United Hospice of Rockland (UHR) Executive Director Amy Stern announced that David A. Chmielewski, MD joined UHR on Monday, July 16, as the full-time medical director.
She said, “In our recruiting process, we set a very high bar. We feel fortunate that our community will have in Dr. Chmielewski a hospice and palliative care fellowship-trained physician who brings with him warmth, compassion, expertise in this specialized field and dedication to ensuring that those we serve receive the best possible end of life care.”
She said that Dr. Chmielewski will be available to physicians, patients, families, social workers, and others to discuss and/or evaluate any patients who may be appropriate for UHR services.
He may be reached at 845 634-4974 or via email at dchmielewski@hospiceofrockland.org. In addition, she said she was pleased to announce that Dr. Cox will remain as the hospice physician at the Joe Raso Hospice Residence.
Dr. Chmielewski received his Baccalaureate in English and Theater Arts from Brandeis University Magna Cum Laude and his Master’s Degree in Secondary English Education from Columbia University Teachers College. He was a Post-baccalaureate premedical student at Queens College and eared his MD from State University of New York at Buffalo where he was the recipient of the David K. Miller Prize in Medicine, “for demonstration of Dr. Miller’s approach to caring for the sick––competence, humility, humanity.”
At Beth Israel Medical Center he completed an Observership in an Inpatient Hospice Unit in the Department of Pain Medicine and Palliative Care. During his internship and residency in internal medicine at New York University Medical Center/Bellevue Hospital, he completed elective rotations in Palliative Care and Oncology and created and convened seminars teaching Palliative Care skills to interns. At the end of June, he completed a fellowship in Hospice and Palliative Medicine at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center. He is board eligible in internal medicine.
Dr. Chmielewski is a member of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, Hospice and Palliative Care Association of New York State, Society of Hospital Medicine, and the American College of Physicians. He has made the following presentations: “Gimme My Methadone!!! (for pain control!)”, January 10, 2011, New York University Medical Center, Department of Medicine New York, NY and “Palliative Care and Heart Failure”, October 10, 2011, Columbia University Medical Center, Department of Cardiology New York, NY. He was a volunteer at the Cardiovascular Diagnostic Interventional Center Brigham and Women’s Hospital Boston, MA and was the first volunteer to be named hospital Customer Service Hero, “in recognition of outstanding service and commitment.”
Dr. Chmielewski’s interest in hospice and palliative care are an extension of his teaching, theater and performing arts, internal medicine, and hospitalist, supervisory and administrative skills. In an interview, he said that his electives in palliative medicine, hospice management and clinical ethics directed his career path. He is enthusiastic about connecting patients and their families to the full range of services offered by UHR, and helping families through the many transitions involved with maximizing end-of-life care.
He said, “I am looking forward to becoming part of and serving the Rockland County community and working with physicians, clergy, social workers, nursing homes, and others in sharing ideas and offering the highest level of care. UHR has earned an outstanding reputation and I am honored to be joining the team to assist in maintaining and growing UHR’s outreach and services to the community.”
Dr. Chmielewski and his wife currently reside in Jersey City, New Jersey. They plan to relocate to Rockland County.
