A familiar face has returned to Akron General to lead its physician practice.
Dr. Benito Alvarez recently rejoined the health system as senior vice president of physician alignment and president of Akron General Partners Physician Group.
He previously served as chief medical officer for Akron General Medical Center for a brief time in 2011 before returning to his medical practice in obstetrics and gynecology at the Cleveland Clinic.
This time around, his contract includes provisions for him to continue seeing patients — something he desperately missed the last time he had an administrative job at Akron General.
“It’s the one-on-one with patients,” he said.
Doctors increasingly are interested in affiliating with a hospital because of the changing health-care industry, particularly with health-care reform.
“People now are trying to align,” he said. “People now are seeing we probably should be aligned with some hospital system. A lot of the docs, at least in this market and up in Cleveland, definitely, are saying, ‘I don’t know if I want to be alone in this.’ ”
The son of Cuban refugees was born and raised in Mount Vernon, N.Y. His father had been studying to become a physician when he fled Cuba under the Castro regime.
Alvarez is board-certified in internal medicine and obstetrics-gynecology. He also earned a master’s of business administration degree and a law degree.
After the terrorists attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, Alvarez joined the Air Force. He served as a flight surgeon until he was honorably discharged in 2006 as a lieutenant colonel.
Alvarez lives in Chesterland with his wife, Dottie. The couple have two children.
Parkinson’s boot camp
Patients with Parkinson’s disease and their loved ones can get information about managing the disease during a free Northeast Ohio Parkinson’s Boot Camp beginning 8:30 a.m. Sept. 7 at the John S. Knight Center in downtown Akron.
The fifth event is expected to draw hundreds of participants.
The program includes hands-on lessons about exercise techniques, mind and body wellness practices and other skills to manage Parkinson’s disease, as well as a question-and-answer session with physicians.
Other topics covered during the presentations include yoga, research updates and information about the latest therapeutic options.
This year’s event also features a session for caregivers and family members.
Speakers will include Dr. Benjamin Walter, director of University Hospital Movement Disorders Center and medical director of the Deep Brain Stimulation Program; Dr. Monique Giroux, medical director of Movement and Neuroperformance Center Colorado; Sierra Farris, deep brain stimulation services director at Movement and Neuroperformance Center Colorado; and David Zid, a certified personal and functional fitness instructor.
The boot camp is presented by University Hospitals Neurological Institute, Courageous Steps for Parkinson’s and the Ohio Parkinson’s Foundation Northeast Region.
Pre-registration is required by Sept. 4.
For more information or to register, call 216-983-5741 or go online to www.uhhospitals.org/pdbootcamp.
Cheryl Powell can be reached at 330-996-3902 or cpowell@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow Powell on Twitter at twitter.com/abjcherylpowell.