The Southeast Permanente Medical Group

The Southeast Permanente Medical Group is an integral part of Kaiser Permanente. Our physicians can coordinate virtually every aspect of patient care - from referrals to laboratory tests to medications. With everything under one umbrella, our patients receive the highest continuity of care.

Kelly DeGraffenreid, MD Named TSPMG Physician Program Director of Systems and Quality

The Southeast Permanente Medical Group pleased to announce that Kelly DeGraffenreid, MD, has been named the Physician Program Director of Systems and Quality for Kaiser Permanente of Georgia.

As the Physician Program Director of Systems and Quality, Dr. DeGraffenreid is responsible for Adult Medicine department interfaces with the leaders and work of coding, informatics, quality and safety, professional development, and process improvement. She will identify programs, process improvement, quality/safety, and pilot opportunities for the department. She will develop these opportunities and work with operations to implement when ready. Duties include:

  • Education/proficiency/compliance – board certification and recertification, PI-CME, compliance training, credentialing, student rotations
  • Informatics – best use of technology to support clinicians and patients
  • Coding – working with the Chief of Coding on processes and training that affect AM
  • Quality – HEDIS (e.g. eldercare, depression, flu, CVD, DM, prevention, well women’s workgroup initiatives), safety, guidelines
  • Medicare – eldercare - Total Health Assessment, Annual Wellness Visit, osteoporosis, HRME
  • Current initiatives – group visits, shared decision making, Behavioral Health integration into primary care, Choosing Wisely, weight management, opioid prescribing, medication reconciliation, transitions in care, P4P, process improvement, assessment of clinical processes, MC3 – team resource optimization

In 2003, Dr. DeGraffenreid joined The Southeast Permanente Medical Group, Inc. (TSPMG), which provides care exclusively for Kaiser Permanente members in Georgia. She quickly became a respected physician and leader. In 2005, DeGraffenreid was named Team Player of the Year for TSPMG. She was also honored as the Glaxo-Wellcome Resident Scholar for leadership at Emory University. She most recently achieved Bridges to Excellence recognition.

DeGraffenreid completed her undergraduate degree in Pharmacy at Purdue University, earned her medical degree at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio and completed her family practice residency at Emory University.

Punam Sachdev, MD named Lead Physician for Southwood ACC

The Southeast Permanente Medical Group is pleased to announce that Punam Sachdev, MD has been appointed Lead Physician for the Kaiser Permanente of Georgia Southwood ACC. The Southwood ACC, which opened in February, has had a significant impact on the care received by members with emergent conditions. Dr. Sachdev has been an important part of our success and we are confident in her ability to lead the team in providing a high quality alternative to traditional ER services.

Dr. Sachdev joined TSPMG this year as a member of our Emergency Medicine department. She received her medical degree and a Master’s degree in Public Health at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and completed her residency at Emory University.

In addition to Dr. Sachdev’s new role, Christy Hewling, MD, Chief of Emergency Medicine will continue to serve as lead for the TownPark ACC.

Please join us in wishing Dr. Sachdev much success in her new role.

 

 

Bob Climko, MD, Named Senior Physician Director of Acute Care

The Southeast Permanente Medical Group (TSPMG) is delighted to announce that Bob Climko, MD will assume the position of Senior Physician Director of Acute Care, effective January 2015. In his new role, Dr. Climko will provide leadership for our hospitalists, ACC, CDU and urgent care providers, the ECM hub, the physician lead for the call center, and the QRM department. He replaces Peter King, MD, who is transitioning towards retirement by moving into a full time clinical role.

Dr. Climko has done a fantastic job since joining TSPMG in 2011 as Chief of Behavioral Health, building a very high performing department.  We will begin the search for a new Chief of Behavioral Health as Bob transitions to his new role.

Prior to joining our medical group, Bob had a very diverse career with extensive leadership experience in a variety of roles including medical director, consultant, chief medical officer, utilization management and academic medicine.  In addition to his medical degree, he also holds an MBA from the Keller School of Management.

We are confident that his leadership will further enhance our Acute Care Services.

 

 

TSPMG Orthopedics Continues Expansion; adds Hand Surgeons

The Southeast Permanente Medical Group is pleased to announce the continued expansion of our TSPMG Orthopedics department. We have added five clinicians to the department, including two hand surgeons.

  • Yaw Boachie-Adjei, MD, one of our two new hand surgeons, received his medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at the University of Virginia. He also completed a fellowship in hand & microvascular surgery at UVA and a fellowship in shoulder & elbow surgery at the University of Washington in Seattle.
  • Le Don Robinson, MD holds both a bachelors and a masters of physical therapy degree from Howard University. He received his medical degree from the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, where he also completed an internship in general surgery and a residency in orthopedic surgery. He completed a fellowship in adult reconstruction at the Cleveland Clinic.
  • Sangmin ‘Ryan’ Shin, MD has joined us after completing his Orthopedic Surgery Sports Medicine Fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital / Harvard Medical School. He received his medical degree from the Boston University School of Medicine and also holds an MA in Medical Science from Boston University.
  • Jennifer Tucker, MD specializes in hand surgery, having completed her fellowship at the University of California, Irvine where she also worked with Permanente physicians. She holds an MS and MD from the University of Louisville, where she also completed her surgical and orthopedic residencies and a research fellowship. Dr. Tucker also completed a shoulder and elbow fellowship in Zurich, Switzerland.
  • Amanda Appling, PA brings significant experience as a physician assistant in various orthopedic practices. She holds a master’s in Medical Science from Mercer University.

Please join us in welcoming them to TSPMG.

 

 

 

Joy Church, MD Named Chief of the Kaiser Permanente of Georgia ECM Hub

The Southeast Permanente Medical Group is delighted to announce that Joy Church, MD will assume the role of Chief of the Emergency Care Management (ECM) Hub, effective November 1, 2014. The ECM Hub is a critical piece of our operational structure and helps our members get the right care, in the right place, at the right time. Hub functions include repatriating members from outside ERs and hospitals to our core facilities, supporting advice nurses in triaging our members to the right site of care, arranging for ambulance transportation, and assisting with new member pharmacy onboarding.

Dr. Church has been with TSPMG for six years. She was a PCP from 2006 - 2009 and returned in 2011 to work in the Hub (then known as PTSP). She has diverse and extensive leadership experience, including serving as Medical Director in the Fulton County Jail and as an assistant professor at Emory University School of Medicine.

We are very excited about expanding the role of the ECM Hub to include more robust telephonic physician advice and development of video appointments, efforts that Dr. Church will be leading.

 

 

  1. Pilcher promoted to Vice President TSPMG Administrative Services; Ray named Director of Human Resources
  2. Stephen Sudler, MD, named Physician Program Director, Digital Health Services
  3. Lateefah Watford, MD, named Chief of Behavioral Health
  4. Anna Skold, MD Named Physician Lead for Medical Ethics