Together, we will rise.
MARCH 30, 2021 Doctor’s Day
A Doctor’s Day tribute to physicians of the North Platte region.
A tribute to a life dedicated to others: Dr. Leland Lamberty
February 2021 commemorated the grand opening of the new Great Plains Health Lamberty Education Center in recognition of Dr. Leland Lamberty, a man who tirelessly dedicated his time and talents to the professional development of healthcare professionals. Located on the second floor of Centennial Plaza, the Lamberty Education Center serves as the education hub for Great Plains Health employees, regional first responders and area hospitals.
Nearly 50 years ago, Dr. Leland Lamberty moved to North Platte, Neb. “He initially started in Holdrege, Neb., for nine months, but it wasn’t a good fit,” said Becky Kempke, Dr. Lamberty’s daughter and Great Plains Health Family Medicine clinic manager. “He had two classmates from medical school who had started practicing in North Platte, and they encouraged him to move here. The area was underserved and needed more physicians. He practiced here for the rest of his life.”
Doctor’s Day 2021 2
2021 Doctor’s Day National Doctor’s Day on March 30 provides the Great Plains Health team and our region’s communities another opportunity to show our appreciation for the many fine physicians who serve our region. We are truly grateful for the commitment to exceptional medical care that our physicians provide and for the many miles they travel to ensure that the people of our region receive quality care as close to home as possible. This special publication is a tribute to our physicians, who spend countless hours making a significant impact on the health of our community. In an age of COVID-19, increasing regulation, reimbursement reductions, and change, the healthcare industry has become a highly complex environment in which to deliver care. Our physicians work tirelessly to stay in step with these complex changes while keeping patients at the center of care, always. Our physicians not only care for local residents, but they are community leaders, neighbors, soccer coaches and friends. We salute these fine men and women, who have dedicated their careers to improving the lives of others. As we carry out our mission to inspire health and healing by putting our patients first — ALWAYS — and move forward to our vision to be the region’s most trusted healthcare community, we are honored to partner with the physicians of the North Platte region.
In 2014, Stacey Coppersmith, PA, reached out to Dr. Lamberty as a student. “I wanted to complete my clinic hours in North Platte. He had a reputation of being an excellent family practice physician.” Lamberty was warm and caring, and Coppersmith knew instantly she wanted to work with him. “I asked him for a job, and even though he didn’t have room for me at the time, he took a leap of faith and hired me.” “As a physician, Dr. Lamberty was so warm and caring,” said Coppersmith. “He was like a father or a grandfather. He used to refer to himself as my grandpa,” she said. Dr. Lamberty loved getting to know his patients. “He loved visiting with people about medical issues as well as life issues,” said Kempke. “He always said practicing medicine was a gift, and that he was blessed every day to get to take care of such a wonderful group of people.” Dr. Lamberty dedicated himself to any cause that brought him joy. “He volunteered for the local mentor program— every Thursday he would eat lunch at the high school with the students,” said Coppersmith. “He had great taste in clothes. He was so healthy and fit, and yet he loved his desserts. His favorite was pie. We would eat pie every year on his birthday.” “I loved hearing him sing at church,” said Kempke. “He had so much musical talent. He was very spiritual. He worried more about others than himself. He had a wonderful sense of humor. He was a super grandpa.” Dr. Lamberty passed away on September 12, 2020, from complications associated with COVID-19. Kempke said, “He was a mentor and my best friend—I miss him terribly.” “His death was a result of the pandemic,” said Coppersmith. “We didn’t just lose a doctor, we lost a friend.”
Sincerely,
Mel McNea, MHA Chief Executive Officer Great Plains Health
Mike Simonson, MD Chief of Staff Great Plains Health
gphealth.org 3
Pawsitively the best
Figy family Dr. Sean Figy, plastic surgeon at Great Plains Health, adopted sibling Weimaraners in 2020. “I’ve always loved dogs, and I had
“Working through their anxiety has definitely been a challenge.” Over time, the dogs have been able to build trust in their new home and owner, and the relationship continues to become stronger every day. “I have seen them both flourish and their personalities show through. The growth I have seen has been the best part.”
one as a kid but didn’t have the time or money to take care of a dog during med school or residency,” said Dr. Figy. Storm and Stryker, sister and brother, came with some specific needs. “I’m their second rescue and third home,” explained Dr. Figy.
