Top Physician Profiles

Although often overlooked by patients, the pathologist is a vital part of a hospital’s healthcare team. At Wellington Regional Medical Center, Chief Pathologist and current Chief of Staff, Gordon Johnson, M.D., is deeply committed to both the hospital’s medical staff and to his role as guardian of the community’s healthcare.

We know that a chief pathologist directs the activities of all areas of the laboratory: chemistry, microbiology, blood bank, hematology, anatomic pathology and cytology. Pathologists review abnormal blood, urine and tissue samples and, as such, are involved in virtually all diagnoses.

In addition, Dr. Johnson’s schedule closely follows that of the surgical operating room schedule as he may urgently be called upon to examine tissue specimens in the operating room and perform frozen sections. He typically visits the operating room several times a day to consult with surgeons about the best way to extract and preserve tissue samples.

However, it is Dr. Johnson’s vision of what a pathologist could and should be that sets him apart. “Pathologists are, by and large, responsible for the nation’s blood banks and labs,” he says, “but a good pathologist works all over the hospital. We can provide added value to patients, the hospital and the community by taking an active and prominent role within the hospital and help the hospital set and achieve higher standards,” he continued.

In addition, Dr. Johnson currently serves as Wellington Regional’s Chief of Staff, and serves on many hospital and medical staff committees that address a range of issues, including infection control, quality and improvement of programs, and physician credentialing. He is a member of the hospital’s Tumor Board and serves as an Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor of Wellington Regional’s Medical Education Pogram. Dr. Johnson has received the “Golden Apple” Award twice for his devotion to the teaching and mentoring of students in the program.

Dr. Johnson, who is board certified in anatomic and clinical pathology, joined Wellington Regional’s Medical Center’s medical staff in 2001. Dr. Johnson earned his medical degree from St. Louis University in Missouri. He completed a residency in pathology at the St. Louis University Group Hospitals and Missouri Baptist Hospital.

His membership in professional organizations includes the American Medical Association, College of American Pathologists, American Society of Clinical Pathologists, Palm Beach County Medical Association and Florida Medical Association. His work in the field is so influential that the College of American pathologists named him the first recipient of the Outstanding Communicator Award for his efforts to “raise public awareness about the role of pathologists.”

Murray Rolnick, M.D.
Medical Director

Dr. Rolnick joined HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Miami as Medical Director in 1989. Dr. Rolnick was raised in New York where he completed 2 years of post graduate training in Internal Medicine through Mount Sinai Hospital services. He subsequently trained in physical medicine and rehabilitation at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. During his past 18 years with HealthSouth, he has lectured extensively nationally and internationally on various rehabilitation topics. Although he has a general rehabilitation practice, Dr. Rolnick has special interest in the subspecialties of spinal cord and head injury.

Dr. Rolnick is an integral and important part of the interdisciplinary care approach that is utilized at HealthSouth. His dedication and medical expertise has been a cornerstone of the rehabilitation experience to thousands of grateful patients these past 20 years. His open door policy to patients, family and staff ensures that his patients receive the best of care. As a specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation, his ability to maximize excellent outcomes is well known in the community.

Lourdes Nunez, M.D., is a family practitioner on the Medical Staff at HealthSouth Rehabilitation hospital of Miami. It is there she spends her mornings, doing rounds and giving excellent care to patients in need of physical rehabilitation. She also maintains a family medicine practice for outpatients at her Kendall office on 120th Street. Dr. Nunez has been on staff at HealthSouth since the year 2000. Her presence in the facility has brought a competent and calming component to her patients, family members and staff. She is so well liked; she is the primary care physician to many of the employees at HealthSouth.

Dr. Nunez received her medical degree at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. She completed her Internship and Residency in Family Practice at the Good Samaritan Regional Medical in Phoenix, Arizona. Dr. Nunez also has extensive training aesthetic medicine.

Dr. Nunez’s approach is gentle, but thorough. She is a proponent of preventative measures for optimum health and open-minded to alternative healthcare practices. Although her main focus is Family Practice, Dr. Nunez also provides services in medical aesthetics for skin and facial rejuvenation in her Kendall Office.

