Vern S. Cherewatenko, MD, MEd, Chairman, President and CEO
Vern S. Cherewatenko, MD, MEd is the principle founder of HealthMax, Incorporated and is the Company’s Chairman of the Board of Directors, President and Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Cherewatenko is also the Founder, Chairman, President and CEO of Primary Care Providers, Inc., a 15-provider comprehensive Family Medical Wellness Clinic in Renton, WA, just south of Seattle. Primary Care Providers, Inc. is an "Integrated Medical Wellness Clinic" providing health care for patients that encompasses both the allopathic or traditional and the alternative or naturopathic, philosophies of medical care. The integration of Alternative Medicine into "mainstream" medicine is happening as a result of increased consumer demand and clinical research. Dr. Cherewatenko and his colleagues are on the forefront of building a thriving network of Complimentary Integrated Medical Providers practicing what HealthMax terms Integrated Medical Wellness. Some health care leaders, such as Jeff Bland, PhD, describe this wellness focused care as "Functional Medicine." The popularity of this style of care is fueled by patient demand and clinical success

Dr. Cherewatenko is one of three founders of the American Association of Patients and Providers, a 501-C4 (pending) non-profit organization. The AAPP has been highlighted in the Wall Street Journal and other media events as the champions of a "transformation" in healthcare to a more wellness focused, principle centered and cost effective system. The SimpleCare and 'Cares For America' programs developed and implemented by the AAPP have demonstrated increased access, decreased cost and increased quality of health care. The SimpleCare program is a simple, rational and viable response to the consumer demand for patient choice of provider, improved access and affordable cost-effective health care. He has been involved both locally and nationally in designing and implementing workable and creative solutions to healthcare access and reimbursement such as the ‘Cares for America’ program and the SimpleCare program benefitting both patients and physicians.

Dr. Cherewatenko was a founding board member of the Puget Sound Physicians Association, Inc., an Independent Physicians Association (IPA) of 300 medical providers in Washington State. During this experience, he identified key areas of excessive administrative waste and misaligned incentives that stripped away a majority of the health care premium. The decay of quality patient care and the excessive strain put on the clinical staffs prompted him and his colleagues to develop and launch a new paradigm - the AAPP. The AAPP/SimpleCare paradigm cuts out the administrative waste of health care dollars and places those dolllars back in the hands of the patients to use for actual medical care. Although still in their infancy, both SimpleCare and the 'Cares for America' program continues to receive national attention and compliment the mission and goals of HealthMax perfectly.

Dr. Cherewatenko is the principle author of a number of patient education programs, doctor education programs, and has written a book titled "The Diabetes Cure" released February, 1999 by HarperCollins Publishers. The book focuses on type 2 diabetes and the link to obesity that affects 65% of the American Population. He is a national speaker for the American Society of Bariatric Physicians, the premier organized society of physicians that specialize in the co-morbidities of obesity including weight management. He holds a seat on the ASBP - Continuing Medical Education Program Committee and provides direction for educating health care providers locally, regionally and nationally.

Dr. Cherewatenko is Board Certified by the American Board of Family Practice and is Board Eligible by the American Board of Bariatric Medicine. He received his Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Washington School of Medicine in 1986 and completed his Family Practice Residency at the University of Washington, Valley Medical Center, Family Practice Residency in 1989. He also has a Master of Education Degree in Guidance and Counseling and a BS in Psychology & Pre-Medicine from Montana State University in Bozeman, MT.