It takes an uncommon level of expertise to deliver on that promise of choices, education and guidance. It takes the experts of Chapters Health System.
Kathy L. Fernandez, RN, BSN, MHA President/Chief Executive Officer Chapters Health System
As the president/CEO of Chapters Health System, one succinct goal drives Kathy Fernandez – delivering compassionate and high-quality healthcare.
Kathy started her career as an oncology nurse, but in time found herself drawn to the hospice mission after she developed and implemented an inpatient hospice unit at a local hospital.
In 1993, she joined Hospice of Hillsborough (as Chapters Health was then known) and was named president and chief executive officer in 1998. Under Kathy's visionary leadership, the company has experienced a significant increase in the number of patients served and expanded programs to address the needs related to aging, complex medical conditions and end-of-life concerns.
Kathy has also played a key role in the company's major accomplishments. She has overseen:
Kathy firmly believes in advocating for outstanding healthcare at state and national levels. She currently serves as vice president on the board of directors of Florida Hospices and Palliative Care; on governance and professional education committees for the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization; and the hospice advisory committee of the Joint Commission. She also finds time to lend her expertise to professional associations as a member of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Nurses Association; the Florida Organization of Nurse Executives; and the Tampa Bay Network of Executive Women.
Kathy earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Tampa and a Master of Science in Health Administration from the University of St. Francis in Joliet, Illinois.
Ronald S. Schonwetter, M.D. Chief Medical Officer Chapters Health System
As chief medical officer at Chapters Health System, Ronald S. Schonwetter, M.D., is dedicated to accessible care for patients as they face the challenges of advancing age or illness.
Dr. Schonwetter is certified in Internal Medicine and Hospice and Palliative Medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine. He also previously earned certification as a medical director, a hospice administrator and in geriatric medicine.
Dr. Schonwetter is a sought-after presenter at academic and educational conferences, recently giving presentations at the 2010 National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization's 25th Management and Leadership Conference and the 2009 Annual Assembly of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. He has contributed to more than a dozen textbook chapters and has published or co-published more than 40 journal articles, most recently publishing the results of studies on falls in hospice patients as well as emergency room visits and hospitalizations among hospice cardiac patients in the Journal of Palliative Medicine. Dr. Schonwetter is also the co-editor of the Hospice and Palliative Medicine Core Cirrculum and Review Syllabus. He has also been the director of numerous continuing education courses that have attracted national audiences.
Dr. Schonwetter has an extensive background in the delivery of hospice and palliative care services. He joined Hospice of Hillsborough (as Chapters Health was known) in 1989 and was named executive vice president and chief medical officer in 2005. In addition to his role with Chapters Health, Dr. Schonwetter is an adjunct professor in the Division of Geriatric Medicine at the University of South Florida's College of Medicine and is the community director at USF's Center for Hospice, Palliative Care and End-of-Life Studies.
Dr. Schonwetter earned his medical degree from the USF College of Medicine. He completed his internship and residency programs in the area of Internal Medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. In addition, Dr. Schonwetter completed a two-year fellowship in geriatric medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and The Veterans Administration Medical Center in Houston.
Dr. Schonwetter has held various positions with the American Board of Hospice and Palliative Medicine and the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, including serving as the academy's president in 2006. For numerous years, he has been honored by being selected as one of the "Best Doctors in America."
Chad A. Farmer, M.D. Medical Director Chapters Health Palliative Care
Educating patients and families, educating the medical community, educating future physicians -- providing education is a personal mission for Chad A. Farmer, M.D., medical director at Chapters Health Palliative Care.
Dr. Farmer joined the Chapters Health family in 2004 as a staff physician with LifePath Hospice, where he provided compassionate palliative care for hospice patients across Hillsborough County. In addition to his medical duties, Dr. Farmer also taught a mandatory hospice rotation for third-year medical students from the University of South Florida College of Medicine.
In 2006, Dr. Farmer was named medical director at Axis Palliative Healthcare (as Chapters Health Palliative Care was then known). There he provides palliative care consultations at four area hospitals and at local nursing homes. As a palliative care physician, Dr. Farmer meets with chronically ill patients and their loved ones, taking the time to thoroughly discuss the illness they are facing, offering guidance during a vulnerable time and help them to develop a realistic plan of care as they move forward.
Dr. Farmer earned his Bachelor of Arts from Emory Univesity in Atlanta; his medical degree from the University of Oklahoma School of Medicine in Oklahoma City; and a Masters of Arts from the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. Dr. Farmer is a local resource for area hospitals seeking to educate staff on issues surrounding chronic conditions, palliative care and hospice programs and has presented at national conferences, most recently at the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Care Assembly in 2011 .
Renuka Siddharthan, M.D. Medical Director Nursing Home Diversion and PACE Services
Most days, you will find Renuka Siddharthan, M.D., at the Chapters Health PACE Center in Tampa, greeting and catching up with PACE and Nursing Home Diversion participants. Dr. Siddharthan oversees the care of the frail elderly that are enrolled in those programs.
Dr. Siddharthan has devoted most of her medical career to caring for the elderly. She joined Chapters Health System in early 2011. Prior to that, she spent 19 years as medical director of the Long-Term Care Division of the Jackson Health System in Miami. During that time, she also was an attending physician, specializing in geriatrics and family practice services, at Jackson Memorial Hospital.
