MUNSTER – Community Healthcare System recently welcomed several practitioners to the Community Care Network, Inc. (CCNI) team of physicians. Among the specialties these physicians and surgeons represent are cardiology, cardiothoracic and vascular surgery, endovascular neurology, family medicine, gastroenterology, internal medicine, neurology, obstetrics and gynecology, orthopedic surgery, pediatrics, and psychiatry. The CCNI group of physicians are closely affiliated with Community Healthcare System’s hospitals: Community Hospital in Munster, St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago, St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart and specialty hospital, Community Stroke & Rehabilitation Center in Crown Point.
Cardiologist Dean Ferrera, DO, is board-certified in cardiology and interventional cardiology. He completed dual fellowships in cardiovascular disease and interventional cardiology at the University of Illinois Chicago where he also served his residency and internship. He received his medical degree from Ohio University College of Osteopathy. He is on staff at Community Hospital and St. Catherine Hospital and is accepting new patients. For an appointment, call 219-392-7992.
Cardiothoracic and vascular surgeon Mehdi Akhavan-Heidari, MD is board certified in thoracic surgery. He completed his fellowship in cardiothoracic surgery at Loyola University. He completed his residency in general surgery at Marshall University. Akhavan-Heidari received his medical degree from the University of Vienna Medical School. He is on staff at Community Hospital, St. Catherine Hospital and St. Mary Medical Center and is accepting new patients. For an appointment in Munster or East Chicago, call 219-703-2401. For an appointment in Hobart, call 219-947-6711.
Also new to CCNI is family medicine practitioner Danielle Harris, DO, on staff at St. Mary Medical Center. She completed her internship and residency through Midwestern University and Franciscan St. James Hospital in Olympia Fields, Ill. Harris completed her medical degree at A.T. Still University’s School of Osteopathic Medicine.
Harris sees patients at the Winfield Family Health Center, 10607 Randolph Street, Suite A, Crown Point, 46307. Same-day appointments are available. To schedule an appointment, call 219-947-6970.
Holly Longstreet, DO, also is practicing family medicine on staff at St. Mary Medical Center. She completed her residency at LaGrange Memorial Hospital. She received her medical degree from Midwestern University/Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine. She is accepting new patients. For an appointment, call 219-945-4495 or 219-942-8518 (Lake Park Clinic).
Also joining the CCNI roster of physicians on staff at Community Hospital and St. Catherine Hospital are gastroenterologists Anoop Appannagari, MD, Joel Cahan, MD, David Herbstman, MD, Muhammad Kudaimi, MD, and Praveen Nallapareddy, MD.
Gastroenterologist Anoop Appannagari, MD, is board-certified and received his medical degree from Thomas Jefferson Medical College. He completed fellowships in therapeutic endoscopy at Stony Brook University School of Medicine and in gastroenterology at Loyola University Medical Center. He served his residency and internship at the University of Chicago.
Board-certified in gastroenterology and internal medicine, Joel Cahan, MD, received his medical degree from Chicago Medical School. He completed his fellowship in gastroenterology at Northwestern University Medical Center and his internship and residency at Illinois Masonic Medical Center.
Gastroenterologist David Herbstman, MD, completed his fellowship and received his medical degree from the University of Chicago. He completed his residency at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill.
Muhammad Kudaimi, MD, is board-certified in gastroenterology. He completed his internship and residency at Cook County Hospital. He received his medical degree from the Damascus College of Medicine.
Praveen Nallapareddy, MD, completed his residency and fellowship at Loyola University Medical Center. He is board certified. He received his medical degree from Chicago Medical School.
To make an appointment with one of these CCNI gastroenterologists, call 219-836-4077 or 219-836-6002.
Also joining CCNI are the general surgeons of Munster’s South Shore Surgical team: Teoman Demir, Anne Dempsey, Terrence Dempsey, and Russell Pellar. These surgeons are on staff at Community Hospital and St. Catherine Hospital.
Teoman Demir, MD, is board-certified in general surgery. He completed a fellowship in cardiothoracic and cardiovascular surgery at Wayne State University. Demir completed his residency at Texas Tech University Health Services Center. He received his medical degree from Texas Tech University School of Medicine.
