Palliative Care

Faculty

	Alan R. Roth, DO, FAAFP Chairman, Department of Family Medicine Program Director, Palliative Care Dr. Roth is a dually certified Diplomate of the American Board of Family Medicine. He presently serves as Chairman of the Department of Family Medicine and Director of the Family Medicine Residency Program. Dr. Roth’s primary goal is to develop and enrich the training experiences of physicians interested in urban Family Medicine. He has completed a Residency Program Director Fellowship with the American Academy of Family Physicians and lectures nationally on urban Family Medicine Residency training and curriculum development. His special areas of interest include cultural competency training in graduate medical education, palliative medicine, disease prevention, health promotion and procedural skills. Dr. Roth is a community minded physician who regularly mentors many of our local youth interested in becoming Family Physicians.
	Gina M. Basello, DO Program Director, Family Medicine Residency Program Associate Director, Palliative Program Dr. Basello is a graduate of the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed her residency training at the Jamaica Hospital Medical Center Mount Sinai School of Medicine Family Medicine Residency Program, serving as Chief Resident in her final year where she achieved special recognition as a recipient of the STFM Resident Teacher Award. As Associate Program Director, Dr Basello coordinates the program’s educational activities including the didactics and Grand Rounds series, electives program and curriculum development. Her professional areas of interest include cultural competency, obesity prevention and management, Palliative Medicine and the promotion of residency training in these areas.
	Lourdes Merlo, M.D.: Dr. Merlo is the programs full time teaching Attending. She is a graduate of The Andes University, Merida-Venezuela, with a specialization in Internal Medicine and Adult Critical Care Medicine. Dr. Merlo completed a 3-year residency in Internal Medicine followed by a 1-year fellowship in Hospice and Palliative Medicine here at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. Her special areas of interest are in the medico-psycho-social management of terminally ill patients in the medical surgical critical care units, and education of providers and support staff in their approach to hospitalized patients with chronic and life threatening illnesses. As a bilingual physician fluent in Spanish and English, she is well suited to overcome cultural differences and language barriers while serving the diverse patient population in the community, as well as teaching critical skills to our fellows and staff.
	Sepia Owens-Villas, B.S., M.P.A: Administrator, Department of Family Medicine & Palliative Care Program Mrs. Owens-Villas received her undergraduate degree from York College City University of New York in Community Health Education and a Masters Degree from Baruch College City University of New York in Public Administration with a concentration in non-profit administration. Mrs. Owens-Villas brings to the program over 10 years experience in Program Management, Administration and Operations. She is responsible for personnel, our clinical practice site, budgets, strategic planning and administrative oversight of the residency and palliative care programs.
	Felise Fox, DLCSW, PhD: Clinical Coordinator/Social Work Palliative Care Program Felise Fox is a Board Certified Diplomate in Clinical Social Work with 30 years experience. She has a Post-Masters Degree in Gerontological Practice. Felise has worked in various settings such as acute inpatient oncology, skilled nursing facilities, and home care. Prior to joining the Palliative Care Service in September, 2005, Felise spent 8 years working in home and acute inpatient hospice, where she became experienced in end of life care and bereavement counseling. Felise maintains a private practice on Long Island servicing children and adults.
Other Faculty Members Bruce Flanz (Executive VP& Chief Operating Officer) Fred Schwartz (Medical Director Hospice of New York) David Taylor( Medical Director Hospice of New York) Jean Mancision (Director, Decision Support) Jose Cervantes (Director, Oncology) Evens Crevecoeur (Attending Anesthesia) Glenn Kalash (Chief, Consultation Liaison Psychiatry) David Dovnarsky (Geriatrics) Asit Mehta (Director, Gastroenterology) Robert Mendelson (Director, Cardiology) Thambirajah Nandakumar (Faculty Advisor, Neurology) Mahendra Patel (Director, Medical Intensive Care Unit) Nicholas Panteleo (Associate Director, Pharmacy) Hita Sharma (Director, Palliative Care Consultation Services)- FHMC Rehana Corchado (RN) Amanda Buehler (Clinical, Dietician) Tessie Laporte (Director of Nursing for Staff Development) Mini Varughese (Education Specialist) Lisa Schneider (Director, Social Work) 2009-2010 Fellows Kristin Edwards, M.D. Neetu Kaur, M.D. Fernando Moreno, M.D.