Updates & Announcements
Congratulations to our new DOM Chair, Dr. Indhu Subramanian!
As of 9/1/2022, we are excited to announce the new Alameda Health System Department of Medicine Chair, is our very own pulmonary and critical care attending, Dr. Indhu Subramanian!
Dr. Subramanian received her undergraduate degree from Washington University in St. Louis and her medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. She completed her internal medicine residency and Chief Residency at UT Southwestern/Parkland Hospital and her Pulmonary and Critical Care fellowship training at the University of Michigan.
Dr. Subramanian joined AHS in 2006 and quickly assumed multiple leadership roles with accomplishments that included launching the Rapid Response Team at Highland Hospital. She became the Internal Medicine Residency Program Director in 2012 and inherited a residency program with warning accreditation status. Dr. Subramanian led the rebuilding of the Internal Medicine Residency Program by creating a strong infrastructure and a skilled faculty leadership team. Over the next decade, under her leadership, the residency program has been taken to a new level of success. Highland IM Residency is now known locally and nationally as a reputable IM training program regarded for its diversity and strong mission to train clinically and academically strong residents dedicated to caring for the marginalized.
Under her guidance, the residency team has celebrated many successes including full accreditation, presentations at national meetings, several consecutive years of 100% Board Pass rate, excellent fellowship matches in competitive fields, and 100% job placement of graduates in top choice jobs. She has mentored Chief Residents who have gone on to become leaders in and outside of AHS. Under her leadership, we have been able to attract students from top universities in the nation as well as the highest ranked students from international programs.
Dr. Subramanian has also served as the Vice Chair of the Internal Medicine Department since 2012 and was a leader in the Covid Pandemic Response. She has maintained her work as a pulmonologist and intensivist and is a winner of several teaching and service awards including the AHS Physician of the Year. We look forward to her strong leadership as Department Chair.
Welcome our new PCCM Division Chief, Dr. Tze-Ming 'Benson' Chen
We are excited to introduce Dr. Benson Chen who will be the new Pulmonary and Critical Care Division Chief in the Department of Medicine at Alameda Health System.
Dr. Tze-Ming (Benson) Chen received his undergraduate degree from Brown University, and received his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He then joined the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine where he completed his residency training in Internal Medicine. He underwent his Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellowship Training at Stanford University School of Medicine where he served as Chief Fellow and then Clinical Instructor overseeing the lung nodule clinic.
In 2007, Dr. Chen joined California Pacific Medical Center's Pulmonary and Critical Care Division where over the subsequent 15 years, he helped to develop the Thoracic Oncology Program, the Lung Cancer Screening Program, the Diagnostic Thoracic Tumor Board, and the Lung Nodule Clinic. He also helped to develop the Endobronchial Ultrasound Bronchoscopy Program, the Bronchoscopic Lung Volume Reduction Program, the Bronchial Thermoplasty Program, and introduced one-way endobronchial valves for bronchoscopic management of persistent bronchopleural fistulas. Dr. Chen was involved in the recruitment and development of the current CPMC Pulmonary and Critical Care physician team which includes 10 physicians with subspecialty expertise in all areas of pulmonary medicine excluding lung transplantation.
Dr. Chen was also the Director of ICU Services at CPMC since 2010 and during his 12 year tenure, he helped to develop a system to improve patient movement between the three CPMC ICU campuses to optimize patient care delivery and bed utilization. He also developed the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Program serving patients throughout Northern California. During the COVID pandemic, Dr. Chen helped to develop and coordinate management strategies for COVID infected individuals in the critical care setting and ensured safe, evidence-based, and multidisciplinary care despite resource strain. Throughout his time at CPMC, he has been a fierce advocate for nursing, respiratory therapy, pharmacy, and physical therapy, acknowledging that the high level of care offered at CPMC would not be achievable without the passion and commitment to patient care offered by the individuals from these clinical specialties.
Welcome our newest division member, Dr. Praveen Belur
Please help me welcome Dr. Praveen Belur to the AHS family as a member of the Pulmonary and Critical Care Division. Dr. Belur attended medical school and performed his internship and residency at the University of Southern California. He then joined the California Pacific Medical Center / Highland Hospital Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellowship program during which time he also served as an ICU attending at both Highland and San Leandro Hospitals during his final year of training. After graduating, he moved to Texas where he was an Attending Pulmonary and Critical Care Physician at the San Antonio Methodist Hospital System but decided to return to AHS to join our team.
Dr. Belur’s clinical interests are in Thoracic Oncology, advanced bronchoscopy, and interstitial lung disease. His hobbies including hiking, history, astrophysics, and he is a self-proclaimed foodie.
We are fortunate to be able to welcome Dr. Belur back to AHS. In addition to working in the ICU, on the Pulmonary Inpatient Service, and in Pulmonary Clinic, he will also help lead our Lung Cancer Program and will be the Director of Bronchoscopy at AHS.
State of Lung Cancer Report Release
11/17/2022
Today, the American Lung Association released our 5th Annual “State of Lung Cancer” Report. The 2022 “State of Lung Cancer” report highlights how the toll of lung cancer varies by state and examines key indicators throughout the U.S. including: new cases, survival, early diagnosis, surgical treatment, lack of treatment and screening rates. This year’s report reveals the importance of screening, which is critical to reduce the burden of lung cancer on families. Unfortunately, in 2021, only 5.8% of those eligible were screened. “State of Lung Cancer” also illustrates continued progress for lung cancer survival. The lung cancer five-year survival rate increased 21% to 25% from 2014 to 2018. The report highlights that people of color who are diagnosed with lung cancer face worse outcomes compared to white Americans, including: lower survival rate, less likely to be diagnosed early, less likely to receive surgical treatment and more likely to receive no treatment. This report is full of important data and includes some great national maps illustrating the differences between states and we encourage you to read through it all.
We must all do more to address lung cancer – the leading cause of cancer deaths. The “State of Lung Cancer” highlights that states must do more to reduce the burden of lung cancer. Below is a summary of California’s grades and please go to Lung.org/solc to learn more about lung cancer in California and take action to join us in the fight to defeat lung cancer.