North Fulton Regional Hospital – Roswell, GA (March 23, 2009) – North Fulton Regional Hospital welcomes new physicians to the Medical Staff leadership team.  These physicians will serve throughout the 2009-2010 term.

After two successful years, Frank Puhalovich, MD, relinquishes his title as Chief of Staff.  Dr. Puhalovich, a neurologist with North Fulton Neurology, served in this capacity during the 2007-2008 term.  He attended Baylor College of Medicine for his fellowship and is Board Certified in Neurology.

Herschel Beker, MD, joins the leadership team as the new Chief of Staff.  An orthopaedic surgeon with Resurgens Orthopaedics, Dr. Beker specializes in spine disorders, spine surgery, and kyphoplasty.  He is fellowship trained in Orthopaedic Spine from Emory University Affiliated Hospitals and is Board Certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Joining the team as Vice Chief of Staff is Dean Karampelas, MD.  A physician with North Point Pulmonary Associates, Dr. Karampelas is four-time Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Disease, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine.

Serving as Secretary is Anesthesiologist James Velimesis, MD.  He attended the University of Virginia for his residency and is Board Certified in Anesthesiology.  Dr. Velimesis works with North Fulton Anesthesia Associates.

North Fulton Regional Hospital looks forward to successful years to come with this leadership team in place.

North Fulton Regional Hospital (NFRH), part of Tenet Georgia, is a 202-bed, acute-care hospital located on Highway 9, Alpharetta Highway, in Roswell.  Opened in 1983, NFRH serves North Fulton and surrounding counties through its team of over 1000 employees, 400 staff physicians and 200 volunteers.  NFRH is a state-designated Level II trauma center and provides a continuum of services through its centers and programs, including neurosciences, orthopedics, rehabilitation, surgical services, bariatric surgical weight loss, gastroenterology and oncology.   The hospital is fully accredited and also is certified as a Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the nation’s oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency.

For more information about North Fulton Regional Hospital and its medical staff, please call 770-751-2600, or visit us on the web at www.northfultonregional.com.