Bulletin September 2026
Physician Advocacy Since 1873
President’s Message
2026 ECMS Board
Dear ECMS Members, What a summer it has been. I want to start simply by saying thank you. Thank you for showing up, again and again, at everything we hosted these last few months. This community shows its strength in moments like these. In June, we gathered at Shaddix Plastic Surgery for our Membership Happy Hour, and what a night it was. Thank you, Dr. Shaddix, for opening your doors and hosting us so generously. I also want to give a heartfelt thank-you to our seven FMA Delegates for their hard work, both in the weeks of preparation before the FMA House of Delegates Meeting and in the work they did during their time in Orlando. It is more important now than ever that our membership have a hand in shaping the future of medicine, both here in Florida and nationally, and I am so proud of the voice our delegation brought to that room. On August 5th, we hosted our first Candidate Rounds event, and the turnout exceeded anything I expected: a packed house of candidates and ECMS physicians in the same room, talking directly with one another. I think the event went really well, and I hope it's the first of many like it. I also want to thank the physicians who joined my office on August 7th for the District 1 Medical Examiner's Office Fundraiser Gala. ECMS's support throughout the process of securing a stand-alone Medical Examiner's facility for Florida's First District has meant so much to me, and seeing so many of you there to celebrate that milestone meant even more. As we head into Fall, I hope to see even more of you at our upcoming events. We have some good ones on the calendar, starting with our ECMS Connect Membership Meeting on September 10th. I remain so proud of what we are building here. As always, thank you for showing up, speaking up, and being part of something worth belonging to. Best,
Deanna Oleske, MD 2026 ECMS President
President Deanna Oleske, MD President Elect T. Alex Edgil, MD Treasurer Benjamin Abo, DO Members at Large: Michelle Beasley, MD Deborah Boland, DO Erin Mayfield, DO Stephen Slobodian, MD Andres Candela, MD Anthony G. Pietroniro, MD
ECMS Bulletin
The Bulletin is a publication for and by the members of the Escambia County Medical Society. The Bulletin publishes quarterly with a printed version in December.
Mission:
Advancing physicians’ practice of medicine in our community.
View and opinions expressed in the Bulletin are those of the authors and are not necessarily those of the board of directors, staff or advertisers. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit or reject any submission.
Editors: Ben Abo, DO Laura Griffin E CMS
153 YEARS EST
. 1873
www.escambiacms.org
ECMS Calendar
Get the Most Out of Your Membership Events are one of the best ways to connect with colleagues, stay informed, and experience ECMS in action — but they're just one part of what membership offers. Whether you're a regular at our happy hours or haven't made it out yet this year, we're glad you're here. When you're ready, we'd love to see you. Check out what's coming up at escambiacms.org/events and find something that works for you.
Membership Recruitment Your Community. Your Advocacy. Your Medical Society. Every physician in Northwest Florida deserves a place where colleagues have your back — that's ECMS. We're the voice speaking up for you at the policy table, the community that shows up when the work gets hard, and the network that makes this profession feel a little less isolating. When you join ECMS, you get: Free CME Free confidential wellness coaching through our Physician Wellness Program 20% off employment contract review through Resolve 20% off Practice Management Institute courses Complimentary notary services Access to local networking events, membership meetings, and more A seat at the table in regional and state advocacy Know a physician who should be part of this? Send us their name and we'll personally reach out. 850.478.0706 | director@escambiacms.org | escambiacms.org/membership
Resident Physicians: Apply for a Free ECMS Membership Through Our Resident Scholar Program ECMS is proud to introduce the Resident Scholar Program — a special designation for resident physicians in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties who are selected to receive a complimentary ECMS membership. The first 50 residents accepted into the Resident Scholar Program receive a free ECMS membership (a $50/ year value). Apply today and join a growing community of local physicians invested in their profession and their community. As a Resident Scholar, you'll enjoy all the benefits of full ECMS membership! Residency is the time to start building your professional community — not after. The relationships you build now will shape your career for years to come, and ECMS is where that starts. Spots are limited to the first 50 applicants. Apply now at the link below and invite your fellow residents to do the same! forms.gle/c57rgW9eJatRi5rt9
Questions? Contact Laura Griffin at director@escambiacms.org or 850.478.0706.
