The Southeast Permanente Medical Group
The Southeast Permanente Medical Group is an integral part of Kaiser Permanente. Our physicians can coordinate virtually every aspect of patient care - from referrals to laboratory tests to medications. With everything under one umbrella, our patients receive the highest continuity of care.
May 13, 2011
New Members of the TSPMG Department of Quality and Patient Safety
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| Rahul Nayak, MD |
Linda Christmann, MD, TSPMG AMD for Quality and Patient Safety, recently announced the appointment of two new members of the TSPMG Department of Quality and Patient Safety. Rahul Nayak, MD, is the new Physician Program Director for Safety, and Sonya Piano, who currently works for the Health Plan, will join TSPMG as the Manager for Performance Improvement.
Dr. Nayak, a gastroenterologist, served as an apprentice with Dr. Bob van der Meer over the past 10 months. During that time he worked on several initiatives which he will continue in his new leadership role, including:
- Communicating with Care
- Loss Prevention
- Patient Safety initiatives, such as Standardizing Emergency Response
As Physician Program Director for Safety, he will work with our internal constituency and other KP regions to improve our Peer Review Process and continue his work with the Risk Department on incident reporting through the HERO system. Dr. Nayak will also work with all parts of KPGA to develop a "Just Culture" approach in KPGA and ensure that Root Cause Analysis can be used appropriately by everyone in the organization.
Dr. Nayak received his medical degree and an MBA from Vanderbilt University and completed his residency at the University of Michigan and a fellowship in Gastroenterology at the University of Illinois in Chicago. He joined TSPMG in 2009.
In her new role, Sonya Piano will be an important collaborator and resource for the Quality and Patient Safety department, focusing on the most pressing workflow issues that impact quality in our organization. As an expert in the use of Lean and Six Sigma, she will facilitate understanding and use of these tools to improve quality, safety, and employee and member satisfaction. Sonya holds an undergraduate degree in Industrial Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and MBAs from Queen's University of Ontario and Cornell University.
Hipkens and Rahimi join TSPMG Department of Quality and Patient Safety
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| Jim Hipkens, MD |
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| Ali Rahimi, MD |
Linda Christmann, MD, AMD for Quality and Patient Safety, recently announced the appointment of two new members of The Southeast Permanente Medical Group Department of Quality and Patient Safety. Jim Hipkens, MD, has accepted the position of Physician Program Director for Quality and Metrics, and Ali Rahimi, MD, is the new Physician Program Director for Cardiovascular Quality.
Dr. Hipkens, an internist at our Gwinnett Medical Center, joined TSPMG in 1996 and is an elected member of the Board of Directors. As Physician Program Director for Quality and Metrics, he will focus on diabetes and cancer care. We are exploring initiatives which have been used successfully in other regions of Kaiser Permanente, and he brings a wealth of experience to this work.
Dr. Hipkens received his medical degree from the Emory University School of Medicine and completed his internship and residency at Emory University Hospital. He also holds a master's degree and Ph.D. in Experimental Therapeutics/Cancer Research from SUNY at Buffalo. Prior to joining TSPMG, he was on faculty at the Emory University School of Medicine and served as Medical Director for the Georgia Department of Corrections.
Since joining TSPMG in 2010, Dr. Rahimi has been involved in the internalization of cardiology and several valuable initiatives, including beta blockers after acute MI and reducing readmissions in patients with CHF. In his new role he will work with our internal constituency and other KP regions to improve our outpatient and inpatient cardiovascular quality metrics. After our metrics have improved and stabilized, Dr. Rahimi plans to lead research initiatives around cardiovascular performance and outcomes, with a focus on population care.
Dr. Rahimi received his medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia and an MPH in Health Policy and Management from Emory University. He completed his residency at Yale and a fellowship in Cardiology at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center of Harvard Medical School in Boston.
TSPMG Physicians Among Atlanta's "Top Doctors"
Seven doctors from The Southeast Permanente Medical Group were recently named as “Top Doctors” in Atlanta Magazine.
The TSPMG physicians who made the list are:
- Richard B. Abrohams, MD - Kaiser Permanente Medical Center at Gwinnett
- Kathleen S. Butt, MD - Kaiser Permanente Glenlake Medical Center
- Richard S. Ellin, MD - Kaiser Permanente Alpharetta Medical Center
- Patrice T. Gapsard, MD - Kaiser Permanente East Cobb Medical Office
- James H. Hipkens, MD - Kaiser Permanente Medical Center at Gwinnett
- Sean T. Murphy, MD - Kaiser Permanente Sugar Hill-Buford Medical Office
- Sharon D. Smith, MD - Kaiser Permanente Alpharetta Medical Center
Each year, independent health care research firm Castle Connolly asks physicians across metro Atlanta to nominate doctors they feel exhibit exceptional clinical skills and commitment to patient care. The results are compiled in the annual "Top Doctors" list, which is featured in the July edition of Atlanta Magazine.