David Kushner, M.D., is Board Certified in Neurology and currently oversees the Brain Injury Program at HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Miami. Dr. Kushner has been an integral part of the interdisciplinary program at HealthSouth for over 13 years. Dr. Kushner received his medical degree from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. Dr. Kushner fulfilled his Residency, Internship, and Fellowship at Jackson Memorial Hospital in the Department of Neurology. It should also be noted that Dr. Kushner served in the United States Army Reserve in capacity of Captain and participated in the Louisiana Army National Guard.

Not only does Dr. Kusher care deeply about his patients, he assists with the education of the medical community through his published works, one of which is a public information guide he authored for patients, families and the public on concussion published by the Florida Department of Health Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Program. Dr. Kushner also participates locally with Community Lectures and CEU presentations to Case Managers and Social Workers.

Areas of specific expertise for Dr. Kushner are the treatment of concussion, and mild traumatic brain injury including recommended rehabilitation treatment. Dr. Kushner is very caring and enthusiastic about setting goals to strive for the best outcomes for his patients.

Dr. Gail Austin Cooney and Staff

An important component of hospice care is answering the question: How do I know when to call? Dr. Gail Austin Cooney, Hospice of Palm Beach County’s Medical Director, and her staff are often asked this question by friends, family and healthcare partners in the community. With a focus on access to care and making sure that everyone receives the services they need, Dr. Cooney and the medical staff of Hospice of Palm Beach County share the following information to assist those in making those very important decisions for their care.

Hospice is a program providing palliative care for patients with advanced illness that may be life-limiting. This program brings extensive resources and experience to support both the patient and their family during this difficult stage of life. Palliative care is the medical specialty that focuses on quality of life, rather than on cure. For most advanced illnesses, cure is not possible, so the goal for the care plan is extending good quality life.

Let’s consider patients with advanced heart and lung disease. Unless they are transplant candidates, health care for most of these patients focuses on medications that help the heart and lungs to function as well as possible. Despite good medical care, many find that they are no longer as active and independent as they once were. They may be unsteady on their feet or struggle to get up from a chair. They may have frequent hospitalizations because of weakness and shortness of breath. They often need more help around the house and may even need assistance with bathing and dressing. It’s time to call Hospice.

What about patients with Alzheimer’s disease? The life-limiting complications of dementia are usually weight loss and infection. When patients with Alzheimer’s lose their ability to communicate, become bedbound, or begin to refuse feedings, they have often entered the final stages of their illness. Hospice can help to ensure that patient dignity and comfort are the focus of care. It’s time to call Hospice.

Some patients with cancer have advanced disease at diagnosis and Hospice may be immediately important. Other malignancies respond well to initial therapy, but return later. Treatment for these patients is often palliative and continues along with Hospice care. It’s time to call Hospice.

What happens if you call Hospice “too early.” It’s far more common for people to call Hospice too late, rather than too early. If Hospice is not the right program of care for you or your loved one, they will let you know and try to guide you towards those resources that may be better suited for your situation. But when Hospice is the right program, it can bring a wealth of support to help both patients and families cherish this final stage of life’s journey.

South Dade Medical Group, LLP is a Hospitalist based physician group servicing the needs of patients in the South Miami-Dade County. This group was established in 2004 and currently consists of Mark Hernández, M.D., Abelardo Corona, M.D., Francisco Fernández, D.O., Jorge Nonell, M.D., Mammen Maliakkal, M.D., Danet Pico, M.D., Johan Mennig, PA-C, Stefanie Lugo, A.R.N.P., and Martha Bertin, A.R.N.P.

For the past four years, this group has been dedicated to caring for patients not only at the local hospitals, but also several nursing homes. Hospitalist activities may include patient care, teaching, research, and leadership related to hospital care. Hospital medicine, like emergency medicine, is a specialty organized around a site of care (the hospital), rather than an organ (like cardiology), a disease (like oncology), or a patient’s age (like pediatrics). However, unlike medical specialists in the emergency department or critical care units, most hospitalists help manage patients throughout the continuum of hospital care, often seeing patients in the ER, admitting them to inpatient wards, following them as necessary into the critical care unit, and organizing post-acute care including inpatient rehabilitation when needed.

South Dade Medical Group has been a welcome addition to the Medical Staff at HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Miami and we would like to extend our gratitude for their support of our programs and services.

Denise Sanderson, M.D.

