Sadler Health Center Appoints Dr. Lakshmi Polavarapu as Interim Chief Medical Officer

Sadler Health Center is pleased to announce the appointment of Lakshmi Polavarapu, MD as interim chief medical officer. This appointment reflects Sadler’s planned leadership succession and Dr. Polavarapu’s deep clinical expertise, collaborative leadership style and strong alignment with the organization’s mission and values.
 
In her role, Dr. Polavarapu provides clinical leadership for Sadler’s medical department, supporting the delivery of high-quality, integrated, whole-person care. She will work closely with providers, managers and organizational leadership to strengthen teamwork, advance quality and access, and support clinical teams as Sadler continues to grow and evolve to meet community needs.
 
“Dr. Polavarapu brings exceptional clinical insight, strong leadership and a deep commitment to our mission,” Sadler Health Center CEO Manal El Harrak said. “We are grateful for her dedication to Sadler and confident in the leadership she brings to this role.”
 
Dr. Polavarapu has served patients at Sadler Health Center for a decade and currently provides primary care at the Mechanicsburg location. She directs Sadler’s medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) program, a core component of the integrated model of care at Sadler’s West Shore site that was recently designated a Center of Excellence for Opioid Use Disorder by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. She has also served as Sadler’s laboratory director since 2015.
 
She succeeds Katrina Thoma, a pediatric nurse practitioner, who previously served as medical director and will continue providing care to pediatric patients at Sadler.
 
Dr. Polavarapu is board certified in family medicine, addiction medicine and obesity medicine, and recently earned certification from the American Board of Obesity Medicine that enhances Sadler’s ability to deliver comprehensive, evidence-based care for patients affected by obesity and related chronic conditions.
 
She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American Society of Addiction Medicine, and a Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine. She also holds an academic appointment as clinical assistant professor of family and community medicine at Penn State Hershey College of Medicine.
 
She earned a bachelor’s degree in medicine and surgery (MBBS) from Kamineni Institute of Medical Sciences in India and completed her residency at Genesys Regional Medical Center in Michigan. She is fluent in English, Hindi and Telugu, and is actively engaged in mentoring and public health initiatives.