Board-certified general surgeon Anne Dempsey completed her residency at the University of Kansas-School of Medicine and received her medical degree from the University of Kansas-College of Health Sciences.
Terrence Dempsey, MD, is board-certified in general surgery. He completed his residency at the University of Kansas-School of Medicine. He received his medical degree from Loyola Stritch School of Medicine.
A board-certified general surgeon, Russell Pellar, MD, completed his residency at the Virginia Mason Medical Center. He received his medical degree from the Indiana University School of Medicine.
To make an appointment with one of the surgeons of South Shore Surgical, call 219-922-8222.
Internal Medicine-Pediatrics specialist Ragini Bhadula, MD, is on staff at St. Mary Medical Center and the Community Stroke & Rehabilitation Center. She is board-certified and completed her internship and residency at Loyola University Medical Center. She received her medical degree from Rush University Medical Center. She is accepting new patients. For an appointment, call 219-769-6055.
Community Hospital’s stroke and neuroendovascular team continues to expand with the addition of Aamir Badruddin, MD. He is board-certified in neurology, neurocritical care, and vascular neurology. He completed fellowships in neurology at the University of Illinois Medical Center and in neuroendovascular medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Badruddin completed his residency at University Chicago Hospitals and received his medical degree from Rush University. His office is located in Munster. To make an appointment, call 219-836-5167.
MaryAnhthu Do, DO, is board-certified in neurology having completed her internship and residency at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She received her medical degree from Midwestern University/Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine. She is accepting new patients. Call 219-836-2995 for an appointment.
Neurologist Vinny Sharma, DO, completed fellowships in stroke and cerebrovascular disease along with his residency at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He received his medical degree from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. Sharma is on staff at Community Hospital, St. Catherine Hospital and St. Mary Medical Center. To make an appointment, call 219-836-2995.
Neurologist Leslie Wilbanks, MD, is board-certified in neurology and neuromuscular medicine. She completed a fellowship in neuromuscular medicine at Ohio State University Hospitals. She received her medical degree from Howard University School of Medicine. She is on staff at Community Hospital and St. Catherine Hospital. She is accepting new patients. Call 219-836-2995 for an appointment.
OB/Gyn Omar Abuzeid, MD, joins the staff of the Community Care Center for Women in Munster serving patients at Community Hospital. He completed his residency and internship at Hurley Medical Center. He received his medical degree from Ross University School of Medicine in Dominica. He is accepting new patients. For an appointment, call 219-836-5512.
Orthopedic surgeon Nikhil Pandhi, DO, is board certified. He completed his fellowship in sports medicine at Detroit Medical Center. He completed his residency at University Medical Center; Pontiac Osteopathic Hospital and his internship at Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital. He received his medical degree from Michigan State College of Osteopathic Medicine. He is accepting new patients. For an appointment, call 219-836-1060 (Munster) or 219-392-7664 (East Chicago).
CCNI pediatrician Christine Firlit, MD, is on staff at Community Hospital and is seeing patients at the Healthy Kids Care Center in Munster. She received her medical degree from Michigan State University-College of Human Medicine. She completed her residency at the University of Chicago. For an appointment, call 219-440-5334.
Psychiatrist Samuel C. Lau, MD, is on staff at Behavioral Health Services of Community Healthcare System serving Community Hospital, St. Catherine Hospital and St. Mary Medical Center. He completed his fellowship at University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital in Geriatric Psychiatry and his residency at West Virginia University/Charleston Area Medical Center. He received his medical degree from Windsor University School of Medicine. He is currently accepting new patients. To make an appointment, call 219-392-7025.
Urologist Hassan Alsheik, MD, on staff at Community Hospital and St. Catherine Hospital, has joined CCNI. He is board-certified in urology. He completed his fellowship and residency both in urology at Cook County Hospital. He received his medical degree from Damascus College of Medicine. Alsheik’s office is located in Munster. To make an appointment, call 219-836-6241.
To find a CCNI physician near you, visit COMHS.org/physicians or call the physician referral line toll-free at 866-836-3477.
