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Meriter Hospitalist Program


Hospitalist Group at Meriter Hospital
To ensure the best possible care for patients who must be hospitalized, Meriter Hospitalists provide medical services 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Our team of highly qualified, dedicated hospitalists - physicians who specialize in the care of hospital patients - works closely with your primary care physician and specialists. To learn about the members of our team, please read the physician profiles below.
 

How the Hospitalist Program Works

At the time of your admission, your physician contacts the hospitalist on duty to provide pertinent information about your illness, your health history and any special needs or concerns. The process is similar to what he or she does when referring you to any specialist.

The hospitalist's role is to assist you through a smooth, quick recovery process by managing and coordinating all aspects of your care at Meriter. Having one or more hospitalists onsite at all times means we're never more than a few minutes away. In case of emergencies or changes in your condition, you can be assured a physician will be close by to respond quickly.

During your stay, we will remain in contact with your physician, providing regular updates. Upon discharge, information will be forwarded to your physician's office to add to your medical record.
 


Cate Ranheim, MD

Hospitalist
Watch Profile Now
 

Meriter Hospitalists in the News

Learn more about the Meriter Hospitalist Program through a recent Wisconsin State Journal article.
 

Hospitalist Careers in Madison, Wisconsin

Looking for a hospitalist job at Meriter? Please visit the hospitalist jobs page in the Meriter Careers section.
 

Carepages


Meriter Hospitalist Staff

Depending on the length of your hospitalization at Meriter, you may be cared for by one or several of our hospital-based medicine specialists. This overview of hospitalists who practice here includes their specialty training and other information you may find interesting. If you have further questions, please speak to your nurse if you are currently a patient. The hospitalist office can also be reached at (608) 417-5695.
 
Gregory Busse, DO
Gregory Busse, DO
"I believe there is no greater gift we can give than to help restore the health of another. Being a hospitalist allows me to focus on acutely ill patients and make an impact on their recovery."

Dr. Busse earned his medical degree from Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine/Midwestern University, Illinois and completed his residency at Eastern Virginia Medical School. He specializes in hospital medicine because of his interest in caring for hospitalized adult patients and the speed of recognition and treatment that is important in the outcome of certain diseases.
 
Heather Certain, MD
Heather Certain, MD
"I chose to join the hospital medicine department at Meriter due to its commitment to providing high-quality, compassionate care to patients."

Dr. Certain, was born right here in Meriter Hospital (then called Madison General). She attended college at the University of California-San Diego, then returned home to receive her medical degree at the University of Wisconsin. Dr. Certain completed her internal medicine training, with an emphasis on women's health, at Virginia Commonwealth University. To further her knowledge of the care of women, she returned to UW to complete a fellowship in women's health, during which time she also obtained a master's in population health. Her interests include reading, traveling, canoeing and Badger basketball.
 
John David, MD
 
John David, MD
"Internal Medicine is a complex specialty, with such a huge knowledge base. I enjoy the challenges of acute/hospital medicine, so I felt this would be a great option for me."

Born and raised in Necedah, Dr. David received his medical degree from the UW School of Medicine and Public Health, and completed his internship and residency at Marshfield Clinic/St. Joseph's Hospital. He credits his mom, a retired nurse, as the inspiration behind his decision to embark on a medical career, and cites his medical interest as evidence-based care and medical education. He and his wife, Kristen, have three sons and one daughter who keep him active outside the hospital with coaching, Brazilian jiu jitsu, mixed martial arts and weightlifting.
James Davis, MD
 
James Davis, MD
Dr. Davis graduated from Southern Illinois University School of Medicine and completed his internship and residency at the Mayo Medical School. Dr. Davis completed a research fellowship at the University of Wisconsin in 2007 and currently conducts research on meditation and smoking cessation at the University of Wisconsin Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention.
 
Amanda duPreez, MD
Amanda duPreez, MD
"I have found many opportunities to work toward an important professional goal: improving the quality of our health care delivery systems, particularly as it relates to the services we provide patients and families at the end-of-life. I feel fortunate to be supported in this way here at Meriter."

Dr. duPreez earned her medical degree at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences. She completed her internship and residency at UW Hospital and Clinics, and a fellowship in palliative medicine, also at UW Hospital and Clinics. Dr. duPreez grew up on a farm in North Dakota, and enjoys reading and spending time with family. She hopes to return to horseback riding soon, an interest she put on hold throughout her medical training.
 
Joanna Hebgen, PA-C 
 
Joanna Hebgen, PA-C
Joanna received her bachelor's degree from University of Wisconsin-La Crosse-Gunderson Lutheran-Mayo School of Health Science Physician Assistant program. She worked in family practice for three years in Watertown, Wisconsin, followed by two years in endocrinology and diabetes management for UW Medical Foundation prior to joining Meriter. Joanna has a special medical interest in diabetes, and hopes to expand diabetes care at Meriter. She likes spending personal time with family and friends, and enjoys fishing, quilting and gardening.
 