Denise Sanderson, M.D., came to the Martin Memorial staff in September 2006. She joined the practice of James J. Vopal, D.D.S., M.D., which specializes in surgery for diseases of the breast. A graduate of Cornell University Medical College, she did her internship and residency in general surgery at the University of New York at Stony Brook, and earned her fellowship in surgical breast oncology at the University of Texas Southwestern Center for Breast Care.

What do you enjoy most about your practice: I enjoy building relationships with patients that a breast-only practice provides over a general surgery practice. Many of my patients come into the office full of questions and fears. One of the goals of my practice is to try to alleviate fears during the patient’s first visit.

How do you help them overcome that: We talk about the facts of their problem. We review their films and my physical findings together and come up with a plan of action. I ensure the patient that I will be with them through diagnosis and treatment and that even if it is something bad, we’re going to take care of it together. I think when a person knows what to expect and that there is indeed a plan, they feel better throughout the entire process.

What do you think the biggest challenges are in treating patients: Insurance companies. It does sometimes limit what you can offer people. The thing I hate most is telling a woman it’s cheaper for me to remove her entire breast than to preserve her breast and have radiation therapy because she doesn’t have insurance. It’s a ridiculous conversation, but it’s happened more than once. Insurance and financial situations are frustrating, because you want to provide the best possible care.

What are your biggest accomplishments: I feel very grateful to work in this community, where the referring physicians and fellow oncologists work very well together. I have an indispensable resource in Dr. Vopal, whose experience and dedication has helped me to make the transition from fellow to attending physician. I think it is a huge accomplishment to make that shift, but all physicians have to do it.

As a cardiologist, Joseph S. Gage, M.D., FACC, works with his patients to treat and prevent cardiovascular disease – but when he’s not seeing patients, he’s racing to improve his own cardiovascular health.

An avid runner, Dr. Gage leads by example, teaching patients how to prevent heart problems by day, and training for marathons, half marathons and 5K races during his free time. His patients track his times and call his office for race results, inspired by his motivation to remain active and healthy.

“Running motivates me personally to maintain good health,” says Dr. Gage. “I encourage my patients to set goals to maintain their physical fitness. When they go to the trouble to maintain their activity level, everything else seems to fall into place.”

As a practitioner of preventative measures, Dr. Gage uses two types of prevention methods to help patients stave off cardiovascular disease. Primary prevention involves educating patients on ways to control and reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems before they happen. Secondary prevention involves patients who have already encountered signs of cardiovascular problems—these patients are usually highly motivated to improve their health because they’ve begun to experience the negative effects.

The typical adult lifestyle is complex and demanding and it’s easy to put health concerns last. Yet Dr. Gage manages to make time for exercise, something he highly recommends to his patients as well.

“My patients want me to stay healthy because they want to reciprocate the concern I show for them,” he says.

Ronald K. Williams, Jr., D.O.

Dr. Ronald K. Williams, Jr. was recently promoted to the position of Associate Chief of the Primary Care Service at the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center. Dr. Williams attended the New York Institute of Technology, College of Osteopathic Medicine. After graduation, he completed his Family Medicine residency at Palmetto General Hospital in Hialeah, FL and was chosen to serve as the Chief Resident in his senior year of residency. Following completion of his residency, he reported for active duty with the U.S. Navy, serving at Parris Island, SC and at the Marine Corps Air Station in Buford, SC. He joined the staff of the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center in 2003 as a hospitalist and later transferred to Primary Care Service. Dr. Williams recently returned from one year of active duty at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, FL. He holds the rank of Commander in the U.S. Navy and continues to be an active reservist supporting the Naval Hospital in Jacksonville, FL and the 4th Anglico Marine Unit at the Naval Operations Support Center in West Palm Beach. As Associate Chief of Primary Care, Dr. Williams is responsible for managing six VA Community Based Outpatient Clinics and the Compensation and Pension program. He is also actively involved with VA programs to help veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan in their transition back to civilian life.

Dr. Sonya McKee is a psychiatrist currently working as Medical Director of Inpatient Psychiatry at the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center. She has served in this capacity since relocating from Detroit Michigan in 2001. Prior to her relocation, she was an Assistant Professor and Director of the Residency Training Program and the Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship at Wayne State University, in Detroit. She has practiced as a board certified general adult, geriatric and forensic psychiatrist in the academic and private sectors during her seventeen years in practice.

