Bassett Healthcare Network Welcomes New Practitioners

COOPERSTOWN—On October 16, 101 administrative positions were eliminated across the eight-county Bassett Healthcare Network, but with direct patient care front of mind, Bassett welcomed 19 new healthcare practitioners during the month of September. Their care specialties, locations, and backgrounds are as follows:

Jacob VanHouten, MD, PhD, is an attending physician, accepting new patients in Internal Medicine at Oneonta Health Center (125 Main Street). Dr. VanHouten provides comprehensive medical care to adult patients, including physical exams, diagnosis and treatment of illnesses, prescriptions, specialty referrals, and more. Dr. VanHouten is also serving as Bassett Healthcare Network’s assistant chief medical informatics officer. He earned his medical degree from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, Tennessee, and completed his residency at Griffin Hospital in Derby, Connecticut.

Melanie Montano-Brooks, DO, is a physician in Emergency & Trauma Services, providing care to patients at A.O. Fox Hospital in Oneonta, A.O. Fox Hospital—Tri-Town Campus in Sidney, Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown, Cobleskill Regional Hospital, Little Falls Hospital, and O’Connor Hospital in Delhi. Dr. Montano-Brooks provides diagnosis and treatment of serious illness and injury. Dr. Montano-Brooks earned her medical degree at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine in Middletown, New York, and completed her residency at University of Rochester Medical School in Rochester.

Donald Calzolaio, MD, is an attending physician in Women’s Health, accepting new patients at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown. Dr. Calzolaio provides gynecologic care, including pelvic exams, Pap tests, cancer screenings, surgical consults, and more. Dr. Calzolaio earned his medical degree from SUNY Health Science Center at Syracuse, and completed his residency at SUNY Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse.

Cyrus DeSouza, MD, is an attending physician in Internal Medicine, providing care to patients at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown. Dr. DeSouza provides diagnosis and treatment of illness, prescriptions, specialist referrals for after a patient’s hospital stay, and more. Dr. DeSouza earned his medical degree from St. George’s University School of Medicine in Grenada, West Indies, and completed his residency at Bassett Medical Center.

Srinivas Ketharaju, MD, is an attending physician in Women’s Health, accepting new patients at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown and FoxCare Center in Oneonta. Dr. Ketharaju provides gynecologic care to patients, specializing in non-invasive surgery. Other services offered include pelvic exams, Pap tests, cancer screenings, surgical consults, and more. Dr. Ketharaju earned his medical degree from Andhra Medical College in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India, and completed his residency at Bronxcare Health System in the Bronx, New York. He recently completed a fellowship in Minimally Invasive Gynecological Surgery at Mount Auburn Hospital, affiliated with Harvard Medical School, in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Casey Lamb, MD, is an attending surgeon in General Surgery, accepting new patients at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown, Herkimer Specialty Services, Little Falls Hospital, Little Falls Specialty Services, and Oneonta Specialty Services. Dr. Lamb specializes in general surgery, with particular interest in bariatric surgery, foregut surgery, and complex hernias. Dr. Lamb earned his medical degree from Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and completed his residency at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire.

Anojan Pathmanathan, MD, is an attending physician in Cardiology, accepting new patients at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown and Cobleskill Regional Hospital. Dr. Pathmanathan provides non-invasive and preventive heart care to patients ages 18 and above. Dr. Pathmanathan earned his medical degree from the American University of Antigua in Osbourn, Antigua & Barbuda, and completed his residency at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse.

Lauren Smithson, MD, is an attending surgeon with General Surgery, accepting new patients at several locations throughout Bassett Healthcare Network. She specializes in general surgery and endoscopy. Dr. Smithson earned her medical degree from American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine in Cupecoy, St. Maarten, and completed her residency at Providence Hospital in Southfield, Michigan.

Parikshya Giri Rijal, MBBS, is an attending physician in Internal Medicine, providing care to patients admitted to Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown. She provides diagnosis and treatment of illness, prescriptions, specialist referrals for after a patient’s hospital stay, and more. Dr. Giri Rijal earned her medical degree from Chitwan Medical College in Bharatpur, Bagmati, Nepal, and completed her residency at Bassett Medical Center.

Karly Barra, PA, is a physician assistant in Pediatrics at Bassett’s Delaware Valley School-Based Health Center in Delhi. She provides comprehensive pediatric care to students of all ages, including physical exams, diagnosis and treatment of illnesses, prescriptions, specialty referrals, and more. To learn more about Bassett’s School-Based Health Program, visit //Bassett.org/SBH-FAQ. Barra graduated from Daemen College in Amherst, New York, where she earned her master’s degree as a physician assistant.

