittany Hessell, DO, ResidentPhilip Hill, MD, Orthopedic SurgeryRasam Hosseinian, MD, Internal MedicineBrian Hugh, DO, Internal MedicineJohn Issa, MD, Internal MedicineKaushik Ivaturi, MD, Internal MedicineRajveer Joea, MD, Internal MedicineWisam Khader, DO, Internal MedicineAhmad S. Khalifa, MD, Obstetrics & GynecologyThersia J. Knapik, MD, Critical Care SurgeryTaft Knowles, DO, ResidentJonathan Kuo, MD, NeurologyNedal Machhor, MD, Neonatal/Perinatal MedicineAli Mahdi, MD, Internal MedicineRabin Mizrahi, MD, Obstetrics & GynecologyKerry Moseman, MD, Internal MedicineJames Murray, MD, Critical Care SurgeryVisal Nga, DO, Internal MedicineKhang N. Nguyen, MD, Internal MedicineMinh Nguyen, MD, Cardiovascular DiseaseNora Nikprelevic, MD, Resident Paola Ortiz, MD, ResidentIris Partovi, MD, Internal MedicineRonald Philipp, DO, Family MedicineGarrett Pehote, DO, ResidentBrian Rayhanabad, MD, Internal MedicineTara Reid, DO, Family Medicine Aaron Richler, MD, NephrologyVatche Satamian, DO, Internal Medicine Fazeel Shah, DO, Internal MedicineSharareh Shahangian, MD, Internal MedicineRyan Smith, MD, PediatricsVannarith So, MD, Internal Medicine Ravi Solanki, DO, Internal MedicineFrederick L Staord, MD, General Surgery Joanna Tan, MD, Internal Medicine Marian Varda, DO, Internal MedicineChok Wan, MD, Internal MedicineJohn Young, DO, Family MedicineHonoring Our VeteransThis past Veterans Day, St. Mary Medical Center was pleased to host a special gathering to honor our hospital’s employees, physicians and volunteers who served or currently serve in the armed forces. A special thank you goes to our very own Jonathan Pryor, MD, Trauma Surgeon and former Navy Captain, for spearheading our rst in-person event, which included keynote speaker Sergeant Star Manning, US Marine Veteran and the seventh and eighth grade string ensemble from Westerly School of Long Beach who gave a beautiful performance.Jonathan Pryor, MD, Trauma Surgeon and former Navy Captain (left), spearheaded SMMC’s Veterans Day Event, which featured keynote speaker, Sergeant Star Manning, US Marine Veteran.
4 St. Mary Medical Dialogue..St. Mary’s First-Ever Hybrid Cerebral CaseIt’s been said that it takes a village to raise a child; the same can be said for treating a patient with a condition so uncommon, some would call it inoperable.While visiting Southern California, a man suered a seizure and presented to St. Mary Medical Center’s Emergency Department. A cerebral angiogram determined he had a vascular lesion brain bleed called a pial arteriovenous stula–a condition so rare that there have only been reported cases since .The lesion was too small to treat using a minimally invasive embolization and also too small to see during an open brain surgery. The patient was placed on life support while our medical team considered the next course of action to save his life.“We had to gather all of our neuro experts and put our heads together to understand how to move forward,” recalls Wled Wazni, MD, Neurologist. “Understanding the cerebral anatomy, and what is normal versus abnormal was key to treating this patient with a hybrid approach, which involved both skill and smarts.” This expanded team consisted of Dr. Wazni; Azadeh Farin, MD, Neurosurgeon; Michael Kim, MD, Neurosurgeon; Anesthesia, a full complement of nurses, and technologists from the OR, Radiology, and Interventional Radiology.This team determined the best method to operate was to perform the hospital’s rst-ever hybrid approach to a cerebral lesion complemented by uoroscopy and intraoperative neuromicroscope. The team was fortunate that the neuromicroscope was recently purchased with funds raised by St. Mary Medical Center’s Foundation. It’s used specically for these types of cases, and helped to pinpoint the precise location of the lesion during surgery.“This was next level treatment that is oered only at tertiary hospitals,” explains Dr. Wazni. “At a community hospital like ours, some would classify this case as inoperable. Even though it wasn’t standard procedure, every physician, nurse, and technician was united in the belief that, ‘We have a job to do and this is how we are going to do it.’”Due to the limited space in the OR, the team had to move the uoroscopy machine in and out of the room in between steps while operating with the C-Arm and intraoperative neuromicroscope, but they managed it seamlessly. And while the room was full of medical team members, everyone performed their jobs uidly. Most importantly, the patient’s lesion was successfully removed and he is doing well. “The success of this case has opened the ood gates for us to work together in condence as we treat lesions that other providers may not want to tackle” says Dr. Wazni. “Sometimes it takes a village, and this was proven in this case.”Left to right: Azadeh Farin, MD, Michael Kim, MD, and Wled Wazni, MD, collaborated on how to perform the first hybrid cerebral case at St. Mary Medical Center.
