Group 2

Kamal Wahab, MD, is Associate Medical Director for VITAS® Healthcare in Gainesville, Florida. He oversees the care of patients in their homes, nursing homes, and assisted living communities. He also educates community physicians and healthcare partners about the benefits and value of hospice and palliative care.

Driven by a passion for family and community, Dr. Wahab provides compassionate care catered to the needs of patients living with advanced illnesses. A background in geriatrics and family medicine informs his approach to care, defined by evidence-based medicine, open communication, and a sense of duty to patients and their families.

“My goal is always to give my best to my patients and my community,” says Dr. Wahab. “I’m looking forward to serving the Gainesville community, reinforcing VITAS’ footprint here, and demonstrating how our services support a higher quality of life.”

Dr. Wahab joined VITAS in 2021 following the completion of a hospice and palliative medicine fellowship at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Florida. He is a member of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine and the American Geriatrics Society.

He also completed a geriatric medicine fellowship at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital, during which he was bestowed the COVID-19 Recognition Award for steadfast service to his patients and the community during the pandemic’s peak.

Dr. Wahab earned his medical degree at the University of Balamand Faculty of Medicine and Medical Sciences in Achrafieh, Lebanon, at Saint George Medical Center. He completed a residency in family medicine at the American University of Beirut Medical Center in Lebanon and earned a bachelor’s degree in biology at the American University of Beirut.

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Register to see his CME Accredited Presentation “Determining Prognosis in Cancer and Non-Cancer Diagnoses” on Sunday, May 21st! VITAS Healthcare will also be at our EPI “Best Ball” Golf Tournament, Thursday, May 18th ~ Reserve your spot today HERE.

Gary Harker has been speaking internationally for over a decade. He is an author of The Daily D.O.S.E., developer of multiple fitness products, and designer of education for healthcare professionals. He continues to educate himself, currently studying Osteopathic Manual Therapy to gain a deeper hands-on understanding of the human body. Mr. Harker is a father of three children. He and his wife, Erely, enjoy traveling and being outdoors. As a healthcare professional and entrepreneur, Mr. Harker understands the necessity of Asset Protection, protecting the people closest to you, including your family, partners, and employees.

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More information about this Speaker to come soon! Please stay tuned!

More information about this Speaker to come soon! Please stay tuned!

Samantha Prokop serves as head of Gunster’s Healthcare Transactions team. In her counsel to corporate and healthcare companies, Sam serves as an advisor to clients establishing new businesses, executing mergers and acquisitions and navigating business disputes and break-ups.

Sam has served as a risk manager and general counsel for a multi-location hospital system. Through her range of experience, Sam aims to help her clients remove barriers to develop practical, workable solutions to their complex problems, addressing immediate issues while developing long-term strategies for growth.

A focus on healthcare regulatory compliance

Clients reach out to Sam for help dealing with regulatory compliance matters including structuring arrangements to comply with the federal Stark Law, Anti-Kickback Statute, Florida Patient Self-Referral Act, Florida Patient Brokering Act, and other applicable laws, rules and regulations, as well as evaluating these laws as part of acquisitions.

Sam’s representative clients include:

• Academic medical centers
• Medical device distribution companies
• Group practices and independent physician associations
• Hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers
• Home health agencies
• Nurse registries
• Laboratories and diagnostic facilities
• Medical executives and medical professionals
• Accountable care organizations
• Pharmacies
• PBMs
• ACOs
• MSOs

Applying a focused, solutions-oriented approach aimed at advancing our clients’ businesses

From a corporate perspective, Sam represents clients in a variety of industries seeking to establish new businesses by developing structures that attract new investors, owners, partners and talent.

She supports clients in reviewing and negotiating contracts and employment agreements, establishing executive compensation arrangements and drafting operating agreements, partnership agreements, shareholders’ agreements, buy-sell agreements and bylaws.

From the letter of intent through closing, Sam assists clients with mergers, sales and acquisitions including handling day-to-day business disputes both internally and with outside vendors.

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Dr. DeAndrea is an Integrative Medicine Physician, a traditionally trained medical doctor that unites many healing modalities.  His approach focuses on powerful up to date medicines, self-care and holistic living. He believes that health is fostered when the proper environment is created for healing. His contribution to the Integrative team approach at the center emphasizes nurturing the body’s innate intelligence for wellness.

In an effort to find evidence for alternative treatments Dr. DeAndrea has studied and practiced everything from traditional folk medicine to hyperbaric oxygen therapy and stem cells. He received a naturopathic medical degree from the American Naturopathic Medical Association for a five-year pilot research project that established “Nutritional Medicine” as a standard of treatment in the Los Angeles County Head Start Programs. He was awarded the Los Angeles Outstanding Community Service Award by the Training and Research Foundation in 1995 and 1996 for teaching the fundamentals of self-care to the families and children of the Watts community.

Dr. DeAndrea has been described as a “Jack of all Trades,” by his colleagues. He uses acupuncture, aromatherapy, nutrition, herbology, Ayurveda, yoga, meditation, creative visualization, colon hydrotherapy, physical therapy, hypnotherapy, oxygen therapy, chelation, stem cell therapy, regenerative anti-aging and the traditional allopathic treatments to create personalized healing prescriptions for his clients. His approach is multidisciplinary and based in education. He is the co-founder of the “21 Day Detox” wellness workshops, featured on Life Time Television, CNN, and 48 hours. Dr. DeAndrea combines traditional and complimentary diagnostic techniques with a unique intuitive sense. His treatments are aimed at addressing the physical, psychological and spiritual components of health.

