The five internists who founded Inpatient Medical Services continue to guide our collegial partnership as energetic clinicians and astute managers.
Michael N. Huber, MD
President, Chief Executive Officer
A pioneering hospitalist since earning his M.D. from Ohio State University, Dr. Michael Huber has practiced in Northeastern Ohio since the start of his residency in internal medicine at Akron City Hospital. After defining the hospitalist practice for medical floors, ICU and CCU, he co-founded the hospitalist program for both area Summa Health System hospitals, Akron City and St. Thomas, and expanded it to Akron General Medical Center. This practice became Inpatient Medical Services.
Dr. Huber leads practice and business development for IMS, as well as initiatives to continuously improve protocols for clinical quality, patient safety, utilization and efficiency. As a board certified internist, he continues to practice as hospitalist and medical director for Wadsworth-Rittman Hospital, Robinson Memorial Hospital in Ravenna, and Salem Community Hospital.
A native Clevelander, Dr. Huber graduated from St. Ignatius High School and earned his B.S. at Georgetown University, where he was a two-time All-American in tack & field, captained the runner-up NCAA champion track team, and co-founded Georgetown Christian Athletes in Action. As resident of Broadview Heights, Ohio, he maintains his athletic interests through golf and skiing, and enjoys travel and cooking.
Certifications/Licensure:
American Board of Internal Medicine 1998
ACLS 2008
BLS 2008
Ohio License 2008
DEA License 2008
Gregory E. Ferner, MD
Secretary, Northeastern Regional Medical Director
With CEO Michael Huber, Dr. Gregory Ferner developed and implemented the first comprehensive hospitalist program for Ravenna’s Robinson Memorial Hospital, where he continues to serve as site director. He has been instrumental in expanding both the IMS network of cared-for hospitals and the hospitalist practice.
A native of Lorain, Ohio, Dr. Ferner earned his BS from Kent State University, his medical degree from Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, and completed his residency in internal medicine at Akron City Hospital, which named him outstanding resident in internal medicine for 1995. He is a member of the Society of Hospital Medicine.
Certifications/Licensure:
ACLS 2008
BLS 2008
American Board of Internal Medicine 1998
Ohio License 1996-2008
Paul T. Pennza, MD
Chief Medical Officer, Chief Compliance Officer
In 1997, IMS co-founder Dr. Paul Pennza brought his significant clinical and administrative experience in emergency medicine to our hospitalist program. For more than 16 years, he headed emergency medicine quality assurance and risk management and supervised medical students, residents and paramedics for Akron’s St. Thomas Hospital.
As chief medical and chief compliance officer for IMS, Dr. Pennza include liaison activities for IMS physicians and their respective hospitals of practice and, just as important, physician education with respect to practice compliance issues. Dr. Pennza’s current medical practice is located at Robinson Memorial Hospital where he serves as a nocturnist.
Board certified in both family practice and emergency medicine, he was a clinical assistant professor of emergency medicine at Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, a fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians, and author or co-author of a number of articles as well as an emergency medicine textbook chapter.
After earning his BS magna cum laude in biology at Cleveland State University, Dr. Pennza was a research technologist in biomedical engineering at the Cleveland Clinic. His medical degree is from Ohio State University. For many years, he taught the pulmonary emergencies Emergency Medicine Board review course sponsored by ACEP.
Certifications/Licensure:
Family Practice 1981-2008
Emergency Medicine 1987-97
Ohio License exp. 04/01/2010
Robert J. Schaal, MD
Treasurer, Akron Regional Medical Director
Since joining the new IMS practice in 1998, Dr. Robert Schaal has been deeply involved in the Akron medical community. Founder and president of the Northeast Ohio chapter of the Society of Hospital Medicine, he is vice president of staff for Summa Health System, where he also serves on pharmacy, therapeutics and information systems advisory committees. He is a member of the boards of Summa, Akron City Hospital and St. Thomas Hospital.
Dr. Schaal teaches in the internal medicine training program at Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine (NEOUCOM), a part of the Education Innovations Project. He was named Medical Student Teacher of the Year for 1997-98 and directs NEOUCOM’s third year clerkship.
Dr. Schaal completed his residency in internal medicine at Akron City Hospital after earning his MD from the University of Cincinnati. A Youngstown, Ohio native, he received a BS in biology from Baldwin-Wallace College. His research has focused on lymphocytic colitis and transplant pancreatic cells for treatment of diabetes. He resides in Stark County with his wife, Carla, and sons Jack, Nick, Mike and Luke.
Certifications/Licensure:
Internal Medicine 1998
Ohio License 1996
John Shin, MD
Chief Financial Officer; Medical Director, St. Thomas Hospital
Dr. John Shin brings both medical and business background to IMS. His MBA from the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western University supports his work as our CFO responsible for the full scope of financial analysis, from proforma and individual physician analysis to facility revenue, expense, billing and collections reporting.
Dr. Shin became an IMS partner after residencies in anesthesiology at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and internal medicine at Summa Health Systems in Akron, where he is a member of the teaching faculty. He is currently Chairman of Medicine for Crystal Clinic Orthopaedic Center (CCOC).
A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Case Western Reserve University and the Ohio State University College of Medicine, he is a resident of Richfield, Ohio.
Certifications/Licensure:
Internal Medicine 1997
Ohio License 1996