St. Mary Medical Dialogue 5.Helping Hands Holiday Event for Deserving ChildrenSanta had lots of helpers at St. Mary’s Helping Hands event in December. Our hospital sta and administration were joined by Councilwoman Suely Saro, Long Beach Fire Department, Long Beach Police Department Explorers, LA Galaxy Mascot, Cozmo, and the Salvation Army to deliver gifts to hundreds of deserving children at our annual community drive-thru event. Thank you all for being there and helping make this event a success.Inaugural Spirit of St. Mary AwardsSt. Mary Medical Center had the honor of recognizing three outstanding individuals with its inaugural Spirit of St. Mary Awards at its recent holiday party.Robert Lugliani, MD, who retired after years of service with St. Mary Medical Center, was honored with the Spirit of St. Mary Award. Dr. Lugliani was praised for his devotion to patients, for his service to our hospital, for his generosity as a donor, for embodying the highest ideals of his calling as a physician, and for so wonderfully fullling our mission.Dr. Tanya Stewart, one of Dr. Lugliani’s seven children, oered a tribute to her father as a person, a devoted father, and loving husband. Speaking for the Medical Sta of St. Mary Medical Center, Dr. Greg Hanley, former Chief of Sta, referred to Dr. Lugliani as a role model for younger physicians and a great teacher.Also honored were Long Beach Chief of Police, Wally Hebeish, for his department, as well as Chief Xavier Espino on behalf of the Long Beach Fire Department. Carolyn Caldwell, SMMC President, stated,“The Spirit of St. Mary Award is presented to those who live humankindness - the idea that every person has the power and potential to bring healing to others. We are honored to present these new awards.” Carolyn Caldwell, SMMC President, presents Spirit of St. Mary Awards to Chief Xavier Espino on behalf of the Long Beach Fire Department (left), and Long Beach Chief of Police, Wally Hebeish, for his department (right).Tim Aldrete, Foundation Trustee Chair (left), presents a Spirit of St. Mary Award to Robert Lugliani, MD.
6 St. Mary Medical Dialogue.Welcome New Physicians to the St. Mary Medical Center FamilyAnesthesiologyThiendang Nguyen, MDCritical Care Medicineliam Li, MDGynecologic OncologyStephen Lee, MDJe Lin, MDHand SurgeryJerey Seip, MDInternal MedicineWali Abawi, DOSamir Mehrotra, MDJohn Myung Lee, MDReza Rasouli, MDCharles Shumaker, MDZubin Udwadia, MDMariam Zakher, MDInterventional RadiologySarah Raza, DONeurosurgeryMichael G. Kim, MDPlastic & Hand SurgeryJi Hye Son, MDPlastic SurgeryDonn Hickman, MDPsychiatryDebbie Change, MDPulmonary MedicineSahil Chopra, MDPatricia Hogan, MDRadiologyLinda Armstrong, MDJerey Zuckerman, MDSurgical Critical CareRaja Mahidara, MDVascular SurgeryMark Archie, MDMeena Archie, MDNational Women Physicians DayOn February , Dignity Health joins others across the country in recognition of the contributions women have made to the eld of medicine. National Women Physicians Day marks the birthday of Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, the rst woman to receive a medical degree in the U.S. in . We wish we could include a photo of every woman physician we have at St. Mary Medical Center, but please know that today we’re celebrating you and all that you do to help our patients, their loved ones, and our sta. Dr. Elizabeth BlackwellWe’ve MovedEmployee Health Services has relocated to the rst oor of the south wing of the main hospital, near the th street exit.Physician Appreciation EventThank you to all of our physicians who joined us for St. Mary Medical Center’s Medical Sta Party in November. Everyone in attendance took the opportunity to mingle and build camaraderie with fellow physicians and hospital leadership.Gregory Vanley, MD, Radiologist and Former Chief of Sta, is greeted by Market Development Representative Damaris Pelayo at the Physician Appreciation Event.NEW LOCATIONMain Hospital 1st floor –South Wing (Near 10th street exit)EMPLOYEE HEALTH SERVICESWE HAVEMOVED