Dr. DeAndrea had a calling to practice medicine as a boy, while his father served in the Navy.  He grew up in Hell’s Kitchen, New York City. The struggles of inner city living drove him to seek healing as a life’s path. He received a scholarship to pursue a medical education at the State University Health Science Center of New York where he graduated Summa Cum Laude. After his medical training at Cornell University’s Lennox Hill hospital, he decided to study the integrative approach to healing while traveling throughout the United States.

Dr. DeAndrea believes that healing should be a unique and enjoyable experience. In 1998 he and Woody Harrelson joined forces to open the first oxygen bar in United States.

As an integrative physician who believes in a progressive approach, Dr. DeAndrea serves as medical advisor to the American Naturopathic Medical Association, the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine, Whole Life Times Magazine and Earth Save International. Dr. DeAndrea is an avid surfer and a believes he can improve by knowing the love is always the best medicine. He is Christian and loves the master healer, Jesus.  He is a nationally recognized speaker, educator, and writer who is dedicated to helping people heal.

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Eric Arms has a wealth of experience in the private sector.  After graduating from the University of North Florida with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Accounting.  Eric was a Department Manager for a Southeast Grocers store in Jacksonville, Florida.  Mr. Arms spent 18 years with the company where he managed business operations and developed business strategies that increase profitability.

Following a distinguished career with Southeast Grocers, Eric Arms became a Financial Representative with the PHP Agency Inc, a national marketing company that specializes in financial services, retirement planning, and insurance policies.  Eric was selected by company leadership to mentor, recruit, and train new agents within the company while continuing to manage his own team and help his clients achieve financial security and accumulate wealth.  Eric was invited to speak to other financial agents on his experience at one of the company’s national conferences which were held in Las Vegas.

Since 2019, Eric Arms has worked extensively in the medical industry.  He serves as a Direct Sales Manager for EPICompliance, and is a Healthcare Business Expert with Taino Consultants.  These companies specialize in assisting medical offices with HIPAA/ OSHA training, risk analysis, IT Solutions, Recruiting/Logistics, operation management, and overall consulting.  Eric is also the Director of Finance for Panacea Alliance, a medical practice in local St Augustine.

Most recently, Mr. Arms has started a ServiceMaster Clean franchise with his brother-in-law Roy Alaimo.  This company strives to provide janitorial and specialized cleaning services to the Northeast Florida area.  This company’s pursuit is to create clean working and living environments for their clients including the ever-growing healthcare sector.

Eric is very dedicated to the St. Augustine Community.  He served as a volunteer with the Ancient City Lions Club and was a member of their board of directors.  Currently, he resides in St. Augustine in the World Golf Village Community with his wife Dr. Erica Arms a Veterinarian, daughter Savannah, son Wesley, and their dog Kitt.

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Curtis Romeo is one of the core members of Island Doctors Provider Relations Department. Mr. Romeo has been in this position since June 2021 but overall has more than twenty-two years of experience in management and leadership positions.  In this role, Mr. Romeo acts as the communication conduit between providers and the rest of Island Doctors’ departments. Mr. Romeo also assists in the evaluation process of providers, special metrics, recruiting, and retention strategies. On a regular basis, Mr. Romeo speaks with providers and visits various offices to ensure providers are satisfied with the support they receive, helps address known problems, and supports scheduling efforts to ensure coverage meets the patients’ needs.

Mr. Romeo’s wealth of knowledge is not limited to healthcare and compliance as he also worked as an insurance broker, which gives him a better understanding of how the healthcare market works. On top of that, he is a Certified HIPAA Security Officer (CHSO) who not only acts as Island Doctors HIPAA Security Officer but also as one of EPI Compliance’s HIPAA Security instructors.

As a professional musician and martial arts instructor with over 20 years of experience, Mr. Romeo is quite comfortable speaking to groups and helping individuals solve problems and learn how to work in groups. Throughout his career, he has created a reputation for outstanding customer service, innovative strategic thinking, community leadership, and a passion for working with people of all ages.

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Mr. Ray Walters, Customer Service Director and Certified HIPAA Security Officer of EPICompliance, a healthcare compliance firm dedicated to assisting medical offices and firms that do business with medical offices keep up with today’s massive regulatory compliance requirements.

EPICompliance has taken 40 combined years of practical legal, medical, and occupational regulatory experience to develop a comprehensive, invaluable tool, designed to protect its customers from HIPAA, ACA/OIG/Medicare & OSHA violations.

Ray’s primary responsibility is ensuring that every day, every month, his customers stay up to date with the ongoing compliance tasks at hand as well as utilizing the EPICompliance tool to its fullest potential.

Before EPICompliance, Ray received his bachelor’s in health administration in 2016 where he began his career as an office manager for several weight loss centers. He did not know the complexities of compliance until his practice was audited – truly a stressful experience – it was then where he developed a passion for helping others avoid this situation by implementing effective compliance programs.