EBNHC Welcomes New Primary Care Providers

East Boston, MA, November 14, 2007 — Easy access to high-quality primary health care has been central to the mission of the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center since we first opened in 1970. One component affecting accessible health care is the availability of caregivers. Today, Massachusetts and the nation are facing a severe shortage of primary care physicians. This shortage has made it difficult for patients to obtain a primary care physician and creates delays in scheduling routine appointments.

EBNHC has made significant efforts to recruit physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants to expand primary care capacity to meet the needs of the population we serve. We are also working to make primary care more effective as well as more accessible by developing Chronic Disease Education and Management Department programs. These programs have been shown to assist patients in such areas as improving diabetes management, preventing heart disease, and improving asthma control. With the help of nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants, improvements can be made in patient education, monitoring, and support in ways that supplement the traditional doctor visit. By building close-knit primary care teams where physicians and mid-level providers know their panel of patients well and collaborate in patient treatment, we are able to assure that access and continuity of care are improved.

We have been successful in recruiting a wonderful group of new physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants to help us meet this challenge. We are delighted to introduce you to these newest members of the EBNHC team.

New Physicians

Dorothy Y. Chen, MD, MPH (right), joined our busy Pediatrics Department. Dr. Chen graduated from Tufts University School of Medicine and completed her residency at Children’s National Medical Center/Howard University Hospital in Washington, DC. She is board certified in pediatrics. “I was interested in working in a community health center because of the importance of primary care and preventive medicine,” says Dr. Chen. “EBNHC has so much to offer its patients. I think it’s important for patients to have easy access to multidisciplinary care and ancillary services. The Pediatrics Department at EBNHC also has a large and diverse staff and I was hoping to work in an environment where I could learn from and share with other colleagues. I am impressed and very appreciative of the organization of the Pediatrics Department.” Dr. Chen’s areas of interest include early childhood literacy, and she is conversational in Mandarin.

Hernan A. Lopez Morra, MD (left), became a staff member of the Adult Medicine Department in September 2007. Dr. Lopez Morra graduated from the Universidad Nacional de Cordoba in Argentina and completed his residency at the Metro West Medical Center in Framingham, MA. He is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese.

Kimberly Dodd, MD, joined the interdisciplinary staff of the Elder Service Plan in August 2007. Dr. Dodd graduated from the Boston University School of Medicine. She completed her residency in internal medicine at Boston Medical Center, where she also earned a geriatrics fellowship. She is board certified in internal medicine and geriatrics.

Eileen Pierce, MD (left), joined the Family Medicine Department in September 2007. Dr. Pierce graduated from the Boston University School of Medicine, where she also completed her residency. She is fluent in Spanish. “I was attracted to EBNHC by the health center’s sense of community and commitment to the neighborhood of East Boston,” says Dr. Pierce. “People here seem so willing to help one another.”

Madhavi Shah, MD (right), joined the Family Medicine Department. Dr. Shah is a graduate of Tufts University School of Medicine. She completed her residency at the Brown Family Medicine Residency Program in Pawtucket, RI. “I was attracted to EBNHC because of the health center’s mission to care for the under-served. I had heard from various colleagues that EBNHC was a well-established, full-functioning health center with urgent care, radiology, laboratory, pharmacy, specialists, etc. This really attracted me because I wanted to practice in a place where my patients could easily access these services. I also speak Spanish and really enjoy working with the Latino population,” notes Dr. Shah. “These first months working at EBNHC have been truly wonderful—from the patients to the staff and my co-workers. Everyone has welcomed me with open arms and has helped me tremendously in transitioning from resident to attending. This is a wonderful place to work.” In addition to Spanish, Dr. Shah is fluent in Gujarati.

Luis M. Henkel, MD, is pleased to join the Adult Medicine Department. Dr. Henkel is a graduate of Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil, and completed his residency at Rhode Island Hospital and Miriam Hospital in Providence, RI. He is fluent in Brazilian Portuguese, Spanish, French, and German. “I came here because I see great potential to practice medicine. We all have the same goal of offering excellent medical care,” observes Dr. Henkel. “The resources are great and I have a lot in common with the patient population.”

Julie A. Silverhart, MD (left), joined the Family Medicine Department in September 2007. She graduated from the University of New Mexico School of Medicine in Albuquerque, NM. In 2006, she completed her residency at the Greater Lawrence Family Health Center/Lawrence General Hospital, Lawrence, MA. She is fluent in Spanish.

Peter C. Smith, MD (below right), joined the Chronic Disease Education and Management Department. He graduated from the University of Massachusetts Medical School and completed his residency at Boston University Medical Center. He is board certified in internal medicine and preventive medicine. Dr. Smith’s areas of interest include diabetes, chronic disease management, and geriatrics. “I was attracted to EBNHC primarily because of the health center’s long track record of providing high-quality care to an under-served population. Working in a community health center has long been my career goal. In fact, my mother was a social worker at Columbia Point Community Health Center when she was pregnant with me,” notes Dr. Smith. “EBNHC has consistently distinguished itself as an innovator. The position in CDEM struck me as a unique opportunity to explore my interests in chronic disease management and work as part of a unique interdisciplinary team, which I think is the way medicine should be practiced.”

New Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants

Rebecca Freedberg, RNP (right), became a member of the Chronic Disease Education and Management Department as well as Senior Care Options (SCO). Ms. Freedberg received her MS degree from Boston College. She is an ANCC board-certified family nurse practitioner, and is fluent in Spanish. “I was attracted to EBNHC because of my long-standing interest in community-based health care,” notes Ms. Freedberg. “I also enjoy caring for an ethnically diverse group of patients, which EBNHC offers. I really enjoy getting to know the patients, who come from such a range of backgrounds and experiences. I also enjoy working with colleagues who are committed to providing a high level of care in the community.”

Joanna Kropiewnicka, RNP (left), joined the Pediatrics Department in May 2007. She earned her masters degree in pediatric nursing from Boston College. She speaks English, Polish, and Russian.

Shannon L. Bisbee, RNP, joined our Adult Medicine Department in September 2007. She earned her MS degree from Simmons Graduate School of Health Studies. She is an AANP board-certified adult nurse practitioner.

Lynette Matthews, RNP (left), is pleased to join the staff at Senior Care Options (SCO). She earned her MS degree from Boston College in adult and gerontology nursing. “I am a nurse practitioner whose specialty is geriatrics, with focus on healthy aging. EBNHC’s innovative Senior Care Option program affords me the opportunity to care for the elderly population in the community,” observes Ms. Matthews. “And I love the cultural diversity. You can be at the clinic any day and experience the cultural challenge of so many different countries of the world.”

Jody L. Reifenberger, PA-C (right), joined the Chronic Disease Education and Management Department as well as the Pediatrics Department. She earned her Master of Medical Science in Physician Assistant Studies from Midwestern University, Downers Grove, IL, in 2003. “I was looking for a job at a community health center, and EBNHC was so impressive with how many services they have to offer the patients in the community here,” Ms. Reifenberger notes. “I’ve been very impressed with the staff that I work with. Not only top notch physicians, but a great supportive team as well.” She also appreciates her EBNHC patient population. “I really enjoy the diversity. I previously practiced in a rural community in central Illinois out of a small office. What a pleasant change it’s been.”

Kathleen Simpson, RNP (left), joined the Pediatrics Department in April 2007. She earned her MS in pediatric nursing from the Simmons Graduate School of Health Studies in Boston.