Overview
The Preoperative Assessment, Communication and Education Center provides access to perioperative services where medical staff evaluate and optimize patients for surgery.
A complete preoperative assessment may include:
- A patient history and physical exam
- Laboratory testing, as needed
- An electrocardiogram, echocardiogram or chest radiograph, as needed
- Collection of documentation from outside facilities
Senior anesthesiology residents spend four weeks and junior residents spend one week in PACE, directly supported by anesthesiology faculty, learning the principles of cost-effective, evidence-based preoperative evaluation.
Appointments are held Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. at three Richmond area locations. Visits typically last 45 minutes.
Contact Us
VCU PACE Center Office Address and Contact Information
PHONE NUMBERS:
(804) 828-4396 (Front Desk)
(804) 828-3453 (Appointments)
(804) 828-0463 (Fax)
MAILING ADDRESS:
Box 980148
Richmond, Virginia 23298-0148
Locations
Downtown
Gateway Building, 1st Floor
1200 East Marshall Street
(804) 828-4396
(804) 828-0463 (fax)
NOW Center
11958 W. Broad Street
Second Floor, Buttermilk Trail
Henrico, VA 23233
(804) 364-6619
Stony Point
9000 Stony Point Parkway
Second Floor, Pauley Heart
Richmond, VA 23235
(804) 998-1253
Anesthesiologists
Shilen P. Thakrar, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Shilen P. Thakrar, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Anesthesiology
Undergraduate: B.S. Biochemistry (University of California, Los Angeles)
Graduate: M.D. (VCU School of Medicine)
Residency: Anesthesiology (Albany Medical Center)
Email: shilen.thakrar@vcuhealth.org
Brian J. Cocchiola, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Brian J. Cocchiola, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Anesthesiology
Undergraduate: B.S., Biomedical Science, Lynchburg College
Graduate: M.D., St. George’s University School of Medicine, Grenada, West Indies
Residency: Anesthesiology, Virginia Commonwealth University
Interests: General Anesthesia, Transplant Anesthesia, Trauma
Catherine Cooper, M.D.
Associate Professor
Catherine Cooper, M.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Anesthesiology
Undergraduate: B.A. Psychology, University of North Carolina
Graduate: M.D., University of North Carolina
Residency: Anesthesiology, University of Virginia
Interests: Transplant, Vascular, Preoperative Evaluation, Safety & Quality Assurance
Geoffrey Fisher, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Geoffrey Fisher, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Anesthesiology
Undergraduate: B.S. Mechanical Engineering (Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas)
Graduate: M.S., Mechanical Engineering (Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas); M.D. (Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas)
Residency: Anesthesiology (VCU Medical Center)
Interests: Transplant Anesthesia, TEE for non-cardiac Surgery
John Heath, M.D.
Assistant Professor
John Heath, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Anesthesiology
Undergraduate: BS in Biology (Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL)
Graduate: MD (The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK)
Residency: Anesthesiology (The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL)
(No fellowship)
Interests: Neuroanesthesiology, POCUS, ERAS, Crisis Management in Anesthesiology
Email: john.heath@vcuhealth.org
Gordon Kerr, MBBCh
Assistant Professor
Gordon Kerr, MBBCh
Assistant Professor
Department of Anesthesiology
Assistant Professor; Medical Director, Ambulatory Surgery Center
Graduate Degree: MBBCh (Univ of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa)
Residency: Anesthesiology (Univ of Natal, Durban, South Africa)
Interests: Regional, Ambulatory, Acupuncture
Email: gordon.kerr@vcuhealth.org
Tamara D. Lawson, M.D.