Warren family Dr. Lee Warren, neurosurgeon at Great Plains Health Brain & Spine, adopted two beautiful German shorthair pointers in 2020. “When we moved to North Platte, we purchased a large piece of land on the river,” said Dr. Warren. “I wanted my wife, Lisa, to have dogs that would bark if someone approached the house while I was at work at night. We figured two was better than one!” The brothers, Harvey and Louis, have high energy and love to play. “We just moved to North Platte in 2020, it has been somewhat of a challenge as we are remodeling our home, and Lisa is helping get the practice established at the hospital—it is a very busy time,” said Dr. Warren. “But they have quickly become part of the family. We love them, even when they bring the snow, mud, and an endless parade of dead animals and bones into the house.”
Doctor’s Day 2021 4
Jones family Dr. Emily Jones, family physician at Great Plains Family Medicine, adopted a labradoodle
the nursing homes and hospice,” explained Dr. Jones.
Having a puppy isn’t always easy. “It can be challenging to have the patience to work on training and good manners with Seaver,” said Dr. Jones. “Our kids are older, so it has been a big change to have a ‘baby’ in the family again.” When asked what is the best part of having a puppy, Dr. Jones said, “The love! He gets so excited when I come home from work. He loves to snuggle—he is just the biggest teddy bear there ever was.”
in December 2020. “We really hadn’t planned on getting a dog,” said Dr. Jones,
“but we knew the mother of the puppies was exceptional. We ended up getting the pick of the litter and naming him Seaver.” Aside from being a beloved member of the Jones family, Seaver has a special purpose. “I have always wanted a dog to take to
Koduri family In 2020, Dr. Koduri, psychiatrist at Great Plains Health Psychiatric Services, added a new member to the family: a brown Havapoo (Havanese-poodle mix). “We named him Boo,” said Praveena, Dr. Koduri’s wife. “He joined us right around Halloween, and he can be pretty sneaky and good at scaring us.” The Koduris were looking for a playmate for
their three-year-old Maltipoo, Roy. “We also wanted our daughter to have a fluffy partner in crime,” said Praveena. The hardest part of having a puppy is leaving them at home to go to work and weekend activities. “We miss them as much as they miss us,” explained Praveena. “Thanks to our camera system I can check on them often.” “Going home to the dogs is the best part of our day,” said Praveena. “The excitement, licks, scratches—and sometimes accidents—for the first five minutes literally make us forget the stress we had during the day.”
gphealth.org 5
The medical staff of Great Plains Health
ANESTHESIOLOGY
CARDIOLOGY
BRAIN & SPINE
Georgy Kaspar, MD
Rick Heirigs, MD
Naomi Matthews, MD
Edith Newsome, MD
Forrest Ragland, MD
Lee Warren, MD
Saleh Dassouki, MD
Olena Dotsenko, MD
DERMATOLOGY
EMERGENCY MEDICINE
CARDIOLOGY
Azariah Kirubakaran, MD
Richard Markiewicz, MD
Daniel Mosel, MD
Renee Engler, MD
Marc Hyde, MD
Todd Jensen, MD
Julie Query, MD
Jim Smith, MD
EMERGENCY MEDICINE
FAMILY MEDICINE
ENDOCRINOLOGY
Wendy Gosnell, MD
Paul Travis, MD
John Mihailidis, MD
Kent Allison, MD
Jeffrey Brittan, MD
Jason Citta, MD
Jesse Dunn, MD
Tyler Felton, MD
FAMILY MEDICINE
HAND SURGERY
Michael Joyner, MD
Douglas States, MD
Kali Rubenthaler, DO
Emily Jones, MD
David Lindley, MD
Shawn Murdock, MD
Michael Nelson, MD
Jon Swanson, DO
GENERAL SURGERY
HOSPITALIST
Krishna Pallamala, MD
Michael Simonson, MD
JacobWiesen, MD
Kasia Wolanin, MD
Amulya Abburi, MD
Renu Kadian, MD
Olivia Necola, MD
Alexandra Nunez, MD
HOSPITALIST
INFECTIOUS DISEASE
INTERNAL MEDICINE
Loretta Baca, MD
Eduardo Freitas, MD
Norbert Alex Seidenschwarz, MD
Jovanka Vuksanovic, MD
JiashanWang, MD
Neethu Pitta, MD
Meena Sherpa, MD
Raymond Carlson, DO
The medical staff of Great Plains Health
OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY
MEDICAL ONCOLOGY/HEMATOLOGY
NEPHROLOGY
NEUROSCIENCES
Anil Kumar, MD
Matt Shupe, DO
Pushkar Kanade, MD
Michael Bianco, MD
Chris Johng, MD
Kartik Anand, MD
Avinash Pasam, MD
Demytra Mihailidis, MD
OPHTHALMOLOGY
ORAL SURGERY
ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY
OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY
Mark McKenzie, MD
Benjamin Klug, DO
Amy Short, MD
Kristen Burwick, MD
Steven Hinze, DDS, OMS
Evan Correll, MD
John D. Hannah, MD
Nathan Jacobson, MD
ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY
