CORTLAND, N.Y. - Cortland Regional Medical Center has announced that 21 new physicians and 9 advanced practice professionals have joined the hospital's growing team of health care providers.
CRMC President and CEO Mark Webster officially welcomed the new providers to the hospital in an event held Wednesday night at the Cortland Country Club.
In his remarks to the more than 50 people in attendance, Webster spoke with a tone of optimism about the hospital's future, saying Cortland is "on the upswing."
"We've got a lot of momentum. We've got the wind at our back and we should make the most of this," Webster said.
The physicians and health care providers are joining the hospital at a pivotal moment. Cortland Regional Medical Center recently announced its intention to affiliate with Guthrie, which owns and operates hospitals and medical centers in New York State and Pennsylvania.
Webster praised New York State's decision to grant the hospital debt relief in the amount of $19.8 million, which helped pave the way for the hospital to attract other health care networks in its pursuit for affiliation.
The health care professionals joining Cortland Regional have accepted positions in a number of different departments, including pediatrics, family medicine, internal medicine, emergency medicine, and cardiology.
"We're considering you all as our draft picks, our new people who we hope will flourish and be here for a number of years," said Cortland Regional Medical Center Chief Medical Officer Russ Firman.
One of those new physicians, Marlyss Dubois, is originally from the Cortland area and recently joined Cortland Regional's cardiology practice. Sue Jewett, a longstanding member of the local family medicine community who has experience in sports medicine, has also been brought on to become part of the hospital's network.
Another new addition is Dr. Graham Meyer, who joined the hospital's emergency medicine department. Meyer has been based in Fayetteville, North Carolina, where he has trained special forces, medics, and special ops. He said he decided to come back to Cortland to refresh his emergency medical skills after being out in the field, and to be closer to his mother, who lives in Ottawa.
Here is the full list of medical providers that have joined the Cortland Regional Medical Center network:
- Erin Strong, PA; Djafari Pediatrics; Pediatrics
- Alex Langley, MD; Family Health Network; Family Medicine
- Fadi Alass, MD; Family Health Network; Pediatrics
- Anna Dill, MD; Family Health Network; Internal Medicine
- Maria Okwor, NFP; Family Health Network; Pediatrics
- Ashley Barnard, PAFamily Care Medical Group Family Medicine
- Josphine McCallister, MD; Ithaca Dermatology; Dermatology
- Mark Wernham, PA; Ithaca Dermatology; Dermatology
- Thomas Brown, PA; Ithaca Dermatology; Dermatology
- Robert Hooko, CRNA; Premier Anesthesia - Cortland Regional Medical Center; Anesthesia
- Kenneth Newman, MD; Premier Anesthesia - Cortland Regional Medical Center; Anesthesia
- Robert Steele, MD; Premier Anesthesia - Cortland Regional Medical Center;Anesthesia
- Aubrey Lefort, CRNA; Premier Anesthesia - Cortland Regional Medical Center; Anesthesia
- Mervat Eid, MD; Premier Anesthesia - Cortland Regional Medical Center; Anesthesia
- Marlyss Duboise, PA; Cortland Regional Cardiology; Cardiology
- Susan Jewett, PA; Cortland Regional Family Medicine; Family Medicine
- Bruce Slagle, MD; Cortland Regional Hospitalist Medicine; Hospitalist
- Mary Doss, NP; Cortland Regional Urology; Urology
- Noor Amin, MD; Cortland Regional Hospitalist Medicine; Hospitalist
- Cinthia Elkins, MD; Cortland Regional Family Medicine; Family Medicine
- Graham Meyer, MDUS Acute Care Solutions - Cortland Regional Medical Center Emergency Dept.; Emergency Medicine
- Joanne Tanner, NPUS Acute Care Solutions - Cortland Regional Medical Center Emergency Dept.; Emergency Medicine
- Shantell Hall, MDUS Acute Care Solutions - Cortland Regional Medical Center Emergency Dept.; Emergency Medicine
- Steven Elliott, MDUS Acute Care Solutions - Cortland Regional Medical Center Emergency Dept.; Emergency Medicine
- Bridget Wilson, NPUS Acute Care Solutions - Cortland Regional Medical Center Emergency Dept.; Emergency Medicine
- Mahmoud Chehab, MD; Cortland Regional Urology; Urology
- Nicole Villapiano, MD; Family Health Network; Internal Medicine/Pediatrics
- Avneet Singh, MD; Cortland Regional Cardiology; Cardiology
- Kristin Delaney, NP; Renaissance OB/GYN; OB/GYN
- Greg Ripich, MD; Gregory G. Ripich, MD, LLC; General Surgery