Newport News, Va. – Riverside Health System is pleased to announce it has named Gregg Shivers, M.D., Service Line Chief for its Lifelong Health Division, where he works to advance the growth and success of the retirement communities, residential and rehabilitation facilities, and health care services of the division.Gregg Shivers, MD, Riverside Health System Service Line Chief for Lifelong Health Division.
A seasoned health care leader, Dr. Shivers will continue to engage health system providers to continuously improve the clinical effectiveness and outcomes for Riverside patients across a continuum of services.
“As the population of seniors is growing rapidly, so too must our ability to provide seamlessly coordinated care across multiple health system divisions, from acute care to long-term care and beyond,” said Nancy Littlefield, Executive Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer at Riverside Health System. “Dr. Shivers, with his vast experience as a physician, hospitalist and service line leader, plays an instrumental role in the evolution of Riverside’s Lifelong Health Division and its commitment to delivering a high-quality care experience for patients and their loved ones alike.”
Board certified in Internal Medicine, Dr. Shivers previously served as Medical Director and staff physician for Riverside’s lifelong health facilities in Mathews, Saluda and Gloucester, and earlier held numerous leadership roles, including Service Line Chief and Medical Director for Hospice on the Middle Peninsula.
As Service Line Chief, Dr. Shivers is principally responsible for the more than 40 providers within Riverside’s Lifelong Health division, such as the doctors, hospice medical directors, palliative care providers, and the advance practice providers in long-term care facilities.
“It is incredibly rewarding to serve those who need good, compassionate care and to be able to work with providers who are truly committed to their well-being and safety,” said Dr. Shivers. “At Riverside, all of our providers have that level of commitment, and that’s why I like working with the Lifelong Health division so much. It’s what I feel so strongly about in terms of practicing medicine.”
The division includes the Riverside Center for Excellence in Aging and Lifelong Health (CEALH), which led the proposal in Riverside’s 2018 award of a nearly $1 million federal grant to enhance dementia care and wellness across the region. In addition to launching new programs that will allow more older adults living with dementia to access memory clinics and physical wellness programs to enhance their quality of life, the grant provided funding to continue training the family and professional caregivers who provide the majority of support for patients as their disease progresses.
For Dr. Shivers, a key focus involves helping patients and caregivers better prepare for unexpected events and “what if” scenarios, such as losing the ability to live independently.
“A very small percentage of patients and families facing life-limiting illness or functional decline have given any consideration to what they would do if they were no longer able to live independently,” Dr. Shivers explained. “It’s hard to conceptualize, and people don’t want to have those conversations. But as a health system, we can play a key role ensuring that patients and their families are as prepared as possible.”
Dr. Shivers joined Riverside Medical Group (RMG) in 2010, serving as a hospitalist at Riverside Walter Reed Hospital. He has also served on the RMG Board of Directors and as chair of the RMG Peer Review Committee. In addition to his Service Line Chief duties, Dr. Shivers continues to serve as the system’s Associate Director for Patient Safety.
After receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from Washington and Jefferson College, Dr. Shivers earned his medical degree from The Robert Wood Johnson Medical School at Rutgers University. He completed his Internal Medicine residency at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis in 1993.