ECMS Partners/Sponsors
greekscateringevents.com
News Palliative care and hospice: Improving patient quality of life For patients living with serious illness, the timing of supportive care can have a profound impact on quality of life. Yet despite growing evidence supporting early integration of palliative care, referrals often occur only after symptoms worsen or treatment options become limited. Understanding the distinct roles of palliative care and hospice — and recognizing when each is appropriate — can help physicians better align treatment with patient goals while improving both the patient and family experience. What does the research say about early palliative care? A landmark randomized controlled trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine (Temel et al., 2010) evaluated the impact of integrating palliative care early in the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer. Participants received either standard oncologic care alone or standard care combined with early palliative care. Read more....
Foundation
ESCAMBIA COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY FOUNDATION
Dear ECMS Members,
ECMS Foundation Board Members President: Ellen W. McKnight, MD Treasurer: Benjamin Abo, DO Members at Large: Brett Parra, MD Deborah Vigilione, MD Brian Kirby, MD Current ECMS President: Deanna Oleske, MD
I’m pleased to bring you many wonderful updates on the ECMS Foundation. Our community programs, the Go Seniors! Transportation Program, the BP Cuff Program, and the Physician Wellness Program, continue to serve the physicians and patients who need them most, and that's only possible because of the generosity of this community. Speaking of generosity, our fundraising this year has already been some of the strongest we've seen, and I could not be more thankful. Every dollar raised goes directly back into the programs above. As always, thank you to our 1873 Society members, whose steady, foundational support makes so much of this possible. To our ECMS Foundation Board Members: thank you. Your dedication, strategic vision, and tireless support make everything we do possible, and I am honored to serve alongside each of you. Now, I want to spend a little extra time this issue on something I'm especially excited about: our 2026 Health Excellence Awards on October 29th. This will be our third year celebrating the outstanding healthcare professionals and organizations in our community, and this year we're introducing something new: the Legacy Award, honoring a physician who has retired or who is no longer with us. It's a meaningful new way to celebrate the colleagues who built the foundation we all stand on today. I hope every one of you will take a moment to look through all of our award categories and nominate someone, a colleague, a mentor, a member of your team, who deserves to be recognized. Nominations close September 15th, so please don't wait. With the year we've already had, I can't think of a better way to close it out than celebrating this community together. If you're reading this and haven't joined us for a Health Excellence Awards evening before, this is the year to change that. It truly is a beautiful evening celebrating our broader healthcare community, the kind of night where you look around the room and remember exactly why we do this work. It's very special, and I would love to see you there. One more thing to watch for: keep an eye on your inbox for our annual Wreath Fundraiser. As in years past, wreath pick up will be at our End of the Year ECMS Party at Fiore in early December, so mark your calendar now.
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Ellen W. McKnight, MD
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I'm so thankful for this Foundation, this Board, and this community. Here's to closing out 2026 in style.
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Foundation
SERVING COMMUNITY SUPPORTING PHYSICIANS Mission of the ECMS-Foundation: The ECMS-Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing healthcare services to those most in need throughout Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties, while also supporting the physicians who serve those populations.
SERVING OUR COMMUNITY SINCE 1994 OUR PROGRAM & SERVICES Go Seniors! Transportation Program
Physician Wellness Program
Removing transportation barriers by providing free taxi vouchers to seniors aged 60+, ensuring they can access medical appointments, pharmacies, and lab services throughout Pensacola.
Providing ECMS members with confidential wellness coaching and support services, helping physicians maintain work-life balance and professional resilience.
BP Cuff Program
Kid’s Clinic at Pensacola Children’s Museum
Providing free blood pressure monitors to underserved patients in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties, enabling home health monitoring and preventing cardiac emergencies
CONTACT INFO:
escambiacms.org/foundation director@escambiacms.org 850-478-0706
Creating positive healthcare experiences through an interactive medical exhibit at the Pensacola Children's Museum, helping children feel comfortable with doctor visits through play-based learning.
EMPOWERING PHYSICIAN WELL-BEING AND RESILIENCE In a demanding profession like medicine, maintaining a healthy work-life balance and managing stress are vital.
The Physician Wellness Program (PWP) is a confidential wellness coaching initiative offered exclusively to ECMS members through the ECMS Foundation. Because the challenges of medicine don't stay at the hospital — and neither should the support. What the PWP Offers: Up to three free sessions per year with a licensed clinical psychologist, covering: Burnout and work-related stress Career change decision making Work-life balance Family and relationship challenges And more Complete Confidentiality — Guaranteed Sessions are entirely confidential. There is no insurance billing and no member identification to ECMS. Your privacy is our absolute priority. Who Can Access the PWP: Available to all active ECMS members and their relatives attending with the member. How to Get Started: Email patrick@psyassociates.com or call (850) 434-5033 x8. Identify yourself as an ECMS member when scheduling. The PWP is a program of the ECMS Foundation. Your wellbeing matters — to your patients, your family, and to us.