Dr. Siddharthan earned her medical degree from Madras Medical College in Madras, India. She did her residency in internal medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami. Dr. Siddharthan is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.
Stewart W. Stein, M.D. Medical Director Good Shepherd Hospice
As the medical director at Good Shepherd Hospice, Stewart W. Stein, M.D., bring more than two decades of experience as a physician. His extensive background in end-of-life care and a commitment to the delivery of exceptional hospice services are of great benefit to the patients and families in Polk, Highlands and Hardee counties.
In his role as medical director, Dr. Stein oversees the delivery of medical care to the patients of Good Shepherd Hospice.
Dr. Stein joined the organization in January 2011.
Prior to that, he served as chief medical officer and medical director at Nathan Adelson Hospice in Las Vegas. Dr. Stein also provided geriatric, rehabilitative and hospice care for patients in home settings and skilled-nursing facilities as a staff physician with the Kaiser Permanente Department of Continuing Care in San Diego.
Dr. Stein is board certified by the American Board of Hospice and Palliative Medicine and was a scholar in residence at the Center for Palliative Studies with San Diego Hospice.
Dr. Stein is a Florida native who was born in Jacksonville and attended the University of Florida, where he earned his Bachelor of Science and medical degrees. He completed his medical internship and residency programs at the University of California at San Diego's University Hospital.
Vicki Marsee, RN, MBA, NEA-BC, FABC, CHC, CCEP Vice President/Ethics and Compliance Officer Chapters Health System
Vicki Marsee has more than two decades of healthcare management experience. As vice president/ethics and compliance officer at Chapters Health System, Vicki oversees issues and departments related to quality, compliance, health information management, safety, risk, infection control, employee health, education and various clinical disciplines.
Prior to joining Chapters Health System in 2010, Vicki held senior-level healthcare positions, including administrative director of the Cancer Institute at St. Joseph's Healthcare in Tampa; executive director of the cancer center and oncology services for Presbyterian Healthcare/Novant Health in North Carolina; and director of nursing systems at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa.
Vicki earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and her Master of Business Administration from the University of South Florida. She is board certified by the American Nurses' Association as Nurse Executive-Advanced and is a graduate and fellow of the Advisory Board Company Fellowship Program in Washington, D.C. Vicki has also earned certification in Healthcare Compliance and as a Compliance & Ethics Professional.
Vicki has had peer-reviewed articles published in the American Journal of Nursing Oncology, Advanced and Critical Care Oncology Nursing and Oncology Nursing Forum. She has presented nationally on key topics for the American Association of Community Cancer Centers, the Oncology Nursing Society Congress, the American Association of Managed Care Nurses and the Case Management Society of America. In addition, Vicki has served appointments on the boards of the American Cancer Society, LifePath Hospice, the Tampa Bay Organization of Nurse Executives and the Florida Organization of Nurse Executives.
Mary Lou Proch, EdD, MSN, MA, BSN Director of Education Chapters Health System
Mary Lou Proch is committed to education. As the director of Education at Chapters Health System, Mary Lou assesses the organization's educational needs, oversees all aspects of staff competency development and facilitates educational opportunities for the professional community. Among her responsibilities is guaranteeing that patient and family education materials meet the company's high standards while serving as a vital, usable resource for those facing the challenges of life-limiting illnesses.
Mary Lou shares her knowledge with local, state and national organizations, including delivering recent presentations at professional meetings and workshops for Florida Hospices and Palliative Care and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization.
In addition to her duties with Chapters Health, Mary Lou is on the faculty at Walden University School of Nursing. She also serves on the executive committee of the Center for Hospice, Palliative Care and End-of-Life Studies at the University of South Florida; and the competency education and academic and education committees at the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization.
Mary Lou joined Chapters Health System in 2002. Prior to that, she held the position of director of Education at Sarasota Memorial Hospital. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. Mary Lou earned an additional Master of Arts in Adult Education and her Doctorate in Education from the University of South Florida. Her master's and doctorate area of focus concentrated on nursing and adult education.
Sehwan Kim, PhD Director of Research Chapters Health System
As director of research, Sehwan Kim, PhD, supports the Chapters Health System goal to enhance end-of-life care through research and education. He is responsible for all Chapters Health research projects, including the development of the organization's research agenda, securing funding for clinical trials and research projects, managing the patient data base and serving as a liaison for physicians interested in conducting collaborative research projects.
Dr. Kim joined Chapters Health in 2005. Since that time he has acted as co-principal investigator or study director on seven major studies that relate to pain and symptoms associated with end-of-life care. Prior to that, he served as executive vice president of Research and Evaluation at DataBase ER in Tampa and as director of Planning and Evaluation at the American Cancer Society in Tampa.
Dr. Kim has authored or co-authored numerous research articles published in peer-reviewed publications, including Research Monographs published by the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the United States Department of Health and Human Services, the Journal of Palliative Medicine, the Journal of Community Psychology, and the Journal of Drug Education. In addition, he has made major presentations at national conferences sponsored by SAMHSA, and other professional and academic conferences, including the 2007 conference of the North American SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) and the 2005 annual conference for the Center for Hospice and Palliative Care.
Dr. Kim earned his bachelor's degree from Korea University in Seoul, South Korea. He earned his master's and doctorate degrees from the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland.