Bio

Professional Experience

Chief Medical Officer 2013-Present

HealthSecure EMR , Atlanta, Georgia

HealthSecure EMR is an electronic medical records software system specifically designed for the correctional environment in the United States.

  • Review state-of-the-art in correctional healthcare to set company vision and guide product road map.
  • Liaise between clients, project managers and programmers.
  • Meet with medical directors, physicians and staff regarding product and operations.
  • Train medical staff and oversee launch of every new client.
  • Created “lite” version of EMR tailored to healthcare needs of resource-poor areas in India.

Non-profit Telehealth Physician       2017-Present 

HealthSecure Foundation, Atlanta, Georgia

Provide free telemedicine services to patients without health insurance in India.

Director 2018-Present

HealthSecure Foundation, Atlanta, Georgia

HealthSecure Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to securing physical, mental and emotional health through awareness, education and behavior modification. It runs various programs both in the United States and in India.

  • Palliative and Hospice Care in India
    • Working with Pallium, an NGO in India, that is committed to providing and promoting palliative care
    • Provide webinars/lectures on palliative and hospice care to students in medical and nursing colleges
    • Encourage formal training in palliative and hospice care for doctors and nurses currently working in hospice centers
      • Focus on Tamil Nadu and Meghalaya
    • Persuade more medical and nursing colleges in India to incorporate a palliative and hospice care elective into their curriculum
      • Focus on Tamil Nadu
    • Provide scholarships for nursing students through Pallium to expand the workforce
    • Increase awareness of this field in both the medical and lay communities through social media
    • Organize a network of physicians in the Indian diaspora to provide telehealth support for doctors, patients and families in India
  • Programs for COVID-19 in the US
    • Designing and implementing COVID-19 seroprevalence survey for Hideaway, TX in collaboration with NET Health, TX. May 2020-Dec 2021
    • Maintain COVID-19 vaccine database for City of Hideaway, TX. March 2021-April 2022
    • Liaise with NET Health, TX, regarding cases, contact tracing and vaccination in the City of Hideaway
    • Set up COVID-19 positive hotline for city residents to call for help with isolation, quarantine and treatment guidelines per CDC
    • Set up vaccination helpline for city residents that have difficulty signing up for COVID-19 vaccine appointments online
  • Programs for COVID-19 in India
    • Webinars, lectures and forums for colleges, universities and community organizations
    • Live sessions on home care for patients who cannot get a hospital bed due to acute bed shortages
    • Training sessions for doctors on providing virtual outpatient COVID-19 care
    • Provide care packages to healthcare workers to make them feel appreciated
    • Provide pulse oximeters to grass root organizations for distribution to high risk groups
    • Online positive and uplifting messages and videos to front line workers from people in the US and around the world
  • Developed and implemented the following vital programs in India
    • College Online Program for Emotional Support (COPES)
    • Corporate Health Intervention Program (CHIP)
    • Student Health Initiative – a Novel Endeavor (SHINE)
    • Healthy for Life (Heal) – social media, text based healthy eating program
  • Network with key stakeholders including educators, healthcare providers and businesses.

Internal Medicine Physician and Managing Partner 2008-2014

Dallas Medical, PLLC, Dallas, Texas 

Co-founded and managed a busy Internal Medicine practice.

Physician Duties

  • Provided comprehensive outpatient care in a compassionate and friendly atmosphere.
  • Treated patients with multiple complex and chronic medical conditions such as diabetes and related cardio-metabolic diseases.
  • Addressed mental health, weight loss and other sensitive issues in a non-judgmental manner. Emphasized healing of both the mind and the body for optimal results.
  • Coordinated care with multiple sub-specialists and ancillary providers, such as physical therapists, psychologists and home health care.
  • Stayed up-to-date on latest medical treatments and diagnostic methods through Grand Rounds, webinars, journals and online databases.

Managerial Duties

  • Managed two physicians, four medical assistants and multiple contractors.
  • Evaluation, selection, implementation and training on medical software (Advanced MD).
  • Developed marketing strategies to grow the practice.
  • Managed staff time-sheets and payroll on Intuit.
  • Maintained financials on QuickBooks, collaborated with bookkeeper and accountant. 
  • Optimized billing and insurance payments, staff hours, office flow, patient scheduling, wait times and patient satisfaction.
  • Performed OSHA reviews of the practice and had yearly OSHA staff training meetings.
  • Encouraged an office environment that was conducive to health, by establishing policies for  healthy lunches and staff incentives for exercise and weight loss.

Internal Medicine Physician 2004-2006

Managing Partner 2006-2008

Medical Specialists Associated, PLLC, Dallas, Texas

Performed all physician duties described in detail above as well as some managerial duties.

  • Managing partner in seven doctor practice.
  • Actively involved in recruiting new physician to the practice. 
  • Worked closely with office manager, bookkeeper, lab and x-ray supervisor.
  • Evaluated several EHR products as part of committee to convert the practice from paper to electronic health records, selecting and implementing eClinicalWorks.
  • Organized contests to help staff eat healthily and increase physical activity.
  • Developed and implemented plan as part of committee to remodel large office building.

