Healthy Connections provides high-risk obstetrical homecare services. Our mission is to provide the highest quality homecare experience to our pregnant patients in a timely, efficient manner, thereby decreasing costs, improving healthcare delivery, and preventing the sequelae that can occur in mother and child from pre-term delivery and other serious conditions of pregnancy.
- Management of Healthy Connections
Gaylynn Thomas is a Senior clinical liaison in Houston and covers the following areas:
She can be reached at: (832) 309-1080
gthomas@hchcs.com
Daniel Schwartz is one of our newest liaisons in Houston and covers the following areas:
He can be reached at: (832) 755-6007.
Email: dschwartz@hchcs.com
Laura Vance is a Senior clinical liaison in Dallas-Fort Worth and covers the following areas:
She can be reached at: (214) 837-9219.
Email: lvance@hchcs.com
GayLynn Thomas, RN, BSN - Chief Operating Officer
GayLynn founded what has now become Healthy Connections Homecare Services in 2000. Beginning with a company called Obstetrical Home services, she offered home care to the obstetricians she worked with in the Texas Medical Center. As the company grew, she partnered with John P. Gee, a local infusion pharmacist and owner of ivA Homecare. In 2003, what is now known as Healthy Connections Homecare Services was formed. In 2004, GayLynn met Dr. Timothy Waterhouse on a medical mission trip to Guatemala. Dr. Waterhouse was asked to come on board as the Chief Medical Officer.
GayLynn worked as a high risk Obstetric nurse at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital in The Texas Medical Center from 1991 through 2001. During her employment there, she made lifelong friendships with the staff, many of these friends assisted in building the company. GayLynn attributes her extensive education at St. Luke's to being the foundation of the company.
GayLynn earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Texas Woman's University at The Texas Medical Center in 1991.
In addition to serving as the Chief Operating Officer at Healthy Connections, GayLynn is a member of The Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses, The Infusion Nurses Society and SVYAM, an international organization based in India which serves the needs of disabled citizens in India and the surrounding countries. GayLynn also serves as a member of the Board of Governors for The Pituitary Network Association.
GayLynn resides in Houston with her husband Joel Kneitz, MD, two children Ericah and Scott and two grandchildren, Bella and Kayde.
Timothy B. Waterhouse, MD, MBA, FACOG - Chief Medical Officer
Tim Waterhouse is a board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist who is currently the Chief Medical Officer for Healthy Connections. Dr. Waterhouse graduated from Georgetown University School of Medicine and completed his OB/GYN residency at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, DC. A native of upstate NY, Dr. Waterhouse was in private practice at The Woman's Hospital of Texas for 10 years prior to joining Healthy Connections in 2007. He served as part-time Medical Director for two years prior. When the opportunity to join the directors at Healthy Connections presented itself, Dr. Waterhouse felt strongly that he could make a difference for the company. Although he enjoyed his time in practice, Tim is a strong believer in the value of homecare for pregnant patients, especially in light of the cost-savings for the healthcare system and for patients.
Dr. Waterhouse also strives to maintain his connection with the clinical side of medicine by serving on an Institutional Review Board for one Houston hospital, as well as serving as an editorial reviewer for the Green Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology. In addition, he is on the medical advisory board of a Houston-based biomedical device venture capital group currently working on obstetrically-related projects, and holds memberships in several professional organizations. During his time with Healthy Connections, Dr. Waterhouse earned an MBA in 2009.
John P. Gee, RPh, Company President
Mr. Gee was born into the Gee family village of Wing-on near the city of Guandong (Canton), China. His father, an American G.I., brought his family to America in 1952 and eventually to Houston, Texas in 1954. Mr. Gee obtained all of his education in Houston, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy in 1971 from the University Of Houston.
After working for different pharmacy chains, he opened his own community pharmacy in 1974 and progressed to home infusion in 1989 with a national franchise. Exiting the franchise network in 1995, Mr. Gee became a standalone infusion office, ivA Homecare, until joining the Vital Care franchise network in 2000. Mr. Gee still operates what is now ivA Lifetec home infusion company with his business partner, Harish Gandhi, R.Ph. Mr. Gee is married to wife, May. They have one adult daughter, Tina.
In 2004 he and Gaylynn Thomas, RN, purchased the assets of Healthy Connections Management Services, Inc. The new company was incorporated as Healthy Connections Homecare Services, Inc.
Mr. Gee currently serves as President of Healthy Connections Homecare Services, Inc. and manages pharmacy services as well as other duties.
Cynthia Ramirez, RN – Clinical Director/Homecare Nurse Manager
With Healthy Connections for 5+ years, Cindy serves in her urrent position as Clinical Director and Homecare Nursing Manager. Her professional RN experience includes 30+ years in nursing, in such varied roles as: Coronary Care Unit (CCU) at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Cardiovascular Post OP at Methodist Hospital (working directly with Dr. Michael E. DeBakey, Dr. Stanley Crawford, and Dr. George E. Noon), Labor and Delivery, OB Homecare Nursing, and Clinical Director for another high-risk obstetrical homecare organization. Cindy is currently enrolled at UTMB Bachelor’s Program to earn her BSN.
