Staff

Medical Director (Part- time): Dr. Robert E. Bowers, MD FACS, who has a long history of service to the community, is serving as our Medical Director. Dr. Bowers is a past president of the Hamilton County Medical Society and the Tennessee Medical Society. He is highly respected by his peers. Dr. Bowers was named Tennessee Medical Association’s "Physician of the Year" in April, 2005 and he received Memorial Hospital’s Humanitarian Award in November of that same year.

Clinic Administrator: Patricia Dennison, MM, BS began with VIM on opening day in May 2005 serving as a volunteer until she assumed this role in May 2006. She has extensive experience in the healthcare arena, starting in immunology research, then transitioning to supervising hospital laboratories, and, most recently, serving as director of a claims and call center in the health insurance industry.

Volunteer Coordinator: Marilyn Fore, RN has a solid professional background in nursing and has a heart for others. She also has extensive experience working with volunteers. Read more about her in the March 2005 Newsletter.

Office Assistant: Kathy Bolinger. She comes to VIM with expertise in the hotel hospitality industry, as well as having worked for the Heil Co. in their corporate sales office. She has an AS degree in information systems from Chattanooga State. Kathy has a wonderful, bubbly personality and is happy to serve VIM’s patients.

Nurse Practitioner: Priscilla Simms is a native Chattanoogan who recently moved back to assume the VIM Nurse Practitioner position.  Priscilla attended undergraduate school at The University of Tennessee in Knoxville where she earned a bachelor’s degree in community health education.  After graduating from UTK, she went on to earn a master’s degree in Nursing at Vanderbilt University in Nashville,TN.  She is certified as an Adult Nurse Practitioner and enjoys working in primary care where she sees a variety of health issues. VIM is thrilled to welcome her as part of the growing staff of VIM.

Part-Time Nurse: Denise Smith, RN, began at VIM as a volunteer in June 2006. She was hired as a part time staff member in September 2006. Her duties are to oversee the dispensing of medications from VIM’s dispensary. She also assists VIM’s nurse practitioner in calling patient lab results and scheduling with specialists as needed, as well as, assisting in the exam rooms as needed. Her nursing background includes cardiac specialty and working in Community health as a school nurse.

Dispensary Technician: Kristen Curtis, VIM’s first fulltime dispensary tech, joined the staff in January, 2008. She has worked in the Chattanooga area after receiving her Pharmacy Tech training from Chattanooga State and obtaining her national certification in 2007. Previously, Kristen had worked in a variety of customer contact positions prior to her graduation. She is a tremendous asset and complements the VIM staff and their duties very well.