Anthony Chavez, M.D., Staff

Dr. Anthony Chavez is a Board Certified Obstetrician/Gynecologist and a native Houstonian. He attended St. Thomas High School prior to attending the University of Houston where he obtained his Bachelor of Science Degree. Dr. Chavez received his medical degree from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Dr. Chavez returned to Houston in 1977 to complete his internship and residency at Baylor College of Medicine. He was appointed Administrative Chief Resident in obstetrics and gynecology during his last year of residency.

Dr. Chavez is an assistant clinical professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Baylor College of Medicine. He currently serves as the Chief of the Medical Staff at The Woman's Hospital of Texas. Dr. Chavez holds memberships in the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologist, Texas Medical Association and the Harris County Medical Society.

For over ten years, Dr. Chavez has traveled twice a year on medical missions with Faith in Practice and Agape in Action to provide medical care to Guatemalans. He maintains a private medical practice on the campus of Woman's Hospital of Texas. He and is wife of 40 years have three sons and Dr. Chavez enjoys the role of grandfather to his grandson.

James R. McBride, M.D., Staff

Dr. James R. McBride is a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist practicing at The Woman’s Hospital of Texas and The Texas Medical Center for almost 30 years. He is a member of The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologist and numerous other national, state, and local organizations. He is a founding partner of Fannin Surgicare, an outpatient surgery center located on the campus of The Woman’s Hospital of Texas. He has served mostly consecutive terms on The Credentials and Bylaws Committee of The Woman’s Hospital of Texas since 1981.

Dr. McBride is also a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Baylor College of Medicine. His practice consists of obstetrics, office gynecology, infertility surgery, menopausal medicine, gynecologic surgery and minimally invasive surgery such as total laparoscopic hysterectomy and other laparoscopic procedures that have shortened hospital stays and recovery. His office is located on the campus of The Woman’s Hospital of Texas. His educational website was designed and published by him to serve as an educational tool for his patients. His blog, Doc’s Desk, is a popular site to visit for his commentaries.

Joanie Hare, M.D., Staff

Dr. Joanie Hare, M.D. is a Maternal/Fetal Medicine Specialist practicing with Houston Perinatal and Associates. Hare completed her medical degree from the University of Alabama School of Medicine in Birmingham, Alabama. She did her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and is Fellowship trained in Maternal/Fetal Medicine from Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Hare’s interests include Ultrasound diagnosis of prenatal disorders, evaluation of fetal growth, and fetal doppler studies. She also specializes in the areas of multiple conditions such as hypertension, antiphospholipid syndrome, and preterm labor.

Hare’s mission is to bring specialized treatment to patients with maternal/fetal complications during pregnancy while keeping referring physicians fully informed of all options and developments.

Joni Hruska Fichter, Staff

Joni Hruska Fichter, Texas State '83, was honored at the recent Texas State Alumni Gala with the 2009 Alumni Achievement Award. Fichter, co-owner of Career Placement, Inc., has excelled in the staffing industry and been recognized with their top staffing firm award on both the local and state levels as well as receiving their Outstanding Volunteer Award. Fichter is an active volunteer and in 2005, helped found Challenger Baseball for children with special needs in the Houston area, taking a team to play at the White House South Lawn Game in 2005 then to play during the Little League World Series in 2008. Challenger Football & Cheer premiered in 2006, as well. These programs now serve over 100 children with disabilities each year. The buddy program incorporates nearly 300 middle and high school students who assist the Challenger players as they run, throw, kick, and score while playing the game of their lives. Fichter continues to serve on the West U Little League Auxiliary and is the Assistant District Administrator of Challenger for District 16.

