My clinical practice at the Linwood Avenue Internal Medicine-Pediatrics office provides healthcare services to an underserved area of Buffalo. I provide primary care for both adult and pediatric patients with a wide variety of medical issues. In addition, I provide specialized care for patients with chronic pain issues through osteopathic manipulation including Cranial Osteopathy. Lastly, I provide specialized and primary care services for adult patients with Sickle Cell disease.

As the Director of the Adult Sickle Cell Transitional Care program, I have a formalized transitional program with providers in the Sickle Cell & Hemoglobinopathy Center of Western New York at Women and Children’s Hospital of Buffalo. Directing such a program not only educates the faculty, staff, and residents in the Linwood Avenue clinic and Internal Medicine and Pediatrics residency, but also all healthcare providers around the Buffalo area who care for these patients. This program leads to better patient-centered care for those suffering with Sickle Cell disease throughout Western New York.

Currently, my research is focused on a quality improvement project: Increasing Cancer Screening through Academic Detailing and Practice Facilitation. The grant is funded through Health Research, Inc. and the New York State Department of Health. The primary focus of the project is to determine if educational and quality improvement support provided will improve screening rates among primary care practices. In cooperation with other project leaders and sites around the state, the Linwood Avenue primary care office is using these resources to improve screening rates for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer among our patients

As a teacher, I supervise Med-Peds residents at the Linwood Avenue office, as well as Internal Medicine residents on the inpatient service at Buffalo General Medical Center four weeks per year. I also teach pediatric residents when I am on call for pediatric patients and Newborn Nursery, which occurs on a rotating basis throughout the year. Both my weeks on service and on call also include the teaching of University at Buffalo medical students. In addition, I help run the osteopathic medical student elective during which we are able to introduce students outside of UB to our Internal Medicine and Pediatrics residency program. Lastly, I give a number of lectures each year at the monthly Med-Peds conferences as well as educate residents and students across specialties about Sickle Cell Disease and the standards of care for patients of all ages and in a variety of settings.

As an Associate Program Director for the Combined Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Program, I ensure that the goals and objectives of the program continue to match the goals and philosophies of both osteopathic and allopathic medicine. Furthermore, I focus on maintaining a core principle of Osteopathy, that being the care of the whole patient. As a group, we feel education is a core principle in our role as UB professors. As our program continues to increase the number of Med-Peds medical providers and educate an increasing number of medical students, was are able to aide in the care of the growing transitional patient population in the US.

Internal Medicine - Pediatrics

Children, Adolescents

Physician Gender:

Female