PAIN MEDICINE
OTOLARYNGOLOGY
PATHOLOGY
PEDIATRICS
Mandip Singh, MD
Roger Simpson, MD
Jean Thomsen, MD
Elaine Fitzpatricka, MD
Philip Fitzpatrick, MD
Stephanie Marcy, DO
Aleeta Somers-Dehaney, MD
Kathy Lopez, MD
PEDIATRICS
PODIATRY
PSYCHIATRY
Narayana Koduri, MD
Melissa Mosel, MD
Dusty Christensen, DPM
Christopher A. Alfonzo, MD
Richard Raska, DPM
JoshWray, DPM
Soogandaren Naidoo, MD
Grishma Parikh, MD
PULMONOLOGY/ CRITICAL CARE
RADIOLOGY
PSYCHIATRY
PHYSIATRY
RADIATION ONCOLOGY
Geetanjali Sahu, MD
Caroline Sorenson, MD
Guido Molina, MD
Todd Hlavaty, MD
David Hatch, MD
Rick Kukulka, MD
Alex Ding, DO
Ladd Lake, MD
SLEEP MEDICINE
UROLOGY
WOUND CARE
RADIOLOGY
RHEUMATOLOGY
Bradley Mattson, MD
Dwayne Collier, MD
Jose DeGuzman, MD
Clinton Schafer, DPM
Millie Erickson, MD
Imanual Somers-Dehaney, MD
Kristin Lake, MD
Jefrey Start, DO
Getting to know the new faces of 2020
Dr. Alex Ding Great Plains Health Psychiatric Services
Dr. Jean Thomsen Great Plains Health Pathology
What is your favorite way to spend a day off? It depends on the season. My husband and I are gardeners, and in nice weather, you will find us outside tending to the vegetables and flowers. I also love to cook and bake. When I can’t be outside I’m usually in the kitchen. What is the last TV show you binge- watched and loved? I am more of a book reader than a television watcher. I just finished “The Evening and the Morning” by Ken Follett and highly recommend it.
What is your favorite way to spend a day off? I spend a lot of time reading— normally about psychiatry or business. When the weather is nice, I like to take long walks and get lost in my thoughts.
What is the last TV show you binge- watched and loved? I don’t watch TV. The last time I binge-watched a show was six years ago. At the time, I was watching Breaking Bad. I do watch YouTube once in a while, such as PewDiePie. It helps me stay updated with the current culture and helps me relate to my younger patients.
What is one food you can’t stand? Organ meat of any kind—can’t do it.
What is one food you can’t stand? Nuts. Yuck.
What is something most people don’t know about you? I am the eighth of nine children (six boys, three girls) and grew up in a house with one bathroom.
What is something most people don’t know about you? I’m not saying. This way most people won’t know.
Dr. Jon Swanson Great Plains Family Medicine
Dr. Lee Warren Great Plains Health Brain & Spine
What is your favorite way to spend a day off? I like to spend my time outdoors. What is the last TV show you binge- watched and loved? All Creatures Great and Small (original BBC version).
What is your favorite way to spend a day off? Any time I can spend with my wife Lisa, our kids and grandkids, our puppies, and friends is always a great blessing! What is the last TV show you binge- watched and loved? I think FBI and Seal Team.
What is one food you can’t stand? All seafood!
What is one food you can’t stand? It’s a tie: mustard, pickles and cucumbers.
What is something most people don’t know about you? I make the best scrambled eggs in the world.
What is something most people don’t know about you? My podcast (The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast) was ranked number six in Slovenia a few days ago, and was downloaded in 75 countries last month. And, my last book is about to be published in Italian!
Doctor’s Day 2021 8
Building a community on the field
When Dr. Eduardo Freitas, infectious disease physician at Great Plains Health, moved to North Platte in 2009, he noticed something right away. “I didn’t see any adults playing soccer,” he said. “There were lots of soccer fields, but no one playing.” Dr. Freitas, along with some other physicians, started playing pickup games. “We played Thursday evenings after work, and on the weekends,” he said. Dr. Pushkar Kanade, Great Plains Health Nephrology, soon joined in. “Originally we had Dr. Shukla, Dr. Kumar, Dr. Molina, Dr. Naidoo and Dr. Freitas,” said Dr. Kanade. “Then, over time, others started to join us. We had a good turnout from our international nurses and our local Hispanic and Caribbean population.” Oftentimes pickup games would be followed by barbecues or activities. What started as a small group turned into a community event. “At times we would have over 30 people playing: men, women and children,” said Dr. Kanade. “It was a great way to get to know each other and interact with the broader community,” added Dr. Freitas.
