World Renowned Medical Expert, Philip Mehler, MD, FACP, FAED, CEDS Announces Plans To Continue As Medical Director Of ACUTE Center For Eating Disorders At Denver Health

DENVER, May 5, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Denver Health and the ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders (www.denverhealth.org/acute) are pleased to announce that Dr. Philip S. Mehler will continue in his role as Medical Director of ACUTE, the program he founded more than six years ago. In late 2013, Dr. Mehler announced his retirement from his role as Chief Clinical Officer and Medical Director of Denver Health and Hospital Authority, where his primary focus was administrative in nature. Effective June 2, 2014, Dr. Mehler will retire from his administrative role at Denver Health to devote his time exclusively to caring for patients suffering from eating disorders. Dr. Art Gonzalez, CEO of Denver Health, stated, "The Board and I are delighted that Dr. Mehler will continue to lead the ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders. This program is a cornerstone for Denver Health and we are committed to its future success. Dr. Mehler's unparalleled expertise and leadership are vital as we continue to invest in ACUTE."

In his role as Medical Director of the ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders, Mehler will continue to oversee a multi-disciplinary team, provide expert clinical care, lead the way in academic research and publication, and continue to advance medical care for patients with eating disorders. In addition, Mehler will expand ACUTE from an 8 to 15 bed unit in order to accommodate the needs of patients and referring facilities nationwide. "I am pleased to be able to devote myself to caring exclusively for patients with eating disorders," explains Mehler. "ACUTE has, and will continue to, focus on caring for patients who are too medically ill to begin their care at a traditional eating disorder treatment facility. Our patients benefit from expert care at Denver Health's full-service academic medical center with immediate access to clinical specialists should the need arise. While not all patients need specialized medical care, for those who do, it is often the difference in survival."

One of the hallmarks of his career, ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders is a one-of-a-kind, nationwide referral center for medically compromised patients with eating disorders. The most trusted treatment programs from around the country rely on ACUTE to stabilize critically ill patients prior to returning to the inpatient or residential level of care for ongoing treatment. "We have been incredibly fortunate to have the industry's foremost expert right here at Denver Health," explains Jennifer Gaudiani, MD, CEDS, who was recently promoted to Associate Medical Director of ACUTE. "ACUTE was Dr. Mehler's vision, and thanks to his unmatched drive for knowledge, incredible mentorship, and passion for patient care we have created a program like no other. We are excited to continue to grow ACUTE and serve medically compromised patients under his guidance."

In addition to his continued role at ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders at Denver Health, Dr. Mehler has announced that he will join independently owned Eating Recovery Center in Denver as Chief Medical Officer of their behavioral health system. His new role at Eating Recovery Center allows him to continue in his retirement with an expanded focus on direct patient care.

Dr. Philip S. Mehler is the Glassman Professor of Medicine at the University of Colorado, and previous Chief Clinical Officer and Medical Director of Denver Health and Hospital Authority. He is a world-renowned expert in the medical complications of eating disorders and has authored more than 300 publications including the textbook, Medical Complications of Eating Disorders (2010). He is a member and Fellow of the Academy for Eating Disorders and the Eating Disorders Research Society. In 2012, Dr. Mehler was awarded the Academy of Eating Disorders Outstanding Clinician award for his lifetime of service and outstanding clinical contributions to the field. He has been recognized as one of the "Best Doctors in America" for the past 14 years, and was voted the "Top Internist in Denver" multiple times by 5280 magazine.

About ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders at Denver Health
The ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders at Denver Health is the country's only specialized medical stabilization program for adults with severe eating disorders. Led by Drs. Philip S. Mehler and Jennifer L. Gaudiani, ACUTE is uniquely tailored to help both males & females who cannot seek care in a traditional inpatient or residential treatment setting due to the severity of their weight loss and/or other medical complications (<70% of their ideal body weight, severe malnutrition, electrolyte/fluid problems, organ failure, cardiac irregularities, gastrointestinal complications, severe laxative/diuretic abuse, etc.). Patients receive specialized medical care from the industry's leading experts, a highly individualized treatment plan, daily dietary and therapeutic support and thorough discharge planning to help them on their path to recovery. ACUTE is contracted with most major insurance companies and uses the patient's medical insurance benefit for stabilization. For more information about the ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders at Denver Health, call 877-228-8348, email ACUTEinfo@dhha.org, or visit www.denverhealth.org/ACUTE.

Denver Health is the Rocky Mountain Region's Level I academic trauma center, and the safety net hospital for the Denver area. The Denver Health system, which integrates acute and emergency care with public and community health, includes the Rocky Mountain Regional Trauma Center, Denver's 911 emergency medical response system, Denver Health Paramedic Division, eight family health centers, 14 school-based health centers, the Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center, NurseLine, Denver CARES, Denver Public Health, the Denver Health Foundation and the Rocky Mountain Center for Medical Response to Terrorism, Mass Casualties and Epidemics.

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SOURCE Denver Health