Dr. McKee has been able to combine her interest in clinical work and medical education since arriving at the West Palm Beach VA, where she serves as the Director of Medical Education for Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences Service. She is a Clinical Assistant Professor at Nova Southeastern School of Medicine and enjoys her role in educating medical students doing their clinical rotations in psychiatry at the VA. She is also the primary clinical supervisor for University of Florida psychiatry residents doing elective psychiatry rotations at the VA. Her approach to medical education combines not just the science of medicine but the art and empathy necessary to foster healing and recovery.

Dr. McKee has a long held interest in medical ethics. During her career, she has served on hospital and state level medical ethics committees. She had been Chairperson of the Medical Ethics Committee at the West Palm Beach VA since 2002. Recently, her role in medical ethics at the medical center has shifted to a more broad and comprehensive one. Nationally, the VA has launched an innovative healthcare ethics program, the Integrated Ethics Program. This program encompasses not just bioethics, but also preventative ethics and ethical leadership. As part of the Integrated Ethics Program, she serves as the Ethics Consultation Coordinator and member of the Integrated Ethics Council at the West Palm Beach VA.

Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband of twenty years and their three elementary school aged daughters. She enjoys reading, writing and her endeavors as an amateur chef.

Gabriela Lemoine, M.D., is the Chief of Dermatology at the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center. She served as a Section Chief of Dermatology at Bay Pines VA Healthcare System and has transferred to her current position in West Palm Beach VA in September 2007. Prior to her career in the Veterans Healthcare Administration, she practiced as a dermatologist in Germany and served as Assistant Clinical Professor at the Heinrich-Heine University Medical Center in Dusseldorf, Germany.

Dr. Lemoine graduated from Christian Albrechts University School of Medicine in Kiel, Germany and attained residency training in dermatology from University of Munich, Heinrich-Heine University Medical Center, and University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Lemoine has extensive experiences in academic research, both in Germany and in the U.S. and is well published. She participated in research activities at Rudolf-Virchow University Hospital, Berlin, Germany (specialized in the development of new techniques for hormone and enzyme tests); Heinrich-Heine University Medical Center, Dusseldorf, Germany as an allergy fellowship and research in immunochemistry and P450 isoenzyme metabolism; and research fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania. Her special interests include implementation of new technologies in healthcare, telemedicine applications, healthcare management, mechanisms of skin regeneration and remodeling, clinical applications of lasers.

Dr. Lemoine is an experienced and seasoned medical professional with over twenty years in both public and private practices in dermatological treatment and aesthetic medicine. Dr. Lemoine has recently established a Tele-Dermatology program in the Medical Center to improve access and quality of care. Dr. Lemoine is one of the West Palm Beach VA’s top notch medical staff members who is caring, compassionate, and dedicated to providing the best care to our veterans.

Vincent Fowble, M.D.
Board Eligible, Orthopaedic Surgeon

Leading the way in orthopaedic advancements, Dr. Vincent Fowble is blazing a trail as a local specialist in joint replacement and in performing a pioneering bone-conserving hip resurfacing procedure, an alternative treatment option for the young, active adult. Hip resurfacing has limited FDA approval, and because of his extensive training, Dr. Fowble is one of only a handful of physicians in the Florida to perform the procedure.

Drawing on his research and teaching background, Dr. Fowble’s goal is to collaborate with his colleagues to research to measure clinical outcomes and develop a “best practices” standard of quality care. His aims: to help develop an Orthopaedic Joint Center of Excellence at Jupiter Medical Center and develop innovative orthopaedic products, while conducting basic testing on the biomechanics of new products.

“I am hoping to raise the bar in my field,” he said. “I strive to be the best at what I do and quality of care standards and patient outcomes are extremely important.”

Dr. Fowble devoted 22 years to school and training for his career in medicine. It began with his undergraduate degree in Kinesiology (the study of movement as applied to the human system) from the University of California at Los Angeles, followed by medical school at The Chicago Medical School, then on to his specialty training in joint replacement, including his internship, residency and fellowships at a number of highly-regarded medical institutions throughout the country.

