Meet Our Team
Emmet W. Lee, MD, FAAHPM
Dr. Lee holds Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Texas at Austin, and an MD from the University of Texas Medical School at Houston. He is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in both Internal Medicine and Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Dr. Lee’s hospital affiliations include Palomar Medical Center and Pomerado Hospital.
Dr. Lee was first drawn to the field of hospice and palliative medicine by a desire to provide his patients with the best possible continuity of care. He is committed to treating each of his patients as a whole person, a process that includes involving their families as active participants in the patient’s care. Dr. Lee draws from both his experience and his continuing education in hospice and palliative medicine as he works to help other physicians and patients’ families who are supporting patients faced with life-threatening diseases or who are dealing with severe symptoms from their diseases.
Sabiha Pasha, MD, ABIM
American Board of Internal Medicine, Hospice and Palliative Medicine, American Board of Integrative Holistic Medicine
Dr. Pasha has been in practice for 22 years the majority of it walking the halls in a hospital. When patients get admitted to a hospital they are at their most scared and vulnerable. Often they are left alone to traverse the complexity of their illness with confusing treatment choices while at the same time managing their ever meager resources. Some die without a soul to witness their passing. In 2005 I was introduced to palliative care. It promised to restore autonomy and dignity to the chronic and seriously ill. To focuses on quality of life as defined uniquely by the patient. To support the family even while ameliorating pain and other uncomfortable symptoms. It was exactly what my patients needed. As it turns out, the training and certification was exactly what I needed. Palliative care catapulted me onto a path of self- discovery, compassion and resiliency. Every day I am a witness to fear and courage. And I have learned to be still and just be present. Ultimately, suffering is a part of life and having someone to hold your hand even for a moment can ease the pain. Palliative care is not rocket science, but it is the one last bastion where the art of healing lives on.
Nayana M. Trivedi, MD
Nayana M. Trivedi was inspired to become doctor seeing her physician father teaching medical students. She graduated as valedictorian from the University in India. She did her residency in Internal medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach and became a board certified Internist. Dr. Trivedi is also certified in Geriatrics and Integrative and Holistic Medicine.
For the past twenty-years Dr. Trivedi has been serving the North County Coastal community providing comprehensive & preventive medical care. For the past ten-years, she has not only cared for patients in her medical office, but in hospitals, nursing homes and in home hospice settings. Dr. Nayana Trivedi subscribes to the World Health Organization’s motto that health is a balanced state of physical, mental, social and spiritual well-being.
Amir A. Assari, MD
Board Certified in Internal Medicine and in Hospice and Palliative Medicine Dr. Assari supports our palliative care program at Palomar Health System and is dual board certified in both hospital medicine and palliative medicine. He provides inpatient hospice and palliative care, consults and serves as a hospitalist for the system as well. Dr. Assari was honored to be physician of the year at Pomerado Hospital in Poway in 2017.
Edward Teare, NP
Edward holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Toledo and a Masters Degree as an Adult/Geriatric Nurse Practitioner. He is board certified by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. Edward was drawn to palliative care by the holistic approach to relieving suffering and the opportunity to establish close relationships with patients and their families as they face a difficult time in their lives. I relish the ability to provide patients autonomy in their health care decisions.
Barbara Smith, FNP
Barbara Smith-Gercke holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Rush University in Chicago, and an MSN/FNP from the University of San Diego. Barbara is certified through the American Nurses Credentialing Center and has over twenty years of experience as a Nurse Practitioner.
When asked about her interest in Palliative medicine, Barbara shares the experience of helping her brother-in-law deal with the failing health of his father, and of being able to help them move toward patient-directed care. She speaks of the importance of being able to empower people to direct their own care by helping them to articulate their wishes and preferences for the direction of their treatment.
Meagan Goodman, FNP
Meagan Goodman received her Bachelors of Science in Nursing from the University of Nebraska Medical Center in 2011. She received her Masters of Science in Nursing at Creighton University in 2015, specializing as a Family Nurse Practitioner. Meagan is Board Certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner. She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society of Nursing and the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.
She also has past experience in pain management and interventional radiology, along with experience as a Registered Nurse in the burn, trauma and intensive care units. She is BLS certified and a member of the California Association of Nurse Practitioners.