Fichter is Chairman of the Friends of West University Place Parks Fund, Inc. and they have just exceeded the $3 million mark with their fundraising efforts. Serving on the boards of The Woman's Hospital, The Center serving persons with mental retardation, The Foundation for the Retarded, Children's Museum of Houston, Strake Jesuit Booster Club, and Houston Area Association of Personnel Consultants, Fichter quotes, "To whom much is given, much is expected" as she gives of her time to make our community a better place in which to live. Fichter is past president of the Chi Omega Alumni Association and continues to serve on their board. She serves on the Texas State Student Foundation Board and served on the Texas State Alumni Board and as president of the Houston Texas State Alumni Association chapter for many years. She also served on the Texas Association of Personnel Consultants Board, Southwest Football League Board, and is a sustaining member of the Junior League of Houston.

Laurie Swaim, M.D., Staff

Dr. Laurie Swaim is a cum laude graduate of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst with a B.S. in Zoology, and as an undergraduate, spent a semester studying at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, in Madrid, Spain. Dr. Swaim graduated with distinction from the University Of Oklahoma College Of Medicine in Oklahoma City, OK. While in medical school, she was elected to Alpha Omega Alpha, and was awarded the Glaskow award as the outstanding female medical student. Dr. Swaim completed her residency training at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive sciences. Upon graduation, Dr. Swaim joined the faculty of the University of Texas Medical School at Houston as an Assistant Professor. While a full time faculty member, she maintained a private practice through the University, taught medical students and residents, served on multiple Hermann Hospital and UT medical school committees, and performed research. Her clinical and research interests include intrapartum fetal monitoring and pediatric gynecology.

After six years as a full time faculty member, Dr. Swaim joined Houston Women’s Care Associates to begin full time private practice, where she continues to teach residents and medical students, as well as mentor resident and graduate student research projects. After leaving full time academics, Dr. Swaim was promoted to Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at The University of Texas Medical School Houston. Dr. Swaim has written book chapters, and has published original research as well as review articles in peer reviewed publications.

Dr. Swaim is a past president of the Houston Gynecologic and Obstetric Society, is an oral board examiner for the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and has been designated as the Vice Chair for the southeast section of the Texas Division of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She is currently a member of the Board of Trustees of The Woman’s Hospital of Texas where she practices.

Linda Russell, President and CEO, Staff

As the Chief Executive Officer of The Woman's Hospital of Texas, Linda Russell embodies the hospital mission of providing compassionate and exceptional care to women and infants. Guided by her vision since 1994, the hospital has grown in size and prestige. Woman's was recognized by U.S. News and World Report's annual America's Best Hospitals Survey for the second year in a row as a top 50 hospital in the U.S. for its premier gynecologic care. Moreover, more women chose to have their babies at The Woman's Hospital of Texas than at any other hospital in Houston. The Woman's Hospital of Texas has a world-class medical staff that includes nationally recognized surgeons, perinatologists, and neonatalogists to care for even our tiniest patients.

Linda's commitment to women and children does not end with the hospital. Linda was recently appointed to the Judicial Compensation Commission by Governor Rick Perry. She currently serves on the March of Dimes Board of Directors and Executive Board as well as their State Executive Committee. In 2007, Linda was named Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser for the Texas Chapter of the March of Dimes. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center.

Linda is also extremely dedicated to her family. The married mother of four spends whatever free time she has with her husband, their four daughters, and three grandchildren. All of her grandchildren were born at Woman's so Linda can honestly say that she would recommend the facility to family and friends.

The family enjoys skiing and often takes trips together. Linda is also a well-respected peer and supervisor. Many of her employees have worked with her for 10 years or more and would follow her anywhere. Though born in Arkansas, Linda has been in Houston for many years and is proud to call Texas home.

Mark Turrentine, M.D., Staff

Dr. Mark Turrentine, MD is a Board Certified Obstetrician/Gynecologist who trained at the University of Missouri. He is currently a Clinical Assistant Professor for the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and a staff physician at The Woman's Hospital of Texas and the Kelsey-Seybold Clinic.

Dr. Turrentine is an oral board examiner for The American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, a Fellow of The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, a Fellow of the Collaborative Ambulatory Research Network and a reviewer for the journals of Obstetrics & Gynecology and The American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

He is married and has two children. He has one child that attends college at Texas A&M and the other at the University of Texas at Austin. It makes the Thanksgiving holiday an exciting time.