During his sophomore year in high school, Dr. Fowble injured his knee playing basketball and was treated by an orthopaedic surgeon. It was that experience that led him to focus on orthopaedics. During his medical training he decided to sub-specialize in joint replacement.

“My exposure to joint replacement opened my eyes to the gratification that comes with giving my patients their quality of life back. It really changes their lives,” he said. “What we’re doing in the operating room at Jupiter Medical Center each day is at the forefront of joint replacement in the country. We’re continuing to progress with technological advances in orthopaedics, using smaller incisions with less soft tissue trauma.”

As a general surgeon specializing in wound care and breast surgery, Dr. Barry Miskin blends being a scientist and a people person.

Dr. Miskin developed an interest in wound care during his first job as a physician in one of the largest nursing homes in New York where he frequently treated patients with wounds. It became evident through patient outcomes that he healed more patients than any other physician, so he was asked to write their wound care protocol and quickly became their wound care expert. After opening his own private practice and joining the medical staff at Jupiter Medical Center (JMC) 20 years ago, he spearheaded the charge of opening JMC’s Wound Care Center and becoming its Medical Director in 2001.

Dr. Miskin has led the specially trained team of nurses, physicians and staff, utilizing state-of-the-art technology at JMC’s Wound Care Center to achieve a healing rate which he proudly stated is over 90%.

“Wound care patients are typically very frustrated from enduring the trauma of having a chronic wound,” he said. “It is very satisfying for me to be able to heal wounds and help my patients return to a normal lifestyle.”

He earned his M.D. degree from the Northeastern University School of Medicine in Mexico. He completed his internship and residency at Rutgers Medical School Surgery Program of New Jersey before specializing in wound care. Dr. Miskin has special interests in various surgeries and cancers including breast, colon and thyroid. He is one of the most experienced physicians in the area performing minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery to treat hernias in the groin area.

Dr. Miskin has written books and published articles, and is involved in research regarding genetics and advanced technology of which the findings, he says, will revolutionize wound care.

To share his knowledge, Dr. Miskin serves on the faculty at Nova Southeastern University School of Osteopathic Medicine as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery.

“People need to be loved and taken care of, and then when you’re able to heal them, it is so powerful,” he said.

While serving in the U.S. Navy as a surgeon in Japan, Dr. Jefferson Vaughan’s path to specialize in Bariatrics became clear. On the base, where he and his family were stationed for two years, there were unusually high numbers of sailors’ wives who were morbidly obese. Consequently, he established a Bariatric Surgical Program at Yokosuka Naval Hospital where he began performing the gold standard of surgical treatment options for the disease – gastric bypass surgery – from 1992 until he returned to the U.S. in 1994.

After returning to the U.S. and joining the medical staff of Jupiter Medical Center (JMC) in 1995, Dr. Vaughan was instrumental in creating and developing JMC’s Surgical Weight Loss Program, of which he is now Medical Director. He helped make the program a leader in surgical weight loss procedures, offering minimally invasive laparoscopic surgeries such as gastric bypass and the LAP BAND? System, and becoming the first of its kind in Florida to use the state-of-the-art 3-D laparoscope imaging device. Dr. Vaughan has performed over 1,000 gastric bypass and gastric banding procedures so far in his career.

“With one gastric bypass or LAP BAND? operation, I can cure four to five diseases because morbid obesity is closely correlated with other conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and joint disease,” he said.

Dr. Vaughan has helped the program earn its designation by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASBMS) as a “Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence” in 2006 – currently one of only four in the state of Florida. Today, he is revitalizing the program to encompass psychological, nutritional and wellness support, as well as peer group support.

“Through the years we have learned that the operation in and of itself is not as successful without support as it is with the appropriate support,” Vaughan said. “When you perform gastric bypass surgery on someone, they never forget you because it has such a dramatically positive affect on their lives in so many ways…physically, emotionally and psychologically.”

Dr. Chris Akins graduated from the University of Alabama, School of Medicine, in 1989. He completed an internship in General Surgery at the University of Texas Southwestern in 1990 and his Residency in 1994. He continued his medical education with a Fellowship in Cardiothoracic Surgery at the University of Alabama in Birmingham and completed his Residency in 1996. Dr. Akins was also an Instructor of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the University of Alabama.