Affiliate Staff Physician 2004-2014

Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas, Dallas, Texas 

Provided learning opportunities for residents and students. Participated in CME activities.

  • Trained and mentored medical residents through rotations in ambulatory clinic.
  • Introduced medical students to the outpatient clinic and community Internal Medicine.
  • Participated regularly in hospital staff meetings.
  • Member of panel to address benefits of, and barriers to, private practice.
  • Attended weekly conferences and Grand Rounds on various Internal Medicine topics.
  • Actively involved in new physician orientation and social events to improve physician relations in the hospital.

Adjunct Instructor of Mathematics 1996-1997

Millsaps College, Jackson, MS

High School Mathematics Teacher 1995-1996

Jackson Preparatory School, Jackson, MS

Research and Community Activities

Fulbright Research Grant 2017-2018

Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India

  • Obesity in India: Perceptions and Attitudes of Healthcare Providers. A mixed methods study to develop training programs on obesity management for physicians.
  • Develop short social media videos on nutrition and physical activity to reach adolescents in Tamil Nadu for obesity prevention. 
  • Engaged with stakeholders such as doctors, dietitians, teachers, parents, students, local food related businesses and policymakers with regards to nutritional health.

Public Health Field Practicum   2015

Institute for Behavioral and Community Health

School of Public Health, MPH program

San Diego State University, San Diego, California

  • Developed Manual of Procedures for a CDC Demonstration Project, Our Choice, a childhood obesity prevention and treatment program in Imperial County, CA.
  • Engaged with community health workers in Our Choice.
  • Networked with educators, community leaders, school policy makers and physicians as part of the San Diego County Childhood Obesity Initiative, Community Health Improvement Partners.

Other Academic Research

  • A cross-sectional study of relationships between eating behaviors, weight perception and mental health of college students in India. Master’s thesis, Dec 2016.
  • A summary review of clinical trials in India for treatment and prevention of iron-deficiency anemia. Master’s independent study, May 2016.
  • Eating behaviors, knowledge of anemia, and attitudes towards iron supplementation in relation to anemia: a qualitative study. Master’s field work, July 2016.
  • Maternal diet during pregnancy, and attitudes towards child feeding – qualitative study to explore decreasing trends in breastfeeding in India, and possible relation to childhood obesity. Master’s internship, July 2016.

Community Activities

  • Chief Health Officer and member of COVID-19 Mitigation Committee for Hideaway, TX. April 2020-April 2022
  • Monthly health column for city newspaper, Hideaway Lake News. Sept 2019-April 2022
  • Mentoring young Indian entrepreneurs who start new businesses with microloans and guiding them through the startup and early growth phases

Invited Guest Lectures

  • India’s COVID-19 Surge: Busting Myths, Reducing Fear and Finding Hope – multiple colleges, businesses and communities virtually. 2021.
  • COVID-19 in India: Learning to Live With a New Normal – multiple colleges and communities virtually. 2020.
  • Eating Behaviors, Genetics and Obesity: Unique Challenges in the Indian Population. International Dietetic Conference, Madurai, India. 2016.
  • The Obesity Epidemic – Beyond Diet and Exercise. SD Association for Rational Inquiry. 2016.
  • Obesity in India – Challenges in a Developing Nation – Lady Doak College & Fatima College, Madurai, India. 2016.
  • Obesity Prevention in the Preconception Period among Young Women of India – Lady Doak College, Madurai, India. 2015.

Education

  • 2016 MPH, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA
  • 2004 Residency, Internal Medicine, Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas, Dallas, TX
  • 2002 Internship, Diagnostic Radiology, Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, TX
  • 2001 M.D., University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS
  • 1996 Master’s Coursework in Mathematics, Mississippi College, Clinton, MS
  • 1992 B.S. in Physics, With Highest Distinction, Purdue University, W. Lafayette, IN 

Licenses/Certifications

  • Active Texas Medical License (2004-Present)
  • Active India Medical License (2018-Present)
  • Certificate in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Bryn Mawr College (2021)
  • Certified Correctional Health Professional, NCCHC (2018)
  • Board Certification, American Board of Internal Medicine (2004, 2014)
  • Board Certification, American Board of Obesity Medicine (2016)
  • Secondary School Teacher’s Certification, Mississippi Private School Association (1995)

Awards/Honors

  • Phi Kappa Phi, San Diego State University
  • Alpha Omega Alpha, University of Mississippi Medical Center
  • Phi Beta Kappa, Purdue University
  • Outstanding Senior Woman, Purdue University
  • Outstanding Senior, Department of Physics, Purdue University
  • Golden Key, Alpha Lambda Delta, Phi Eta Sigma, Purdue University

Personal Interests

  • Cooking, travel, interior decoration, landscaping, native plants, painting, hiking, watching fantasy anime, reading mystery and fantasy novels, learning Spanish.