LRMC Names New Physician Group to Staff ER
12/29/2009
Lapeer Regional Medical Center (LRMC) is pleased to announce that DeGarA, PLLC has been named to provide physician staffing for the Medical Center’s Emergency Department (ED), effective Jan 1. DeGarA is an independent group of board certified/board eligible emergency physicians based in Waterford, Michigan that has provided physician ED staffing at Pontiac Osteopathic Hospital Regional Medical Center (POHRMC), a subsidiary of McLaren Health Care, for the past six years.
“The DeGarA group has the energy, enthusiasm, and dedication to clinical excellence that will help LRMC bring the delivery of care in our Emergency Department to the next level,” said CEO Bart Buxton. “At Pontiac Osteopathic, they have achieved great success in the ED in the areas of patient satisfaction and turn-around time for patient care. In the coming weeks, staff from the DeGarA group will work closely with the LRMC team to ensure a smooth transition of services. I am confident this will be a long and productive relationship.”
The team at LRMC will start off with a contingent of 12 physicians being led by Brad Blaker, DO, FACEP, who will serve as the onsite ED director. Dr. Blaker is residency trained and board certified in both family and emergency medicine; he also has extensive EMS experience, currently is licensed as a basic EMT, and serves on a local fire department.
“We look forward to serving the Lapeer community for many years to come,” Dr. Blaker said. “Long term goals for our group include a potential for post-graduate training, expeditious emergency department care and medical staff cooperation in facilitated admission and outpatient treatment for patients in the community. We will encourage growth and necessary patient access to care.”
Joining Dr. Blaker on the new ED staff is Ken Franckowiak, D.O., board certified in emergency medicine, who lives locally. Dr. Franckowiak is a graduate of Michigan State University and completed his residency at POHRMC. He also serves as Education Director for Lapeer County EMS.
Rounding out the ER physician group are Nikolai Butki, DO, Angela Cheers, DO
Emergency Medicine, Tressa Gardner, DO, Jennifer Jones, DO, Christopher Steinacker, DO, Matthew Swayze, DO, Jehangir Pirzada, DO, Robert May, DO, Elizabeth VanDerAue, DO, and R. Steve Hemby, DO.
