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Five Board Members Sworn in at the 2017 Scientific Assembly

[Chicago, IL] On November 5th, Christine Giesa, DO, FACOEP-D became the 21st Board President of the American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians (ACOEP). In a ceremony during the annual membership meeting at the 2017 Scientific Assembly in Denver, Colorado, outgoing President John C. Prestosh, DO, FACOEP-D administered the oath of office to Dr. Giesa, as well as Robert Suter, DO, MHA, FACOEP, FACEP,  FIFEM, who was instated as the newest President Elect of ACOEP. Brandon Lewis, DO, MBA, FACOEP, FACEP, was re-elected to the Board, and John W. Graneto, DO, M.Ed, FACOEP-d, and Justin Grill, DO, FACOEP were elected for their first terms.

“ACOEP has no shortage of talented leaders,” said ACOEP Executive Director Janice Wachtler. “We are so proud of the level of experience each of our board members bring to the table. I am confident ACOEP’s unprecedented growth will continue under Dr. Giesa’s leadership, and the stewardship of our full Board.”

Doctors Suter, Lewis, Graneto, and Grill are important voices on an active Board. Bringing with them years of experience in medicine, education, advocacy, administration, and the military, these members are stalwart agents of progress who will further move ACOEP into the national spotlight.

ACOEP’s Board works diligently to enact ACOEP’s mission, providing professional guidance, outreach, and ensure that ACOEP remains at the forefront of emergency medicine in the United States.

Speaking to a full house during the inauguration, Dr. Giesa stressed the importance of service to patients, the strength of ACOEP’s community, and her commitment to the members of the College. She addressed the challenges facing healthcare professionals, specifically in emergency medicine, and expressed confidence in ACOEP’s ability to thrive in the face of a changing landscape.

“The American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians is an organization with personal touch. At our conferences you are not a nameless face in the crowd waiting to be processed by convention employees,” Dr. Giesa said in her inaugural address. “The kinship in this College is amazing! You will not experience this in many other organizations…The Board of Directors wants to make sure that the College is meeting your expectations and providing you with extraordinary experiences to help you successfully start your career. You need to let us know how we can help. As president, I am here to serve you, the members of our College.”

Dr. Giesa’s term will last two years, at which point President Elect Robert Suter will assume the position of president. Doctors Graneto, Grill, and Lewis will each serve three-year terms on ACOEP’s 18-person Board.

Christine Giesa, DO, FACOEP-D is the second woman president of ACOEP and the first mother. Dr. Giesa is a graduate of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her residency at Albert Einstein Medical Center, where she then worked for 16 years. She currently works in the emergency department at Delaware County Memorial Hospital where she is a residency program director.

Dr. Giesa has been a dedicated member of ACOEP for 23 years. In this time, she served as the chair of the Continuing Medical Education Committee and as chair of the Spring Seminar. She was instrumental in developing the successful COLA Review Course, as well as the popular ACOEP Council for Women in Emergency Medicine. She has been a member of ACOEP’s Board and has worked hard to connect with students and residents.

Robert E. (Bob) Suter, D.O., MHA, FACOEP-D, FIFEM begins his third term as a member of the ACOEP Board of Directors. In July, Dr. Suter returned from a Middle East deployment as a Colonel in the US Army Reserve, where he served as the Commander of the medical and healthcare forces in the 13 nation CENTCOM region. When home in the US, he practices emergency medicine in a variety of settings, from small rural hospitals to major academic medical centers as a Professor of Emergency Medicine. He is a Past President of the American College of Emergency Physicians and the International Federation for Emergency Medicine. He received his bachelor’s degree from Washington University in St. Louis, and received his DO and MHA degrees from Des Moines University in Des Moines, Iowa and a Masters in strategic studies from the Army War College. He was the physician Co-Chair of the federal project EMS Agenda for the Future published in 1995. On the Board of ACOEP, he has worked hard to mentor osteopathic students, residents, and physicians across the US, always available for as a coach or mentor. Dr. Suter was the first osteopathic physician to serve in an officer position in the ACEP, serving as secretary-treasurer, and President in 2004-05. He was also the first osteopathic physician on the Board of the International Federation for Emergency Medicine, and served as its President in 2006. Before deploying, Dr. Suter was Vice President of Quality and Health IT for the American Heart Association, and a professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at UT Southwestern in Dallas. In addition to being recognized as an expert clinician, he is also the author of scores of studies, papers, and textbook chapters in emergency medicine, and has given hundreds of presentations worldwide, especially in the areas of Evidenced-Based Practice, EMS, Practice Management, Quality and Health Policy. He has practiced in nearly every imaginable health care practice setting, and has extensive experience in operations and administration, including as a managing partner in a regional emergency medicine group and as the COO of a 15-hospital multispecialty group of over 200 providers. As a Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve he has served in Iraq and Afghanistan with the 1st Cavalry and 3rd Infantry Divisions. Dr. Suter is the Reserve Consultant to the Surgeon General for Emergency Medicine, and has commanded the 94th Combat Support Hospital, the 2d Medical Brigade, and the 3rd Medical Command-Forward.