Alexis Drake, PA, is a physician assistant in Orthopedics, accepting new patients at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown. She provides general orthopedic care to patients ages 18 and above, including care for bone, muscle, and joint issues, fractures, and pain in areas like the hips, knees, and shoulders. Drake graduated from St. Bonaventure University at St. Bonaventure, New York, where she earned her master’s degree as a physician assistant.

Lindsey Drass, PA, is a physician assistant in Family Medicine, accepting new patients at Bassett Health Center Andes. She provides comprehensive medical care to patients of all ages, including physical exams, diagnosis and treatment of illnesses, prescriptions, specialty referrals, and more. Drass graduated from Slippery Rock University in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, where she earned her master’s degree as a physician assistant.

Noelle LaVine, PA-C, is a physician assistant in Family Medicine, accepting new patients at Bassett Health Center Cobleskill. She provides comprehensive medical care to patients of all ages, including physical exams, diagnosis and treatment of illnesses, prescriptions, specialty referrals, and more. LaVine graduated from Marist College in Poughkeepsie, where she earned her master’s degree as a physician assistant.

Jordan Shalke, PA, is a physician assistant in Vascular Surgery. Shalke graduated from Daemen College in Amherst, where she earned her master’s degree as a physician assistant. Shalke is board-certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.

Carley Stevenson, PA, is a physician assistant in Women’s Health, accepting new patients at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown. She provides gynecologic care including pelvic exams, Pap tests, cancer screenings, and more. Stevenson graduated from St. Bonaventure University in St. Bonaventure, New York, where she earned her master’s degree as a physician assistant.

Tianna Blake, FNP, is a family nurse practitioner in Family Medicine, accepting new patients at Bassett Health Center Delhi. She provides comprehensive medical care to patients 5 years and older, including physical exams, diagnosis and treatment of illnesses, prescriptions, specialty referrals, and more. Blake graduated from Utica University in Utica, where she earned her master’s degree as a family nurse practitioner.

Caroline Donlon, FNP, is a family nurse practitioner in Family Medicine, accepting new patients at Bassett Health Center Oneida. She provides comprehensive medical care to patients of all ages, including physical exams, diagnosis and treatment of illnesses, prescriptions, specialty referrals, and more. Donlon graduated from SUNY Polytechnic Institute in Utica, where she earned her master’s degree as a family nurse practitioner. She is also a recent graduate of the Bassett Post-Graduate Family Nurse Practitioner Residency Program.

Bridgit Hurst, FNP, is family nurse practitioner in Pediatrics, accepting new patients at FoxCare Pediatrics (1 FoxCare Drive, Suite 213, Oneonta) and Oneonta Pediatrics (125 Main Street). She provides a wide range of health care services for infants, children, adolescents, and young adults—including physical exams, diagnosis and treatment of illnesses, prescriptions, specialty referrals, and more. Hurst graduated from Russell Sage College in Troy, where she earned her master’s degree as a family nurse practitioner. She is also a recent graduate of the Bassett Post-Graduate Family Nurse Practitioner Residency Program.

Matusamunina Zayobi, FNP, is a family nurse practitioner in Family Medicine, providing hospital care to patients admitted to Little Falls Hospital. She provides diagnosis and treatment of illness, prescriptions, specialist referrals to patients for after a patient’s hospital stay, and more. Zayobi graduated from Winston-Salem State University in Winston Salem, North Carolina, where she earned her master’s degree as a family nurse practitioner. She is also a recent graduate of the Bassett Post-Graduate Family Nurse Practitioner Residency Program.

The October layoffs came as Bassett Healthcare Network officials seek to reduce a deficit of $80 million in 2022 and a similar loss in 2023.

“We eliminated about 100 postings across the entire network as part of efforts to control rising healthcare costs,” Bassett CEO Staci Thompson explained. “It is a proactive approach that we’ve undertaken in order to continue to maintain our independence as a community based healthcare system.”

Cost of labor is just one of nine areas being addressed by Bassett. Thompson said there are eight other working groups concurrently reviewing supply chain, pharmacy, medical group access, coding, facilities, patient throughput, strategic pricing and charge capture, and human resources.

“The groups are working in synchronized approaches to reduce expenses and boost revenue. Most importantly, these concerted efforts are focused on providing best-in-class care while creating a more financially stable organization,” Gabrielle Argo, Bassett director of communications and public relations, explained. “The practices and solutions coming out of these work streams will be in place going forward for the long-term benefit of our patients and communities.”