Inpatient Services
The hospitalist group within the Division of General Medicine provides comprehensive in-hospital care for patients admitted to the internal medicine service at University Hospital. This group specializes in all aspects of inpatient internal medicine and are continuously available to patients and their families during hospitalization. The group also provides consultation throughout the hospital on issues of perioperative management, anticoagulation care, and diabetes management.
University Health Care Hospitalists
Stephen Bekanich, M.D.
Dr. Bekanich is a hospitalist and Medical Director of Palliative Care Services at the University Hospital. He grew up throughout New York State. His undergraduate degree is from the University of Scranton. Medical school was completed at the State University of New York and internal medicine residency at the University of Utah.
Andrew Freeman, M.D.
Dr. Freeman recently joined the hospitalist group at the University of Utah Medical Center. Originally born and raised in Northern California, he earned his undergraduate degree in Biology from the University of San Diego and later attended medical school at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver. In June 2008, he completed residency training in Internal Medicine at the University of Utah. Dr. Freeman continues to enjoy the balance of providing clinical care with teaching in the inpatient setting. Additionally, along with Dr. Wanner and the Division of Geriatrics he has been helping to develop a teaching curriculum focused on the inpatient care of geriatric patients as part of the Reynolds Grant. Outside the hospital, his interests include cycling, trail running, reading, and surfing any chance he can get.
William Howell, M.D.
Dr. Howell trained at the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin, Ireland and then moved to Boston to be a resident and Chief Resident in the Tufts Program at Newton-Wellesley Hospital. After residency he worked for four years in out-patient Internal Medicine practice and then helped found the Hospitalist program at Sacred Heart Hospital in Eugene, Oregon. After more than five years experience as a hospitalist including serving as Head of the department he joined the faculty at the University of Utah to pursue interests in teaching residents and medical students the gentle art of physical diagnosis and medical management. Outside of the university - snowboarding, browsing in second-hand bookshops and ceramics keep him busy.
Stacy Johnson, M.D.
Dr. Johnson recently joined the hospitalist group at the University of Utah Medical Center. He was raised in Spokane, Washington, after which he attended the University of Washington where he earned his bachelors degree in Zoology. Medical school took him to Chicago, Illinois where he attended the Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science/Chicago Medical School. Residency training then brought him to the University of Utah where he competed his Internal Medicine residency and a Chief Medical Resident year as well. Dr. Johnson has many interests outside of the hospital including mountain biking, climbing, fishing, and telemark skiing, to name a few.
Robert Pendleton, M.D.
Dr. Pendleton is Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine and is both co-Director of the Hospitalist program at the University of Utah Medical Center and Medical Director of the University Healthcare Thrombosis Service. Dr Pendleton was born and raised in Logan, Utah where he graduated from Utah State University. He completed his medical school training at Baylor College of Medicine and then completed his residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Utah. He joined the faculty in 2000 in his current position(s). His academic pursuits include anti-thrombotic therapies, the prevention, diagnosis and management of venous thromboembolism. He is currently the local principal investigator on 12 different clinical trials in the area of thromboembolism management and prevention. Outside of work he has been married to Melinda for 17 years with whom he enjoys pursuing outside interests such as reading, cooking, skiing, golfing, and being an avid college football fan.
Ryan Ragle, M.D.
Dr. Ragle joined the hospitalist group this year after finishing his internal medicine training here at the University of Utah. He was born and raised in Alaska and received an undergraduate degree in chemistry from Colorado State University. He attended medical school at Creighton University School of Medicine before coming to Utah for residency. He plans on completing a fellowship in Rheumatology starting in July of 2010. Interests outside of medicine include mountain biking, hiking, disc golf, soccer and reading.
Matthew Rondina, M.D.
Dr. Rondina was raised in Boston, Massachusetts and completed his medical school and residency training at the University of Utah. After completing a position as Chief Medical Resident, he joined the Division of Internal Medicine as a Hospitalist in July 2007. He is also Co-Director of the University Health Care Thrombosis Service. Dr. Rondina's academic interests include the prevention and treatment of thromboembolic disease, and novel platelet synthetic functions. His current research includes clinical projects within the Division of Internal Medicine and translational projects in collaboration with the Program in Human Molecular Biology and Genetics. His outside interests include skiing and cycling.
Michael Strong, M.D.
Dr. Strong is a full time clinical hospitalist. He founded and is current director of the hospitalist program at the University of Utah. Dr. Strong was raised in San Diego, California and graduated from Brigham Young University. He received his medical school training at Baylor College of Medicine and then did his residency training at the University of Utah. He also served as the Chief Medical Resident. He had a successful private practice in Salt Lake City as a General Internist for 2 years but was asked to return to the University of Utah to develop the hospitalist program in 1999. He is actively involved in the development of the computerized order entry system for the University Hospital. His other interests include fine dining, golf, watching college football, and the Boston Red Sox (and any team who beats the New York Yankees).
Russell Vinik, M.D.
Dr. Vinik has been working as a full time Hospitalist in the Division of General Internal Medicine since 2002. He received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas Austin. He subsequently went to medical school at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. His internship in Internal Medicine was done at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, and he completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Yale-Greenwich Hospital in 2002. In addition to practicing and teaching medicine on the wards at University Healthcare, he is interested in improving care in perioperative medical management and hospitalized patients with diabetes. His other interests outside of medicine include biking, sailing and skiing.
Nathan Wanner, M.D.
Dr. Wanner is a full-time clinical hospitalist. He was born and raised in Indiana, and graduated from Wheaton College in Illinois. Dr. Wanner received his medical degree from Indiana University then obtained his internal medicine residency training at the University of Utah. He also served as Chief Medical Resident at Utah prior to beginning his current job in 2005. He has always enjoyed the challenge and variety of inpatient medicine and specifically values the opportunities his job provides for teaching and mentoring medical students and residents. Dr. Wanner is assisting with projects related to inpatient anticoagulation and is also working with the Division of Geriatrics as part of the Reynolds Grant to improve the teaching of geriatrics at the University of Utah. Much of his personal time is spent with his wife and two daughters, but other interests include playing basketball, reading, skiing, and hiking. Favorite hikes include anything in the Grand Canyon and any peak in the area.
Peter Yarbrough, M.D.
Dr.Yarbrough joined the hospitalist group this year after completing his training in internal medicine and a chief medical resident year at the University of Utah. He is originally from Columbus, OH and obtained his MD from the University of Cincinnati. He received an undergraduate degree in anthropology from Princeton University. Outside of the hospital, interests include travel, skiing and biking.