Maura Walsh, Staff

More than 12,600 employees and 3,500 affiliated physicians share a unified commitment to the health of our communities. Across geography and medical specialties, the HCA Gulf Coast Division is creating a continuum of services that supports optimal quality care.

President of the Gulf Coast Division of HCA, Maura Walsh, is committed to continuing HCA’s legacy of excellent and compassionate care. Exemplifying a grass roots approach to understanding her communities’ healthcare needs she participates actively as a Board Member within local organizations including: American Heart Association and the Greater Houston Partnership. Maura is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives and serves on the American Hospital Association Governing Council.

With a major presence in Houston and South Texas, our services have a far reaching impact on the care provided within these communities. Our family of 12 hospitals includes: Bayshore Medical Center/East Houston Regional Medical Center (a campus of Bayshore Medical Center), Clear Lake Regional Medical Center, Conroe Regional Medical Center, Corpus Christi Medical Center, Kingwood Medical Center, Mainland Medical Center, Rio Grande Regional Hospital, Spring Branch Medical Center, Texas Orthopedic Hospital, The Woman’s Hospital of Texas, Valley Regional Medical Center and West Houston Medical Center. Care is also enhanced by 7 ambulatory surgery centers, 4 HealthOne Emergency Care Centers and the HealthOne Regional Transfer Center, which coordinates ground and air patient transportation.

HCA Gulf Coast Division is growing to meet the needs of our communities. Recently, West Houston Medical Center broke ground on a project to increase services and add more than 95,000 square feet of new construction and 33,000 square feet of renovations. Kingwood Medical Center is also expanding adding 54,000 square feet, two new floors and 56 private beds with telemetry capabilities in 2010. The Woman’s Hospital of Texas completed the construction of a 92-bed patient tower in 2009 and we continue to grow our 6 open heart surgery programs while facility and technological improvements are ongoing across the system. The concept of technologically-advanced care delivered with compassion, and created to meet each patient’s individual circumstance, is the cornerstone of our mission to put patients first.

Suzan Cardwell, Staff

Ms. Cardwell is a native of Nocona, Texas. She is a graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington, and obtained her law degree from Baylor University in 1976. After first serving as an assistant attorney general of Texas, she continued her practice at Fulbright & Jaworski, where she specialized in the defense of medical malpractice claims. In her eighteen years of practice, Ms. Cardwell has successfully defended medical malpractice claims against virtually all of Houston's most prominent and most litigious plaintiffs' malpractice attorneys.

Given her trial experience, Ms. Cardwell publishes and speaks regularly on issues critical to Houston attorneys and physicians, including most recently, "Dealing with Rambo Lawyers" at the Advanced Civil Discovery Course sponsored by the Houston Bar and addressing the University of Texas Health Science Center House Staff and Anesthesia Department on avoidance of malpractice claims.

Ms. Cardwell is a member of the Greater Houston Society for Health Care Risk Management, the Texas Association of Defense Counsel, and the National Health Lawyer's Association. She lives on a ranch in Waller County, where she raises world class cutting horses, including the 1991 and 1994 World Champion, Bob Acre Doc.

William D. Caplan, M.D., F.A.A.P., Staff

Dr. William Caplan, a native Houstonian, graduated from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas in 1988. He also completed his Pediatric Residency and Neonatal Fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Caplan is board certified in Pediatrics and Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, and has been in private practice in Houston since 1995.

He was formerly the Chairman of the Department of Pediatrics at Houston Northwest Medical Center. He is the Medical Director for Pediatrix Medical Group, which provides 24-hour in-house neonatology services at The Woman’s Hospital of Texas, as well as manages the specialty care nursery at Park Plaza Hospital, East Houston Regional Medical Center, and Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital.

He is a member of the Harris County Medical Society and a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics.