Husband-Wife Physician Team

Retires After 30 Years In Oneonta

ONEONTA – After more than 30 years of providing patient care and serving the greater Oneonta community, Drs. Michael Levenstein and Deanna Palumbo have retired from primary care practice.

The husband and wife team established Bassett’s first Oneonta-based health center in 1988 on Dietz Street, moving to 125 Main St. in 1994. Over the years, the practice Levenstein and Palumbo started grew from four providers to 19.

Levenstein and Palumbo completed their residencies at Bassett Hospital, beginning in 1981 and 1982, respectively. “Bassett’s residency program was highly sought after,” says Palumbo. “We were trained by wonderful physicians; some of the most rewarding work we’ve done over the years has involved the training of residents and medical students.”

In 1985, the couple traveled to St. Louis to fulfill a U.S. Public Health Service obligation, providing health care to patients in inner city clinics for three years. In 1988, they were offered positions as full-time internists at Bassett; in August of that year, their health center at 50 Dietz Street opened. Levenstein was medical director, Tom Colletti was the pediatric physician assistant and Susan Cataffo Heiland was the nurse midwife. “It was wonderfully fulfilling,” says Levenstein.

Levenstein and Palumbo saw much growth in their clinic in the years that followed, as well as within Bassett Healthcare Network. “Our practice was continually growing,” says Palumbo. “We proudly provided excellent health care to our community.”

As they added more providers, their practice expanded on Dietz Street and finally moved to 125 Main Street, its current location. “Our patient base developed greatly,” says Palumbo. “After we moved to 125 Main Street, Bassett’s presence expanded rapidly in Oneonta.”

Levenstein and Palumbo have been active in the Oneonta community. They have served on many boards, including SUNY Oneonta’s Health & Wellness Center, Planned Parenthood, the Community Services Board and Catskill Symphony Orchestra. In 2000, Palumbo and violinist Julie Signitzer co-founded the Little Delaware Youth Ensemble, a youth string orchestra that now serves five counties. In their leisure time, they enjoy playing music, traveling, and staying active by cross-country skiing, bicycling and hiking, among other activities. They have two sons, Daniel and Alex.

Although officially retiring, the couple plans to stay in the area and work per diem for Bassett Healthcare Network, both at regional health centers and at the New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health (NYCAMH), providing annual physicals to firemen and EMTs. A retirement celebration was held Jan. 17 at the health center.