St. Mary Medical Dialogue 7.California Medical Board’s New Requirement for Physicians Please be advised that the Medical Board of California announced new language that physicians need to post in their oces as of January , .The Medical Board’s Notice to Consumers states: A medical doctor licensee engaged in the practice of medicine shall provide notice to each patient of the fact that the licensee is licensed and regulated by the board, and the license can be checked and complaints against the licensee can be made through the board’s website or by contacting the board. The notice shall include a quick response QR code that leads to the board’s Notice to Consumer webpage at www.mbc.ca.gov/licensing/Notice-to-Consumers.aspx, and shall contain the following statement and information:NOTICE TO PATIENTSMedical doctors are licensed and regulated by the Medical Board of California. To check up on a license or to le a complaint go to www.mbc.ca.gov, email licensecheck@mbc.ca.gov, or call -.The notice required by this section shall be provided by one of the following methods: . Prominently posting the notice in an area visible to patients on the premises where the licensee provides the licensed services, in which case the notice shall be in at least -point type in Arial font.. Including the notice and an acknowledgement of receipt and understanding in a written statement in a language understood by the patient or patient representative, signed and dated by the patient or the patient representative and retained in that patient’s medical records. The notice and acknowledgement of receipt and understanding may be provided and maintained in an electronic format.. Including the notice in a language understood by the patient or patient representative in a statement on letterhead, discharge instructions, or other document given to a patient or the patient representative, where the notice is placed immediately above the signature line for the patient in at least -point type. Physicians in the NewsWe’d like to thank and recognize the following physicians who were recently featured in local media stories.Ali Jamehdor, DO, Medical Director of Emergency Medicine, was featured on Fox Channel 11 News in an interview about growing concerns surrounding candy-like rainbow Fentanyl and how to keep children safe. He was also featured in the online publication Eat This, Not That! in a story about various respiratory infections, including symptoms associated with long COVID and in a story about dietary supplements marketed for immune health that haven’t been proven to protect from a COVID infection.Nikhil Kapoor, MD, Cardiologist, was featured in the online publication Eat This, Not That! in a story about cholesterol and how to tell when levels are too high. NOTICE TO PATIENTSMedical doctors are licensed and regulated by the Medical Board of California.To check up on a license or to le a complaint go towww.mbc.ca.gov,email: licensecheck@mbc.ca.gov,or call (800) 633-2322.
8 St. Mary Medical Dialogue.CALL FOR ARTICLES: We encourage members of the St. Mary Medical Sta 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 TEAMChuck Anderson, MDChief Medical OcerTracie GipsonMedical Dialogue EditorShannon VinsonMedical Sta DirectorBonnie MathewsMedical Sta 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 | CollaborationIn MemoriamJohn Rosental, MDThis past fall, St. Mary Medical Center physicians, administration, and sta gathered for a Celebration of Life to remember John Rosental, MD, Vascular Surgeon. Dr. Rosental was a member of St. Mary Medical Center’s Medical Sta for years until his passing in August . Originally from Latvia, Dr. Rosental spent time in a Displaced Persons’ Camp in Germany during WWII before immigrating to the United States. He then earned a scholarship to Yale University and served in the Army as a General during the Vietnam War. Upon returning to the U.S., he served as a vascular surgeon at Long Beach Surgical Group and as a clinical associate professor at USC. He then served in many roles at St. Mary Medical Center, including Chief of Surgery, Chairman of the Trauma Committee, and Chief of Sta from -. Those who attended Dr. Rosental’s Celebration of Life gathering shared heartfelt stories about Dr. Rosental’s legacy, including Ms. Carolyn Caldwell, CEO; Mauricio Heilbron, MD, Chief of Sta; John McNamara, MD; and Guy Lemire, MD. Dr. Rosental enjoyed traveling, gardening, and cycling all over the world. He will be missed by his wife Linda, four daughters, two step sons, grandchildren, and his colleagues and friends at St. Mary Medical Center.