Meet SMH-Venice's Physician Leadership Team

Meet SMH-Venice's Physician Leadership Team

Monday, November 1, 2021

VENICE, Fla. – Sarasota Memorial Hospital-Venice is pleased to announce its inaugural team of physician leaders.

The 13 physicians selected to serve on the Medical Executive Committee for Sarasota Memorial Hospital-Venice represent diverse specialties in both the Sarasota and Venice communities. As the Venice hospital prepares to open early this month, the physician leaders will serve an increasingly critical role in overseeing patient safety and the professional performance of the medical staff at the hospital.

Sarasota Memorial Health Care System Chief Medical Officer James Fiorica, MD, will oversee the medical staffs at both the Sarasota and Venice campuses, with the assistance of SMH-Sarasota Associate Chief Medical Officer Joseph Seaman, MD, and SMH-Venice Associate Chief Medical Officer Kyle Garner, MD.

"They are all outstanding clinicians with a combined 129 years of experience working with SMH," Dr. Fiorica said. "We feel confident that their vision and leadership will ensure a successful opening of the new hospital and reflect Sarasota Memorial's longstanding commitment to provide high-quality, patient-centered care."

SMH-Venice Medical Executive Committee

The following physicians were approved to serve as SMH-Venice's inaugural Medical Executive Committee for 2-year terms.

SMH-Venice Chief of Staff Christopher L. Jefferson, MDChief of Staff
Christopher L. Jefferson, MD (Family Medicine)

Secretary/Treasurer
Noel A. Maun, MD (Hematology Oncology)

Department of Medicine
Chair: Heidi R. Goedicke, MD (Pulmonary Critical Care) 
Chair-elect: Ravi Kondapalli, MD (Gastroenterology)

Department of Surgery
Chair: Issam A. Halaby, MD (General Surgery)
Chair-elect: Gregory M. Lomas, MD (Urology)

Department of Special Services
Chair: Ryan S. Snitowsky, MD (Emergency Medicine)
Chair-elect: Heitor Okanobo, MD (Diagnostic Radiology)

Department of Women & Children
Chair: Susan R. Mihm, MD (Pediatric General Medicine)
Chair-elect: Yusif Addae, MD (Obstetrics/Gynecology)

At-Large Members
Lorraine S. Cho-Chung-Hing, MD (Nephrology)
Mary L. vonWaldner, MD (Anesthesiology)
John W. Wassenaar, MD (Internal Medicine/Pediatrics)


About Sarasota Memorial
Sarasota Memorial Health Care System is a regional referral center offering Southwest Florida’s greatest breadth and depth of care, with more than 1 million patient visits each year. SMH-Sarasota, its flagship 839-bed, acute-care hospital, has been consistently recognized as one of the nation’s best, with superior patient outcomes and complete continuum of care — from trauma, emergency and urgent care services to laboratory and diagnostic imaging, home health, skilled nursing and rehabilitation. SMH-Venice, a full-service acute care hospital, is designed to serve the growing south Sarasota County region. When it opens in November 2021, the 65-acre medical campus will feature a 110-bed, hurricane-hardened hospital; medical office buildings with physician and specialty care practices; an energy center for emergency power; and seamless integration with the resources and expertise of the entire Sarasota Memorial Health Care System.