Phoebe brings on three new cardiologists

ALBANY — The Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital Board met Wednesday afternoon to discuss new additions to the hospital’s cardiology department, the Jingle Bell Jog fundraiser, new department applicants and more.

Highlights of the meeting included:

— The board adopted the most recent financial statements of Fiscal Year 2018 from Draffin & Tucker LLP.

— Phoebe offers eight new services: convergent procedure, impella, lung wedge resection — Davinci, Micra Pacemaker, node biopsy — Davinci, patent foramen ovale, saphenous vein RFA and TAVR.

— The annual Jingle Bell Jog starts at 8 a.m. Saturday and features a 5K run and walk, a 10K run and a 1-mile fun walk. The walks and runs begin at Tift Park. All proceeds will benefit Children’s Miracle Network hospitals.

— The Department of Cardiology added three new cardiologists: Dr. Beatriz Cepeda will serve Albany and Camilla; Dr. Abel Romero will serve Albany and Americus, and Dr. Carlos Drago will serve Albany and Camilla.

Dr. Mark Cohen, a cardiologist at Phoebe, said that although the cardiology department offers both invasive and non-invasive procedures, the staff still focuses on preventing heart diseases in the first place.

“Prevention is the big thing,” Cohen said. “You’ve seen in the lay press, on TV, on the internet, all these things that have to do with prevention, which really is regular exercise, monitoring your blood pressure, weight control, control of cholesterol. … These are the keys to a heart-healthy lifestyle.”

— The Board of Directors considered five applicants in various practices recommended by the Professional Affairs Committee: Dr. Peerapod Chiowanich, who practices virtual radiologic telemedicine, for the Department of Radiology; Dr. Phillip Roberts, consulting staff for Phoebe hematology and oncology, for the Departments of Medicine, Hematology and Oncology; Dr. Brian Russell, locum tenens (filling in for someone else) in neurosurgery, for the Departments of Surgery and Neurosurgery; Dr. Pushpa Shivaram, consulting staff for the Medical College of Georgia and Augusta University, for the Departments of Pediatrics and Cardiology; Dr. Fabio Villegas, active staff for Albany Area Primary Health Care, for the Department of Pediatrics.

— The new affiliate staff applicants are Dr. Katrina Hamilton for the Departments of Medicine and Palliative Care, sponsored by Dr. Chad Kishore; Dr. Ana Rodriguez-Barcenas for the Departments of Surgery and Oral Surgery & Dentistry, sponsored by Dr. Kenneth Sellers; Dr. Tsmerai Chavez for the Departments of Surgery and Oral Surgery & Dentistry, sponsored by Sellers; Dr. Caine Bickerstaff for the Departments of Surgery and Orthopedics, sponsored by Dr. Tony Davis; Dr. Sara Newton for the Departments of Medicine and Cardiology, sponsored by Dr. Priyank Shah; Dr. Dezmond Hollings for the Department of Critical Care, sponsored by Dr. Thomas Ungarino; Dr. Debbie Glow for the Department of OB/GYN, sponsored by Dr. J. Paul Payne.

— The board considered changes in sponsors for two affiliate staff members. Dr. Anifiok Uyoe is under consideration to replace Dr. Frank Jones as Dr. Owen Carr’s sponsor, and Dr. Nur Nurbhai is also being considered to replace Dr. Scott McGee as Dr. Robert Garrett’s sponsor.

— The board also considered additional sponsors for two affiliate staff members: Dr. Troy Skidmore and Nurbhai as Carr’s sponsors, and Skidmore and Uyoe as Garrett’s sponsors.