Lara Hochman, MD (moderator) is a dedicated Family Medicine physician, who is passionate about reshaping the narrative surrounding physician burnout and dissatisfaction. Witnessing the toll it takes on the medical community, she became an advocate for physicians’ well-being and autonomy. Dr. Hochman founded Happy Day Health, a boutique physician matchmaking agency. At Happy Day Health, she specializes in connecting physicians with well-run, physician-owned private practices. Her mission is to empower doctors to reclaim their focus on patient care, providing an antidote to burnout. It’s not just a match; it’s a prescription for a fulfilling professional and personal life.
Jennifer Roelands, MD is an integrative medicine trained OB/GYN who specializes in hormone health; especially PCOS. She is also “Mamma” to four awesome kids! As a former sufferer of PCOS and hypothyroidism, Dr. Roelands has been on the hormone roller coaster. From digestion issues to fatigue, to hair loss, to brain fog and infertility, she has been there. Her mission is now to empowHER every woman to regain control of their health so she can be confident in her own body and live a vibrant life.
Ati Hakimi MD is a family medicine physician who trained at Northwestern University and started her own direct primary care practice. Her practice is called Vegas Direct Primary Care. Dr. Hakimi has found a way to finally make a difference in each of her member's life with quality, affordable, individualized healthcare. After 20 years of medical practice, she found the courage to go off on my own! she vowed to practice the preventive medicine that she had been taught for the last 12 years and now members have an option for the care they deserve. After all, physicians were made to make help others, and now she can!
Grace Torres-Hodges, DPM, MBA is passionate about the Direct Care movement as it saved her from giving up on a profession that she respected and was so honored to serve in. Her mission these days is to first serve my patients and secondly educate others on how to save the individual physician private practice. Dr. Torres-Hodges is a board certified podiatric physician and surgeon who started Torres Hodges Podiatry, in 2001 and transitioned to a 100% direct care specialty practice in 2017. She went into medicine to treat patients, and believes that anything that gets between doctors and their ability to do that for their patient is part of the problem. She also co-founded D2PMedicus Consulting, to educate and coach physicians as they change their perspectives and transition out of a broken healthcare system.
Sarah Merritt, MD is triple board certified in anesthesiology, pain medicine, and addiction medicine. She is a clinician and owner of a private practice. She also speaks with audiences to help patients get the most from their relationship with their physicians and other health providers, as well as make practical changes that help better manage their pain and improve their overall health.
