Dionne C. Okafor, MD

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Get to know Anesthesiologist Dr. Dionne C. Okafor, who serves patients in Illinois.

An ardent anesthesiologist, Dr. Okafor can be found on staff at Sarah Bush Lincoln Hospital Center in Mattoon, Illinois, where she also serves as the Assistant Medical Director of the Anesthesia Department. She is experienced in general anesthesia, spinal anesthesia and ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia.

Sarah Bush Lincoln is accredited by The Joint Commission, the nation’s oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in healthcare. The Health Center provides a full range of acute care services to residents of Coles County and the surrounding nine counties. Home health services extend to the surroundings 19 counties in East Central and Southern Illinois. Active and consulting medical staffs include approximately 200 providers representing 28 specialties. It is the recipient of the Leapfrog “A” rating, Women’s Choice Award in Cardiology and Orthopedics and is an A+ rated hospital by Standard & Poor’s.

Regarding her educational background, Dr. Okafor graduated with her Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor in 2008. She then went on to earn her medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in 2012.

Continuing her training, she performed her internship at UPMC Medical Education (Presbyterian Shadyside Hospital) in 2013, followed by her residency in anesthesiology at Harvard Brigham and Women’s Hospital in 2016.

As evidence of her ongoing education, the doctor is board-certified in anesthesiology by the American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA). As the certifying body for anesthesiologists since 1938, the ABA is committed to partnering with physicians to advance lifelong learning and exceptional patient care. Its mission is to advance the highest standards of the practice of anesthesiology.

Anesthesiology is the medical specialty concerned with the total perioperative care of patients before, during, and after surgery. It encompasses anesthesia, intensive care medicine, critical emergency medicine, and pain medicine. Anesthesiologists have the primary responsibility of monitoring the patient’s vital signs during surgery. In addition to basic measurements such as pulse, blood pressure, and temperature, they measure the patient’s respiration.

Dr. Okafor, a renowned medical professional, is the host of the popular podcast “The Ivy Drip,” which can be accessed on various platforms. Additionally, she has been recognized for her contribution to the book “Black Girls in White Coats: Black Female Doctors,” edited by Dr. Jovita Ugochi N. Oruwari. Dr. Okafor also runs a successful business called Zulisi, specializing in scrub caps. This thriving enterprise can be found on Instagram under the handle @zulisi.shop, and its website, www.Zulisi.com, is set to relaunch soon. Furthermore, her expertise and accomplishments have earned her a feature on CNN, as showcased in the article published on May 26, 2023, titled “Younger Colorectal Cancer Patients Advocate for Early Colonoscopies and Wellness.”

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