He is Board Certified by the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Thoracic Surgery. Dr. Akins is also a member of the American College of Surgeons and the Florida Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons.

In September 2007, Aventura Hospital and Medical Center acquired the da Vinci S HD Surgical System, the World’s first robotic surgical system with 3HD Vision, enhanced dexterity, precision and control.

Dr. Akins has been performing robotic surgery for nine years with over 400 procedures. He was the first surgeon to perform robotic valve surgery in Florida and is among the top three most experienced surgeons in this country using this technique. “Thanks to this evolution in surgical technology, we now have an effective alternative to traditional open-chest surgery,” says Dr. Akins. “Patients may now benefit from a definitive treatment for heart conditions with the potential for significantly less pain, shorter inpatient stay, faster return to normal daily activities, and possibly better clinical outcomes.”

Mark Moser, M.D.

Dr. Mark Moser is a board certified anesthesiologist at Columbia Hospital. Over the past six years he has spent one to two weeks per year in Cambodia to donate his time and expertise to the Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC). The Children’s Surgical Centre provides free rehabilitation surgery for Cambodia’s disabled children and is operated by CSC, an international non-profit organization without any political or religious affiliations. The CSC is recognized as the premier organization in Cambodia providing specialized rehabilitation surgical services, medical training, and support directly to the people of Cambodia.

While in Cambodia Dr. Moser teaches anesthesia to Cambodian medical professionals.

Without such training thousands of Cambodians who have come to the clinics over the past six years for care would not have had the latest anesthesia techniques available. Throughout the year he purchases and ships much needed equipment and medical supplies as well as donated equipment. In 2007 he sent two full 40-foot containers alone. He also serves as President of the Board of Directors of the Cambodian hospital and the U.S. based charity.

Daniel Higgins, M.D., is a General and Vascular Surgeon at Columbia Hospital, and has been an ardent patient advocate for patients, employees, and physicians for the past 17 years.. His current leadership responsibilities at Columbia Hospital include Chair of the Sponsorship Committee, Credentials Committee Members, and Chair of the Board of Trustees.

He is also serving as the 2007-2008 President of the Palm Beach County Medical Society. Leadership runs in the Higgins family as his wife, Mary Jo, not only supports her husband’s goals and ambitions but is also serving as President of the Palm Beach County Medical Society Alliance .

Incredibly, Dr. Higgins does manage to find some spare time to relax and is a member of a local band called DNR, along with four of his colleagues. Dr. Higgins plays lead guitar and sings.

C. Lee Jackson, M.D.

C. Lee Jackson, M.D., chairman of the Department of Urology at Cleveland Clinic in Florida, has dedicated his 20-year-career to the early detection, diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer. He reflects the very best of what Cleveland Clinic brings to health care in South Florida – cooperation, compassion, and innovation.

Specializing in the treatment of prostate cancer and minimally invasive laparoscopic prostate surgery, Dr. Jackson has the largest experience in South Florida performing Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy. He consistently ranks as one of South Florida’s top physicians based on peer evaluations and is included in Castle Connolly Medical’s annual list of Top Doctors in South Florida. Most recently, Dr. Jackson was named Physician of the Year during the South Florida Business Journal’s 9th Annual Excellence in Healthcare Award.

With prostate cancer being the second most common cancer in men, Dr. Jackson has made it his professional mission to provide the best care possible to men fighting this disease. That mission is supported every day by Cleveland Clinic’s unique model of medicine, which brings together experts in many different specialties under one roof, and commitment to offering patients access to the most advanced and proven treatment options.

Dr. Jackson has participated in numerous lectures and speaker panels, sharing information and advice on Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy, a relatively new surgical technique. He has also contributed to several studies and medical journals, including entries in the Journal of Urology. Dr. Jackson feels that it is extremely important to educate the public about prostate cancer and the recent advancements that lessen the complications commonly associated with this disease.

Dr. Jackson received a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Albion College in Albion, Mich., before completing his medical degree at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. His advanced training included a general surgery internship and residency, a urology residency, and renal transplantation and renovascular fellowship at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. Dr. Jackson is board certified by the American Board of Urology.

Oncologist Elizabeth Stone, M.D., specializes in breast and gynecological malignancies and other women’s health issues at Cleveland Clinic in Florida. Her clinical research includes the investigation of chemotherapy related amenorrhea in breast cancer.