CONTACT INFO: https://escambiacms.org/PhysicianWellness director@escambiacms.org 850-478-0706
HEALTHCARE CHAMPIONS FUNDING OUR FUTURE
EST.
1994
1873 SOCIETY "Investing in the Foundation means investing in the health of our entire community - and supporting the physicians who serve it.", Ellen W. McKnight, MD - ECMS Foundation President
1873 Society members provide foundational support for the Go Seniors! Transportation Program, the BP Cuff Program, and the Physician Wellness Program — serving both patients who need care and the physicians who provide it. WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST 1873 SOCIETY MEMBERS!
Michelle Gilmore Beasley, MD
Robert Kincaid, MD
Amy Watson, MD
1873 SOCIETY MEMBERS Michelle Gilmore Beasley, M.D. Michelle Brandhorst, M.D. Joanne Bujnoski, D.O. Hillary Hultstrand, M.D. Robert Kincaid, M.D. Jack Kotlarz, M.D. Kurt Krueger, M.D.
Susan Laenger, M.D. Bach-Uyen Le Thi, M.D. Ken Long, M.D. Ellen W. McKnight, M.D. Jennifer Miley, M.D. Brett Parra, M.D. Jill Prafke, M.D.
Michael Riesberg, M.D. Robert Sackheim, M.D. J. Howell Tiller, M.D. Amy Watson, M.D. Steve Ziller, M.D. Florida Blue - Corporate Patron
The 1873 Society is open to physicians and community members who believe in the long-term health of Northwest Florida. A $3,000 contribution to the ECMS Foundation secures your place in this giving circle and directly funds our community programs. Give Online
Give by Check
ECMS Foundation 4771 Bayou Blvd, #157 Pensacola, FL 32503 ECMS-Foundation. is a 501(c) (3) organization. EIN # 59-1514947
2026 Health Excellence Awards October 29, 2026 6:00pm Cocktail Reception & Awards Ceremony
Health
EXCELLENCE AWARDS Benefitingthe ECMS Foundation
NOMINATIONS ARE OPEN
Nominate an outstanding healthcare professional or organization making a difference in our community. Join us for an evening honoring excellence in healthcare. SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE This event benefits ECMS Foundation community programs — and there's still room at the table.
Thank you to our first 2026 sponsors: • Emerald Coast Hospice • Michelle Brandhorst, MD & Jill Prafke, MD
Add your name to this list! Contact Laura at director@escambiacms.org to become a Health Excellence Awards sponsor.
Through this celebration of excellence, the Health Excellence Awards generates vital funding for ECMS Foundation programs.
Nominations for 2026, extended to Sept 15 Visit escambiacms.org/hea
Photos
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Community Update ASCENSION SACRED HEART CELEBRATES THE OPENING OF A NEW 40-BED INPATIENT REHABILITATION FACILITY Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola celebrated its new 40-bed Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on August 6th. The three-story, 41,000-square-foot center is located on the Ascension Sacred Heart campus and marks a pivotal expansion of the hospital's continuum of care. The center began seeing patients on August 3rd and offers specialized physical, speech, and occupational therapies for patients recovering from strokes, neurological injuries, severe trauma, orthopedic injuries, and other medically complex conditions. As the region's only Level I Trauma Center and a nationally certified Comprehensive Stroke Center, Ascension Sacred Heart can now offer patients who require intensive rehabilitation a complete continuum of care, remaining on campus throughout their recovery without delay. Ascension Sacred Heart is proud to announce the addition of three new physicians Zola N'Dandu, MD, interventional cardiologist, specializes in advanced, minimally invasive, catheter-based procedures focused on restoring healthy blood flow, supporting the healing of complex wounds, and preventing amputations. Dr. N'Dandu earned his medical degree from Eastern Virginia Medical School and completed training in internal medicine, cardiovascular disease, and interventional cardiology at Ochsner Health, followed by subspecialty training in peripheral vascular disease. Before coming to Northwest Florida, he served as Section Head of Cardiology at Ochsner Medical Center–Kenner, where he built a renowned regional referral center for complex limb preservation. He remains an active clinical researcher, author, and mentor, collaborating with physicians nationwide to advance modern vascular therapies. Aimalohi Esechie, MD, vascular neurologist, is a board-certified physician specializing in interventional neuroradiology and comprehensive stroke care, diagnosing and treating complex neurovascular conditions with advanced, minimally invasive, image-guided procedures for the brain and spine. Dr. Esechie received her medical degree from St. George's University School of Medicine, completed her residency in neurology at the University of Texas Branch Hospitals, earned a postdoctoral Fellowship at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, and completed a Fellowship in Vascular and Interventional Radiology from the St. Louis University School of Medicine. Ernest Burch, MD, general surgeon, provides surgical care for a variety of conditions, with special interests in minimally invasive and robot-assisted surgery, abdominal surgery, hernia repair, and breast cancer care. Dr. Burch received his medical degree from the Tulane University School of Medicine and completed his residency at Ochsner Foundation Hospital in New Orleans.
