Voorhees, NJ (March 10, 2023) – Jefferson Health - New Jersey has announced the appointment of its new Medical Staff officers, each elected for a two-year term:

• Alan Lucerna, DO, FACOI, FAAEM, Medical Staff President, is an attending physician at the Jefferson Stratford Hospital Emergency Department. Board certified in Emergency Medicine and Internal Medicine, Dr. Lucerna is Medical Director of the Emergency Department at Jefferson Stratford Hospital, as well as Director of Jefferson’s Emergency Medicine Residency Program. He is a member of several professional organizations, including the American Osteopathic Association and the American Academy of Emergency Medicine.

• Gopika Banker, DO, Medical Staff Vice President, is a board-certified Nephrologist, who is a member of Nephrology & Hypertension Associates of New Jersey in Voorhees, NJ. After graduating from Rowan School of Osteopathic Medicine, Dr. Banker completed her internship, residency, and nephrology fellowship in 2010. She serves as Acute Dialysis Medical Director and is the section head for Nephrology at Jefferson Health - New Jersey. Dr. Banker is an active member of the American Osteopathic Association and American Society of Nephrology.

• Gerardo Varallo, DO, Medical Staff Treasurer, is a Fellowship-trained and board-certified Nephrologist, who serves as Medical Director of the Fresenius Dialysis Center in Sewell, NJ. Chair of the Jefferson Health NJ Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committee, Dr. Varallo is also a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at Rowan School of Osteopathic Medicine, and is Program Director of the Nephrology Fellowship at Jefferson Health NJ.

The election results were recently announced at Jefferson Health’s annual New Jersey Medical Staff meeting. The Medical Staff Officers represent the interests of Jefferson’s New Jersey-based physicians and work closely with administration in strategic planning, quality improvement, and other healthcare delivery issues.

Alan Lucerna, DO, FACOI, FAAEM                                  Gopika Banker, DO                                                     Gerardo Varallo, DO

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About Jefferson Health: Jefferson Health, home of Sidney Kimmel Medical College, is reimagining health care in the greater Philadelphia region and southern New Jersey. Jefferson’s dedicated team of doctors, nurses, health professionals and staff provides a range of primary to highly specialized care through 18 hospitals (10 are Magnet®-designated by the ANCC for nursing excellence), more than 50 outpatient and urgent care locations, the NCI-designated Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Moss Rehabilitation Hospitals and Magee Rehabilitation and the JeffConnect® telemedicine program. For 2021-2022, Jefferson is ranked among the nation’s best hospitals in seven specialties by U.S. News & World Report. Jefferson Health’s mission is to improve the lives of patients in the communities it is privileged to serve through safe, effective, equitable, compassionate care.