Ahsan Khalid, MD 
 
Ahsan Khalid, MD
Dr. Khalid earned his medical degree from Allama Iqbal Medical College, University of Punjab, Pakistan. He completed his residency at St. Francis Medical Center, which is affiliated with the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Peoria. Dr. Khalid is a UW Health Physician and UW School of Medicine and Public Health Faculty Member.
 
Ray Kimura, MD 
 
Ray Kimura, MD
Dr. Kimura received his medical degree from the McGill University Faculty of Medicine. He completed his residency at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics.
 
Jeffery Kobernusz, APNP 
Jeffery Kobernusz, APNP
"I have worked as a paramedic, ICU nurse, ER nurse and a critical care transport nurse for many years. Now, I am able to combine all of my experience and education to take care of patients throughout their hospital stay."

Jeff is an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner who received an intensive care paramedic associate's degree from South Central Technical College in Mankato, MN, a bachelor's in nursing from Winona State University, Minnesota, and a master's from UW School of Nursing. He enjoys nursing history, especially reading about orders such as the Teutonic Knights, the Knights of Lazarus and the Knights Hospitalers who organized male nurses to tend to the sick and wounded.
 
Douglas Kutz, MD
Douglas Kutz, MD
"I like the personal aspect of patient care, and I work to develop a real relationship with all my patients."

Dr. Kutz is a Chicago native who traveled quite a bit as a student, attending colleges in places like Reno, Nevada and London, England, as well as doing field work in New Zealand. He "settled down" at UW-Madison, where he received his undergraduate degree before receiving his medical degree from UW School of Medicine and Public Health and completing a residency at UW Hospital and Clinics. Dr. Kutz runs marathons, plays the drums, snowboards and is an avid fly fisherman. Dr. Kutz is a UW Health Physician and UW School of Medicine and Public Health Faculty Member.
 
Dhanalakshmi Namasivayam, MD 
Dhanalakshmi Namasivayam, MD
"I find hospital medicine highly engaging; the complexity of dealing with acutely ill medical patients is demanding. Dealing with a variety of medical issues across all sub-specialties without being tied down to any one in particular are the inherent challenges and rewards of this field."

Dr. Lakshmi (lock-schmee) received her medical degree from Madras Medical College, India and subsequently spent additional years training to be an OB/GYN - completing an internship at Chennai Medical College, India - before electing to change her career path to internal medicine and relocating to the United States. She completed her residency training at Michigan State University-Kalamazoo Center for Medical Studies. Dr. Lakshmi loves reading, music and spending quiet time with her husband and daughter.
 
Cate Ranheim, MD 
Cate Ranheim, MD
"I'm always amazed by the reserves of courage and strength that patients tap into when they are facing apparently insurmountable challenges."

Dr. Ranheim received her medical degree from the UW School of Medicine and Public Health and completed her internal medicine residency and hematology fellowship at UW Hospital and Clinics. She is the medical director of the Meriter Anticoagulation Service and is actively engaged in hospital-based, quality improvement research on the prophylaxis and treatment of blood clotting disorders. She and her husband, Erik Ranheim, MD, PhD, are involved in several international health projects focused on providing diagnostic and educational resources for local providers in hematology and hematopathology. She most enjoys traveling, reading and spending time with her husband and kids.  Learn more about Dr. Ranheim by viewing her physician profile video.
 
Chad Schneider, MD 
Chad Schneider, MD
Dr. Schneider earned his medical degree from St. George University, Granada and completed his residency at Marshfield Clinic, Wisconsin.
 
Karuna Spiegelman, MD 
Karuna Spiegelman, MD
"Once a terminally ill patient of mine told me that nobody knows what it feels to be inside his body. My job as a hospitalist is to treat my patients the best I can and not to forget that each and every one of them is an individual. I do my best to try to cure them in an acute setting before handing over their care to their primary care physicians."

Dr. Spiegelman earned her medical degree from the Russian State Medical University, Moscow. She completed her residency at University of Colorado Health Science Center. She serves on a committee comprised of clinical specialists from many areas of the hospital that is striving to improve and expand diabetes care and education at Meriter.
 
Jason Yelk, DO, FACP 
Jason Yelk, DO, FACP
"One of the things that I love about working at Meriter is the sense of being part of a close-knit team of people working to provide the highest quality of care for our patients. Plus, the Madison area is a great place to live and raise a family."
 
Dr. Yelk is medical director of the Meriter Medical Group Hospitalist Program. Born and raised in Madison, he completed his undergraduate degree (majoring in both Spanish and Medical Microbiology/Immunology) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Before entering medical school, he volunteered in Meriter's ER, and was later employed by Meriter in the ER and Guest Services. He earned his medical degree from the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, Missouri, and completed his internal medicine residency at Wright State University School of Medicine, Ohio. He recently returned to Meriter after serving seven years in the active duty Air Force, including two war-time deployments to Kuwait and Iraq.
 

9/29/2008