Our Team
Meet the Good Samaritan Hospital Rehabiliation Services teams.
Rehabilitation Services Team
Pani Akuthota, MD, Medical Director – Rehabilitation Services
Pani Akuthota, MD, earned his Medical degree from Osmania Medical College in Andra Pradesh, India, in 1968. His residency training included Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City and Kings County Hospital Downstate Medical Center, in Brooklyn, NY. His post-graduate internships included MGM Hospital and Kakatiya Medical College, both in Warangal, India; the county hospitals in Tullmore and Mullingar, Ireland; and James Connoly Medical Center in Dublin.
Prior to being named Medical Director at GSH in 1988, Dr. Akuthota worked in the Veterans Administration (VA) hospital in Northport, Long Island, N.Y. in 1978 and 1979. He also held various assignments between 1979 and 2004 at the VA hospital in Dayton. He is the Medical Director in GSH’s Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department. Dr. Akuthota also maintains an affiliation with Wright State University as an Associate Clinical Professor. He is board-certified in Electrodiagnostic Medicine and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
Katie Elliott, Director, Rehabilitation Services
Katie joined Good Samaritan Hospital in 1992. Her responsibilities include the operational leadership and support to the members of the Rehabilitation departments. These departments include Physical, Occupational, Speech, Sports Medicine, Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehab within Good Samaritan Hospital and its Health Centers.
Maureen Eliseo, Manager, Rehabilitation Services
Maureen joined Good Samaritan Hospital in 2006 as the manager for the Rehabilitation Services Department. Her responsibiilites include daily operations of the inpatient therapies including physical, occupational and speech services. Maureen received her Bachelors in Education degree from the University of Dayton and a Masters in Counseling/Business and Industry from Wright State University.
Michael E. Ribar, Manager, Rehabilitation Services
Mike joined Good Samaritan Hospital in 1988. His responsibilities include oversite of the daily operations of Physical Therapy and Hand Therapy services. He recieved his Bachelors of Science in Physical Therapy from The Ohio State University.
Cardiac Rehabilitation Team
Ramaswany Bathini, MD, FACC, Medical Director - Cardiac
Dr. Bathini earned his Medical degree from Gandhi Medical College in Hyderabad, India, in 1968. He completed his cardiology training at University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, St. Mary's Hospital, Rochester, New York, and the College of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and Maryland Hospital, New York.
Dr. Bathini, MD is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine.
Prior to being named Medical Director of Cardiac Rehabilitation at GSH, Dr. Bathini was affiliated with Donald Ogletree & Associates of Dayton, Cardiology & Internal Medicine practice as Ramaswamy Bathini, MD, Inc., Dayton Cardiology Associates, Advanced Cardiology Associates, Premier Heart Association, and Dayton Heart Hospital.
Dr. Bathini is currently an assistant clinical professor of medicine at Wright State University School of Medicine and on active staff with the Department of Internal Medicine at Good Samaritan Hospital.
Dr. Bathini is a Fellow with the American College of Cardiology and a member of the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology, the Ohio State Medical Association, the Montgomery County Medical Society, and the American Society of Echocardiography.
Karen Smith, RN, Team Leader
Karen joined Good Samaritan North Health Center's Cardiac Rehabilitation team in 1994 as a staff nurse and was promoted to Team Leader in 1998. Prior to her role as a Team Leader she was a staff nurse at Good Samaritan Hospital serving in multiple roles. Karen earned her Bachelors Degree in Nursing at Wright State University.
Pulmonary Rehabilitation Team
Julie A. Larson, M.D., Medical Director Pulmonary Rehabilitation Services
Dr. Julie Larson is the Medical Director for the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program at Good Samaritan Hospital. She is a Family Physician in practice at Samaritan North Family Physicians.
Dr. Larson is a graduate of the University Of Washington School Of Medicine in Seattle, Washington and is board certified in Family Practice. She received a Masters of Science in Public Health at the University of Utah and Fellowship in Geriatrics- Department of Family and Preventative Medicine from the University of Utah. Dr. Larson also holds a certificate of Added Qualification in Geriatrics.
Dr. Larson is a member of the American Academy of Family Practice, American Medical Association and Montgomery County Medical Society (Ohio).
Karen Smith, RN, Team Leader
Karen joined Good Samaritan North Health Center's team in 1994 as a staff nurse and was promoted to Team Leader in 1998. Prior to her role as a Team Leader she was a staff nurse at Good Samaritan Hospital serving in multiple roles. Karen earned her Bachelors Degree in Nursing at Wright State University.