Dr. Abrohams specializes in geriatric medicine and is a member of the palliative care team, which provides end-of-life care for patients who are homebound. The team addresses the physical and social needs of patients with life-threatening illnesses. A graduate of the University of Minnesota Medical School, Abrohams has practiced at TSPMG since 1998.
Dr. Butt, who joined TSPMG in 1988, specializes in obstetrics and gynecology. A graduate of the Medical College of Georgia, she is recognized for her expertise in gynecologic surgery.
Dr. Ellin, who has practiced with TSPMG since 1985, specializes in internal medicine. A graduate of Emory University School of Medicine, he is recognized for his expertise in preventive care.
Dr. Gaspard, who joined TSPMG in 1997, specializes in pediatrics and pediatric surgery. A graduate of the Tulane University School of Medicine, she is recognized for her expertise in adolescent and preventive medicine.
Dr. Hipkens, a graduate of Emory University School of Medicine, is recognized for his expertise in complex diagnoses. In recent years, he has concentrated his work on diabetes and hypertension prevention. Hipkens has been with TSPMG since 1996.
Dr. Murphy specializes in family medicine and is passionate about preventive care. A graduate of the University of Washington School of Medicine, Murphy joined TSPMG in 1992.
Dr. Smith specializes in obstetrics/gynecology and is also a strong proponent of preventive care. A graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Medicine, she joined TSPMG in 1993.
The Southeast Permanente Medical Group provides care exclusively for Kaiser Permanente of Georgia members.
Joey Cadle, MD, Joins The Permanente Federation in Marketing Leadership Role
Joey Cadle, MD, Assistant to the Medical Director for External Relations, Marketing and Sales for The Southeast Permanente Medical Group, was recently named to The Permanente Federation as the National Director, Clinical Client Engagement.
In this role Dr. Cadle will provide market-facing clinical expertise and leadership for the Permanente Physician Market Leaders, a group that he has been a part of for the past three years. He will also collaborate with the National Sales and Account Management teams that serve our national employer and labor & trust customers, prospects and benefits consultants.
"The PMG partnership with our national and regional MSBD teams is a critical component of our success in the marketplace. Who better than our own clinicians to tell the story of Kaiser Permanente's value and the uniqueness of our integrated model of care," said Dr. Cadle.
"Not only does physician engagement differentiate us from our competitors, but is also helps strengthen our new and existing client, broker, and consultant relationships by having Kaiser Permanente's clinical expertise at their disposal whenever they need it."
In addition to Dr. Cadle's new leadership role with The Permanente Federation, he will continue his role with TSPMG where he has has oversight and supervision of a team of 20 clinicians who participate in client-facing activities in the Georgia Region.
Dr. Cadle is a board-certified Obstetrician/Gynecologist practicing with Kaiser Permanente for more than 10 years. He has served as Chief of the Ob/Gyn department in 2007 and 2008. Prior to this role, he served as Managing Physician of three medical office buildings, Lead Physician for a team in the Ob/Gyn department, and a key contributor to KP HealthConnect implementation, deployment and optimization teams. Dr. Cadle joined Kaiser Permanente in 2001 after two years of private practice in Rome, Georgia.
The Permanente Federation was formed in 1997 to represent the national interests of the eight regional Permanente Medical Groups. The Federation provides specialized services and business expertise to the regional medical groups and provides a national Permanente external presence on key policy issues.
Barby Simmons, D.O., named to Georgia Composite Medical Board
Barby Simmons, D.O., a Primary Care physician with Kaiser Permanente of Georgia and The Southeast Permanente Medical Group, has been named to the Georgia Composite Medical Board. The Medical Board is comprised of sixteen members appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the State Senate. Her appointment was announced by Georgia Governor Nathan Deal’s office.
The Medical Board’s mission is to protect the health of Georgians through the proper licensing of physicians and certain members of the healing arts and through the objective enforcement of the Medical Practice Act. The agency licenses physicians, physician assistants, respiratory care professionals, and a number of other medical services and practices in the State of Georgia. The Board also investigates complaints and disciplines those who violate The Medical Practice Act or other laws governing the professional behavior of its licensees.
Dr. Simmons is a member of Kaiser Permanente’s telemedicine team, providing telephone and video visits to patients across metro Atlanta. She has served in a number of leadership roles, including Team Lead for Adult Medicine and as the Physician Director of Coding and Documentation. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Mississippi State University and a medical degree from Nova Southeastern College of Osteopathic Medicine.