This depth and experience in our professional staff reassures families who have loved ones suffering from a traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury or medically complex condition and guarantees that they will receive the highest-quality patient-centered, physician-driven and family-focused care.
Our Complex Care and Rehabilitation Professionals
There’s one word that best describes the medical professionals at HealthBridge — dedicated
Medical expertise
Our in-house medical staff, managed by our medical directors, includes specialists in pulmonary medicine, rehabilitation and internal medicine, neurology and neuropsychology. The primary responsibility of each HealthBridge medical director is to ensure the best care possible by providing guidance, support and communications to each member of the care team. Additionally, the medical director advises the facility on all matters relating to care quality and performance improvement.
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Chief Medical Officer
David Ripley, MD, MS, CRC, FAAPM&R — Chief Medical Officer
David Ripley, MD, MS, CRC, FAAPM&R, is Chief Medical Officer of HealthBridge and has been actively involved in the care of persons with brain and spinal cord injuries for over 20 years. Prior to joining HealthBridge, he served as Section Chief of Brain Injury Medicine and Rehabilitation and Medical Director of Worker’s Compensation Physician Practice at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab (formerly Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago). He also held an academic appointment at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, and was Program Director of the James and Carmela O’Boyle Fellowship in Brain Injury Medicine where he was instrumental in overhauling the brain injury treatment program.
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Meet the Team
Dr. Susan Smiga, M.D.
Dr. Susan Smiga, MD, is a board-certified Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist with targeted expertise in pediatric and primary care settings. A seasoned clinician with broad diagnostic and research experience in both adult and child psychiatry, Dr. Smiga engages in clinical care using telepsychiatry and is focused on advancing the psychological well-being of HealthBridge patients throughout their process of functional physical recovery. She has an enduring interest in resilience, mindfulness, family engagement, and strength-based care. Read More >
Dr. Ying Peng, M.D., Ph.D.
With 25 years of targeted expertise in pediatric neurology, Dr. Peng is a seasoned healthcare professional in private practice in Southern California. She is board certified in Neurology, with specialist qualifications in Child Neurology by the American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology. She is also bard certified by the Clinical Neurophysiology Subspecialty Board. Dr. Peng provides care for the full range of neurological conditions with a subspecialty in epilepsy, neuromuscular diseases, and electromyography/nerve conduction studies (EMG/NCV) in Children. Read More >
Dr. Jane J. Hwang, M.D.
Dr. Hwang joined HealthBridge in June 2022 and is a seasoned healthcare professional associated with Community Physicians. Board certified in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, she received her medical degree from the St. Louis University School of Medicine. As a PM&R physician, Dr. Hwang specializes in helping patients with disabilities focusing on rehabilitation, restoration of function and a return to a high quality of life. She will provide expert diagnosis, evaluation and management of St. Louis patients in need of extensive post-acute rehabilitation. Read More >
Medical Professionals