Associate Professor
Tamara D. Lawson, M.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Anesthesiology
Undergraduate: B.S., Biological Sciences (Univ of Maryland Baltimore Co., MD)
Graduate: Master of Public Health; M.D. (VCU Sch of Medicine, Richmond, VA)
Residency: Anesthesiology (National Capital Consortium, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, National Naval Medical Center)
Interests: Ultra Sound Guided Regional Anesthesia
Email: tamara.lawson@vcuhealth.org
Spencer Liebman, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Spencer Liebman, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Anesthesiology
Undergraduate: B.S.-Biology (Trinity College, Hartford CT)
Graduate: M.D. (State University of New York Downstate, College of Medicine, Brooklyn, NY)
Residencies: Internal Medicine (Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, J Willis Hurst Internal Medicine Residency Program); Anesthesiology (Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA)
Fellowship: Cardiothoracic Anesthesia (VCU School of Medicine)
Interests: Cardiothoracic Anesthesia
Maliha Nowrouz, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Maliha Nowrouz, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Anesthesiology
Undergraduate: B.S. Business Information Technology (Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA)
Graduate: M.D. (Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA)
Residency: Anesthesiology (VCU)
Fellowship: Regional Anesthesia and Acute Pain Medicine (VCU)
Interests: Regional, resident education, ERAS
Email: maliha.nowrouz@vcuhealth.org
Kenny Potter, M.D.
Assistant professor
Kenny Potter, M.D.
Assistant professor
Department of Anesthesiology
Undergraduate: B.S. Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Neuropsychology (Lebanon Valley College, Annville, PA)
Graduate: M.D. (The Commonwealth Medical College, Scranton, PA)
Residency: Anesthesiology (Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA)
Fellowship: Critical Care Medicine (Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, PA)
Interests: Critical Care Medicine, Perioperative Ultrasonography
Email: kenneth.potter@vcuhealth.org
Praveen Prasanna, M.D.
Assistant Professor, Interim Program Director
Praveen Prasanna, M.D.
Assistant Professor, Interim Program Director
Department of Anesthesiology
Interim Residency Program Director
Graduate: MBBS, Bachelor of Surgery (Medical College Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India)
Post Doctoral Training: Fellow of the College of Anaesthetists Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (FCARCSI) (Royal College of Anaesthetists United Kingdom)
Residency: Anesthesiology (Baystate Medical Center, Springfield MA)
Interests: Regional and General Anesthesia
Christa L. Riley, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Christa L. Riley, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Anesthesiology
Undergraduate: B.S., Engineering (Tulane University, New Orleans LA)
Graduate: M.D. (VCU School of Medicine, Richmond VA)
Residency: Anesthesiology (VCU Medical Center)
Interests: Regional Anesthesia, General Anesthesia, Patient Safety
Email: christa.riley@vcuhealth.org
Michael Scott, M.B., Ch.B.
Professor
Michael Scott, M.B., Ch.B.
Professor
Department of Anesthesiology
Olga Suarez-Winowiski, M.D.
Assistant Professor, PACE Medical Director
Olga Suarez-Winowiski, M.D.
Assistant Professor, PACE Medical Director
Department of Anesthesiology
Medical Director of PACE Clinic, Director of Global Anesthesia Program
Undergraduate: B.S. Biology (Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Mexico, Mexico)
Graduate: M.D. (Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Mexico, Mexico)
Perinatal Anesthesia Fellowship, INPER Mexico
Graduate: MSc Health Services Administration (University of Detroit Mercy, Michigan)
Residency: Anesthesiology (VCU Medical Center)
Interests: Perioperative Medicine. ERAS and prehabilitation. Complex maternal cases. Global anesthesia education
Vishal Yajnik, M.D., M.S.
Assistant Professor
Vishal Yajnik, M.D., M.S.
Assistant Professor
Department of Anesthesiology
Undergraduate: B.A., Public Health (Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore MD)
Graduate: M.S., Physiology & Biophysics (Georgetown University, Washington, DC; M.D. (VCU School of Medicine)
Residency: Anesthesiology (VCU Medical Center)
Fellowship: Critical Care Medicine (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh PA)
Interests: Neurocritical Care, Quality Improvement, and Serious Illness Conversations
Email: vishal.yajnik@vcuhealth.org