When the weather turned cold, the pickup games continued indoors at the North Platte Recreation Center. “Soccer is a good workout and a sport that can be played year-round,” explained Dr. Kanade. Members of the community eventually formed an intramural team and went to competitions in Lexington. “The team name was Los Cachorros, the North Platte Dogs,” said Dr. Freitas. When asked if they won often, he laughed, “Our players are very competitive. We would get too many red cards.” Los Cachorros, the North Platte Dogs Although the team has stopped meeting during the COVID-19 pandemic, participants look forward to when they can play together again. Dr. Freitas promised, “Once this is over, the team will be reunited.”
gphealth.org 9
Celebrating dedication to our region: Physician years of service
35 Years Jeffrey Brittan, MD................................... Family medicine
30 Years Clint Schafer, DPM................................... Podiatry
25 Years Todd Hlavaty, MD..................................... Radiation oncology
20 Years Michael Bianco, MD.................................Obstetrics and gynecology Philip Fitzpatrick, MD ............................... Otolaryngology Kent Allison, MD...................................... Family medicine
15 Years Caroline Sorenson, MD ............................ Physical medicine and rehabilitation
10 Years Renee Engler, MD .................................... Emergency medicine Millie Erickson, MD ..................................Urology Michael Simonson, MD............................ General surgery
5 Years Imanual Somers-Dehaney, MD ................. Radiology
Aleeta Somers-Dehaney, MD.................... Pain management Benjamin Klug, DO ..................................Obstetrics & gynecology Amulya Abburi, MD................................. Internal medicine Richard Markiewicz, MD ..........................Cardiology Avinash Pasam, MD .................................Medical oncology Norbert Alex Seidenschwarz, MD ............. Internal medicine Pushkar Kanade, MD ...............................Nephrology
Doctor’s Day 2021 10
Getting to know the new faces of 2020
Dr. Tyler Felton Midlands Family Medicine
Dr. Alexandra Nunez Great Plains Health Hospitalist Program What is your favorite way to spend a day off? Waking up without an alarm on my phone, getting to know a new place nearby and walking around, doing some exercise, watching Netflix, and talking to family and friends over the phone (especially during COVID-19). What is the last TV show you binge- watched and loved? Snowpiercer on Netflix.
What is your favorite way to spend a day off? Spending time with family, kayaking on the river and going to a nice restaurant. What is the last TV show you binge- watched and loved? Mandalorian on Disney+.
What is one food you can’t stand? Eggplant.
What is something most people don’t know about you? I trained at eight different hospitals.
What is one food you can’t stand? Ceviche (South American dish made
from raw fish marinated in lemon or lime juice). Although I am Peruvian, I have never liked seafood dishes, especially this one.
What is something most people don’t know about you? I play soccer and like playing most sports. I also love experiencing new things, traveling to different places and being exposed to different cultures.
Dr. Neethu Pitta Great Plains Health Hospitalist Program What is your favorite way to spend a day off? Cooking and watching a good movie. What is the last TV show you binge- watched and loved? Money Heist on Netflix.
Dr. Meena Sherpa Great Plains Health Hospitalist Program
What is your favorite way to spend a day off? Reading a good book.
What is the last TV show you binge- watched and loved? Fauda.
What is one food you can’t stand? Scallops.
What is one food you can’t stand? Raw seafood in sushi.
What is something most people don’t know about you? I am a movie buff.
What is something most people don’t know about you? I play the Veena (Indian musical instrument).
gphealth.org 11
601 W. Leota St. North Platte, NE 69101 308.568.8000 gphealth.org
Together, we will rise.
Thank you to our visiting specialists Chandrakanth Are, MD, surgical oncologist Jeffrey Cloud, MD, gastroenterologist Jonathan W. Cramer, MD, pediatric cardiologist Sean Figy, MD, plastic surgeon Nancy Foster, Ph.D, pediatric genetic specialist Rudy Lackner, MD, thoracic surgeon Quan Ly, MD, surgical oncologist Marco Olivera-Martinez, MD, hepatologist
James Padussis, MD, surgical oncologist Bradley Reames, MD, surgical oncologist Gwen Reiser, MS, CGC, genetic counseling clinic Jeffrey Robinson, MD, pediatric cardiologist Fedja Rochling, MD, hepatologist William Shear, MD, gastroenterologist Lois Star, MD, pediatric genetics specialist Richard Thompson, MD, cardiothoracic surgeon Rana Zabad, MD, multiple sclerosis clinic
Oleg Militsakh, MD, complex thyroid ultrasound clinic Ann Haskins Olney, MD, pediatric genetics specialist
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12Made with FlippingBook Annual report