Michael Paletta

As Senior Vice President of Medical Affairs for NorthStar Care Community, Dr. Paletta oversees a team of licensed providers providing care to more than 1,700 patients each day through Arbor Hospice and Hospice of Michigan. Dr. Paletta guides policies and protocols related to patient care. Since starting his hospice career twenty years ago, he has seen the dramatic shift in acceptance of hospice and palliative care by patients facing life-limiting illness, and the increase of services available to them.

Dr. Paletta is a graduate of Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit. He completed his residency at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, and is board certified in Internal Medicine. He was awarded a fellowship in Geriatric Medicine at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and earned a CAQ in Geriatrics. He received certification under the American Board of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, and re-certification under the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABIM). Dr. Paletta is a distinguished Fellow of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. In September 2016, Dr. Paletta was appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder to serve a two-year term on the Michigan Prescription Drug and Opioid Abuse Commission.

Before joining Hospice of Michigan in 1997, Dr. Paletta spent eight years with the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit. He is a Clinical Assistant Professor in Family Medicine / Palliative Medicine at Wayne State University School of Medicine, and was a consultant in palliative medicine to the Oakwood Health System.

Concurrently with his civilian medical career, Dr. Paletta served in the air reserve forces for 30 years. He trained at the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine and earned an aeronautical rating of Chief Flight Surgeon. He has logged operational flying hours in a variety of fighter and attack aircraft, and has commanded military medical detachments in Europe and Central America. He served for 12 years as Surgeon General for the Michigan Air National Guard. Awards include the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Force Achievement Award, the Iraq Campaign Ribbon with combat device, and the National Defense Ribbon. He is a graduate of the USAF Air War College. In 2007, he served a tour of active duty in Iraq as the Chief of Flight Medicine for coalition forces in Baghdad.

Dr. Paletta makes his home in Northville, MI with his wife, and has two adult sons.