John W. Graneto, DO, FACOEP-D is a 1986 graduate of Ohio University, College of Osteopathic Medicine, and completed residencies in emergency medicine and pediatrics at the Midwestern University/Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine. A true educator, Dr. Graneto has a master’s degree in Education from the University of Cincinnati as well as a Certificate in Health. He is also a graduate of the Costin Institute, Scholars Program for Academic Medical Educators from MWU/CCOM. Dr. Graneto is the Associate Dean for Clinical Education and GME at Kansas City University – College of Osteopathic Medicine, where he is also a professor of emergency medicine and pediatrics. Prior to relocating to Kansas City, Dr. Graneto was involved in the predoctoral, and postdoctoral education at CCOM’s Emergency Medicine Program. Noted for his devotion to education, Dr. Graneto received the Benjamin A. Field, DO, Mentor of the Year Award from the ACOEP in 2012. He has been a member of the Committee on Graduate Medical Education, where he served as chair for several years, as well as a noted speaker in many emergency medicine and pediatric conferences. At CCOM Dr. Graneto developed the Master Faculty Series Program to develop a more robust faculty development initiative for clinicians.

Justin Grill, DO, FACOEP is a 2007 graduate of Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine who has two master’s degrees in Healthcare Administration and Education in the Health Professions. He completed his residency in emergency medicine at Oakwood Health System in Dearborn/Trenton, Michigan. Dr. Grill is the Director of Medical Education/Designated Institutional Official at Mercy Health in Muskegon, Michigan where he also serves as Assistant Program Director of its emergency medicine residency. Dr. Grill has been a member of the Emergency Medicine Aptitude and Assessment Testing Committee since 2013 which develops and operates the in-service examination for emergency medicine. He is also member of the Committee on CME responsible for the development of continuing medical education programs for ACOEP.

Brandon J. Lewis, DO, MBA, FACOEP is a 2002 graduate of the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine who completed his Emergency Medicine residency at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Pennsylvania. Dr. Lewis served in the U.S. Air National Guard for 10 years as a flight surgeon and was activated several times including a deployment to Iraq in 2007. Dr. Lewis was a partner and Board Member of Emergency Service Partners until 2017 when E.S.P. joined as a founding partner with U.S. Acute Care Solutions. He is currently a physician owner, Southwest Region Clinical Governance Board member, and Regional Vice President with U.S. Acute Care Solutions. Dr. Lewis currently practices at CHI St. Joseph Regional Medical Center, a 310 bed, Level II trauma center in Bryan, Texas. He served as Medical Director and Chair of Emergency Services of the 60,000 patient per year department from 2009 to 2017. Under his direction, the E.D., in cooperation with other departments, earned the hospital national recognition seven consecutive years for excellence in stroke and cardiac care. The facility was designated as a certified stroke center and selected by CMS to serve as a test site for Comprehensive Stroke designation for community hospitals. His facility achieved cycle V Chest Pain Center Accreditation and increased its trauma designation from Level III to Level II. He oversaw the consolidation of regional EMS services under a single medical director for better standardization and cooperation and implemented a successful clinical research program in the Emergency Department. He has received awards from Trauma Region-N Regional Area Council and St Joseph Regional for his service and achievements. Dr. Lewis has served as Vice President of Medical Affairs for St. Joseph Health System since 2013. Dr. Lewis began his administrative career serving in a Medical Director role at a 7000-volume critical access hospital, and later, at a hospital affiliated freestanding ED seeing 12,000 patients per year. Dr. Lewis has been an active member of ACOEP since joining as a student in 1998 and has served as President of both the Student and Resident Chapters.

About the American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians

The American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians (ACOEP) exists to:

  • Support quality emergency medical care
  • Promote the interests of osteopathic emergency physicians
  • Support development and implementation of osteopathic emergency medical education
  • Advance the philosophy and practice of osteopathic medicine through a system of quality and cost-effective healthcare in a distinct, unified profession

ACOEP is comprised of attending physicians, residents, and medical students from across the United States who have dedicated themselves to the advancement of the field of emergency medicine, as well as their careers. Our annual conferences, publications and learning opportunities are just a few of the reasons why ACOEP has been a pillar in the emergency medicine community for over 40 years.

ACOEP has become an advocate for physicians as well as patients, has provided research, competition, and funding opportunities for students and residents, and continues to ensure that quality training standards are met. The staff has expanded from one administrator, to a team of 13 professionals all working to bring excellent member benefits, advocacy, education, and publications to ACOEP’s more than 8,000 members.

 

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