(Jackson, MI) Feb 8, 2012 - Great Lakes Caring Hospice welcomes Doctor Scott Paxton and announces the Hospice Medical Staff Leadership Team. The new physician-based hospice medical team will report to Great Lakes Caring Chief Hospice Officer Laura A. Wagner.
“Great Lakes Caring Hospice is the only hospice provider in Michigan to have a team of physicians who are one-hundred-percent dedicated full-time employees,” said Wagner.
“This full-time skilled physician group will serve our hospice patients well, because of their expertise in end-of-life care, and their commitment to delivering the highest quality care, wherever the patient calls home,” said Great Lakes Caring Chief Executive Officer William Deary.
Doctor Winegarden, hospice medical director of the Great Lakes Caring Hospice Physician Team holds a doctorate degree in osteopathic medicine from MSU. She has more than 10 years of primary care medicine, over three of those years as a hospice medical director in long-term care settings. She is board-certified in family medicine, and board eligible in hospice and palliative care medicine. She lives in Southfield, MI and works in the Bingham Farms Great Lakes Caring office.
Doctor Paxton, hospice associate medical director holds degrees from Michigan State University and the University of Des Moines School of Osteopathic Medicine and Health Sciences. Paxton has 10 years experience in long term care medicine. He is a member of the American and Michigan Osteopathic Associations, and is board certified in family medicine. He lives in Novi, MI and works in the Jackson and East Lansing Great Lakes Caring offices.
Doctor Cook, hospice associate medical director holds degrees from the University of Michigan and the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. He is board certified in internal medicine with over 12 years of experience. He works in the Grand Rapids Great Lakes Caring office and resides in Grand Rapids, MI.
Doctor O’Connor, hospice associate medical director holds a doctorate in osteopathic medicine. He is board-certified in family practice and became certified in hospice and palliative medicine in December 2011. He has been in practice for more than 40 years, four of which were spent as a Franciscan medical missionary in Bolivia. After his retirement from family practice, he founded and manages St. Luke’s clinic, providing health care for the medically underserved. He works in the Jackson Great Lakes Caring office.
Doctor Schmidt, palliative care services medical director is a nationally sought out educator and speaker for her palliative and hospice expertise. She holds a doctorate of osteopathic medicine degree from MSU and is well-known in the hospice and long-term care communities for her passion to educate on end-of-life topics. In 2011, the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine conferred their Fellow recognition on Dr. Schmidt for excellence in service and education in the field of hospice and palliative medicine. Last summer, she was invited to create a webinar with the Michigan Public Health Training Center entitled Real Life Approaches to Pain Management. In 2007 and 2008, the Michigan Hospice and Palliative Care Organization recognized her achievements as Educator of the Year and Physician of the Year. She will serve the Michigan-based, physician-driven palliative program for Great Lakes Caring.
For more information about Great Lakes Caring Hospice call 800-311-5365.
Great Lakes Caring is one of the Midwest’s premier providers of a continuum of care, consisting of home health, palliative care, and hospice care, as well as home medical equipment. Our care services are delivered with an unparalleled level of quality by our exceptionally dedicated team of health care professionals to more than 6,000 patients across Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. Our intimate approach to caring for our patients, along with our relentless pursuit of advanced health care technologies and innovative care services, drives more than 2,000 loyal physicians to entrust their patients’ care to Great Lakes Caring.