Laurie Cunningham, RN, BSN – Call Center Nurse Manager
Laurie joined Healthy Connections as a Homecare Nurse in 2006 and was promoted to Call Center Nurse Manager in 2010. Graduated with a BSN in Nursing from Texas Woman’s University in 1980, her nursing experience includes: Labor and Delivery staff nurse providing care for women with complicated pregnancies in a tertiary care setting, and Nurse Manager at various hospitals in the Houston area. Laurie then transitioned to caring for woman with high risk pregnancies in the home setting, and also expanded to providing hospice care for the terminally ill. Currently working full-time for Healthy Connections, Laurie manages the 24 hour nursing call center.
Aurdria Berringer, RN, BSN – PRN Call Center Nurse
Aurdria brings 13+ years of nursing experience in women’s health care obtained at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston in their Labor & Delivery, Antepartum and Post-Partum Units, as well as Case Manager role for a national company that coordinated care for worker’s compensation injuries. Graduated with BSN in Nursing from UTMB in 1997, Aurdria brings a wide range of obstetrical experience to her role in Healthy Connections’ 24 hour Call Center.
Terri Chandler, RN, MSN – PRN Call Center Nurse
Terri joined Healthy Connections in January 2010. She earned a BSN in Nursing from the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, TX and recently earned a Masters in Nursing from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, TX. Her nursing experience includes working with patients in a high-risk obstetrical antepartum unit and working with pregnant women in a private practice setting.
Joan Dupuis, RN – PRN Call Center Nurse
Joanie brings to Healthy Connections, her 16+ year nursing career in Women's Services including Labor & Delivery, post-partum, high-risk antepartum, newborn nursery, as well as experience in Orthopedics/Pediatrics. Serving frequently as Charge Nurse while working these areas, Joanie also has experience working in a busy OB/GYN medical practice. Her empathy for her patients arises from personal experience: fertility issues, preterm labor, bed rest and insulin- dependent gestational diabetes patient with her last pregnancy.
Lyndse Elliott, RN – PRN Homecare Nurse DFW
Healthy Connections welcomed Lyndse to it’s roster in July 2010. With 7+ years in the medical field, Lynde’s experience includes 3 years as a Labor & Delivery and high-risk obstetrical nurse, and one additional year as a Charge RN. Currently, she works in the Dallas-Forth Worth area taking care of pregnant patients in the homecare setting. Lyndse is a graduate with an ADN degree from North Central Texas College.
Pilar Erstling, RN, MSN – PRN Call Center Nurse
With Healthy Connections for 3 years in their 24 hour Call Center, Pilar’s experience includes 17+ years as a Labor & Delivery nurse, as well as antepartum nursing care of high risk pregnancies in tertiary care hospital settings. Graduated from Florida State University in 1993 (BSN) and the University of Florida in 1998 (MSN), Pilar enjoys the care of pregnant women who require extra nursing support during their gestation.
Tonya Flanigan, RN – PRN Call Center Nurse
Tonya graduated from HCC Nursing School in 1992. Dedicated majority of nursing career to women’s health. Worked with infertility couples and high risk obstetrics at Baylor College of Medicine, Labor and Delivery Nurse at St. Luke’s in the Woodlands, as well as, Healthy Connections in the Call Center.
Kathleen Gerritt, RN, CCM – PRN Call Center Nurse
Katy has served the homecare needs of Healthy Connections’ patients by working more than 10+ years in the company’s 24 hour nursing Call Center. Her experience includes not only care for patients with high-risk pregnancies in the hospital setting, but also many years of experience with home-bound obstetrical patients. Katy also has nursing experience in the ICU setting as well as with home IV therapy/infusion. Her nursing experience further includes case management for a large public company doing evaluations for worker’s compensation.
Sandra Haguewood RN, PCM – PRN Call Center Nurse
Joining Healthy Connections in 2009, Sandra is currently a full-time Labor & Delivery nurse at a local Houston hospital. A 1992 graduate of Three Rivers Community College (formerly Mohegan Community College) in Norwich, CT, Sandra worked in the Healthy Connections full-time until very recently. Her professional experience includes working with High Risk Labor and Delivery Units (including care for Antepartum, Post-Partum, and Newborn Nursery Patients). Prior to OB, Cardiac Critical Care and Medical ICU Units were Sandra’s avocation for nursing work; she is a trained EMT with emergency management experience.
Catalina Mireles, RN – PRN Call Center Nurse
Catalina joined Healthy Connections 24 hour nursing Call Center in November 2009 as a monitoring nurse. Her professional experience includes 12+ years of professional nursing, including 5 years as a Labor & Delivery nurse, obstetrical homecare nurse from 2003-2008, and currently woking as a Hemophilia nurse, patient educator, and clinical liaison for an infusion specialties company. Catalina brings with her varied nursing background, and education including an ADN earned in 1999, and a BS in Kinesiology earned in 2002.
Christina Thornton, RN, BSN – Call Center Nurse
10+ years of professional experience which includes high-risk obstetrical management, critical care flight nurse and transportation, and house supervising in the hospital setting demonstrates the experience that Christy brings to Healthy Connections. With a BSN from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas, Christy has called the 24 hour Call Center at Healthy Connections home since 2010.
Stephanie Anne Villarreal, RN – PRN Call Center Nurse
With 12+ years of professional nursing experience in Labor & Delivery, high risk pregnancy antepartum care, as well other aspects of clinical care, education and psychosocial support for pregnant patients, Stephanie works in the 24 hour nursing call center at Healthy Connections. Stephanie is also a member of the Association of Women’s Health Obstetric & Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN), a professional nursing organization dedicated to improving the lives and care of pregnant women and their newborns.