BAPTIST HEALTHCARE Abby Moore, PA-C, Joins Baptist Medical Group Primary Care – Milton Abby Moore, PA-C is a board-certified physician assistant with more than 10 years of experience. She provides high-quality, convenient care to patients at Baptist Medical Group Primary Care – Milton located at 4244 Avalon Blvd. She is accepting new patients. Moore received her medical degree from the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama, and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia. She is board certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants and is a member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants and the Florida Academy of Physician Assistants. Baptist Medical Group Primary Care – Perdido Welcomes Donald Yeo, FNP-C Donald Yeo, FNP-C is a board-certified nurse practitioner and offers quality, convenient care to patients at Baptist Medical Group Primary Care – Perdido. Yeo received his master’s degree from the University of West Florida and a Bachelor of Science in nursing from Pensacola State College in Pensacola. He is board-certified by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and retains professional memberships with the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, the Florida Association of Nurse Practitioners and Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. Jeremy Olmstead, APRN-C, Joins Baptist Heart & Vascular Institute Board-certified nurse practitioner Jeremy Olmstead, APRN-C specializes in cardiology and offers comprehensive care to patients at Baptist Heart & Vascular Institute – Cardiology at the Bear Family Foundation Health Center. Olmstead received his master’s and bachelor’s at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama. He has over 20 years of nursing experience, including intensive care, cardiology, wound care, community health, and primary and palliative care. Olmstead is a board-certified nurse practitioner by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.
Community Update HEALTH EXCELLENCE AWARDS HIGHLIGHT In case you missed it above, we wanted to highlight a brand-new award for this year's Health Excellence Awards: the ECMS Legacy Award. This award is specifically designed to honor an ECMS Member Physician who is retired — or perhaps no longer with us. The name that is still talked about in the halls of the hospital or clinic, long after they've stepped away. The physician whose practice and presence left a bright, lasting spot in the medical community across Escambia or Santa Rosa Counties. Please consider making a nomination in this category. There are so many deserving physicians who would be a perfect fit, and we know it may take a moment to think of just the right name. We hope to honor them year after year, for years to come, as a lasting tribute to their legacy. You can find full details on the ECMS Legacy Award, as well as all of the other Health Excellence Awards categories, at escambiacms.org/hea. Ticket and sponsorship information is also available there. This event is the main fundraiser for the ECMS Foundation, supporting vital programs like: Go Seniors! Transportation ECMS-Foundation BP Cuff Program Physician Wellness Program
A Note from the Executive Director I keep saying this every quarter, but I mean it every time — the energy in this physician community continues to amaze me, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. In June, we packed the house at Shaddix Plastic Surgery for our Membership Happy Hour — thank you, Dr. Shaddix, for opening your doors and hosting us! Then in early August, we packed the house again for Candidate Rounds — it was wonderful to see so many of you turn out to engage directly with this year's candidates and ask thoughtful questions. Some of us also had a wonderful time at the District One Medical Examiner's Office Fundraiser Gala on August 7th. Congratulations to the D1MEO team on your beautiful new building and on the success of raising funds for your Family Advocate Program — it was a lovely event, and we're so happy you now have a newer, larger home for your important community work. Late July brought a different kind of highlight: traveling to Orlando with our delegation for the FMA House of Delegates Meeting. A big thank you to our delegates — ECMS couldn't have asked for a better group. What struck me most was the mix of career stages in the room, and watching those relationships form around the resolutions process, and over dinner, was truly one of the highlights of my year so far. I also want to thank the members who've recently referred a colleague to ECMS — growing this society one physician at a time is exactly the kind of momentum we love to see. If you haven't yet, take a moment to think of a colleague who isn't a member and invite them to join us. And to our newest members: welcome! I'm so glad you're here, and I hope to meet you in person at an event very soon. Thank you, as always, for being part of a medical society that truly shows up for one another. Warmly, Laura Griffin Executive Director, ECMS & ECMS Foundation