Dr. Stone’s expertise and experience in the treatment of breast cancer has been a significant addition to the Hereditary Cancer Prevention Clinic at Cleveland Clinic. She believes that the evaluation of women with a strong family history of breast and ovarian cancer is very important for the prevention of these cancers. Dr. Stone supports the development of additional genetic tests, like those for the inherited susceptibility genes BRCA1 and BRCA2, so that women will be better able to make informed decisions about preventive measures.

In addition to expanding the availability of genetic testing at Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Stone has been involved in developing support groups for cancer survivors. She is co-founder of the Breast Cancer Book Club at Cleveland Clinic and is a frequent lecturer on the topic of breast and ovarian cancers.

Dr. Stone is also very active in organizations dedicated to cancer prevention and support services for patients and their families. She is proud to be a speaker and official “sasher” chosen to honor cancer survivors at the Weston Relay for Life. She also participates in the annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk, helping to rally some 50 walkers for the Cleveland Clinic team this year.

Dr. Stone earned her undergraduate degree at the University of Miami and her medical degree at the University of Miami School of Medicine. She completed her residency and internship in internal medicine at Georgetown University Hospital, as well as a fellowship in medical oncology. She is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Medical Oncology. Dr. Stone is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the American College of Physicians.

Maria Lina Diaz, M.D., head of the Section of Ambulatory Gynecology at Cleveland Clinic in Florida, is a dedicated practitioner specializing in menopausal issues, adolescent gynecology, contraception and basic infertility evaluation and treatment. She is recognized for her inspiring humanitarian efforts as a founding member of the International Cervical Cancer Foundation (INCCA).

Dr. Diaz’s hands-on commitment to helping others has paved the way for a brighter future for thousands of women in Peru through cervical cancer screenings and education. In May 2005, she participated in a humanitarian mission in Cusco, Peru, in which INCCA was born. Dr. Diaz has returned to Peru every May to provide free training in Pap smear techniques to local nurses and doctors and to provide free screenings to underprivileged women. The generous donations of supplies and equipment, made by participating individuals, international hospitals and corporations, allowed women identified with significant precancerous cervical disease to be treated surgically by the volunteer team.

A strong advocate of preventative care, Dr. Diaz frequently lectures on the importance of the HPV vaccine to communities in South Florida and abroad. She was recently invited to Grand Cayman by the Grand Cayman Islands Cancer Society to discuss the importance of the vaccine and prevention of cervical cancer. Dr. Diaz believes in the power of educating women and young girls about the safety and efficacy of the vaccine in order to minimize the devastating consequences of cervical cancer.

Dr. Diaz earned her medical degree from the University of Kansas. She graduated from the University of Miami with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. Certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dr. Diaz is a fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Lawrence I. Garter, M.D.

Lawrence I. Garter, M.D., is a Board Certified Pediatrician and the Chief of Staff at Plantation General Hospital. He has been practicing in South Florida for almost 15 years. Dr. Garter earned his medical degree at the University of Miami. Postgraduate training included a Residency at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami.

Dr. Garter was awarded the Greater Miami Pediatric Society Grossman Award in Pediatric Endocrinology (1994) and the American Medical Associations Physician Recognition Award Certificate (1995) and has recently been appointed as a Clinical Assistant Professor at Nova Southeastern University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Garter also serves as Chairmen on the Medical Executive Committee and is a member of the Board of Trustees for Plantation General Hospital.

J. Raul Ponte, M.D., is a Board Certified Pediatric Intensivist at Plantation General Hospital. Dr. Ponte earned his medical degree at Utesa School of Medicine in the Dominican Republic. Postgraduate training included an Internship and Chief Residency at Hahnemann University Hospital and a Senior and Research Fellowship at the University of Florida in Pediatric Care Medicine.

Dr. Ponte is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Society of Critical Care Medicine. He is currently a Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) Instructor and an Affiliate Faculty Member (PALS) with the American Heart Association.

Dr. Ponte has completed research in the following pediatric areas: Breathing Strategies in Infants with Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD), Vecuronium Continuous Infusion versus Intermittent Boluses in PICU patients, Transtracheal Doppler Cardiac Outputs in Children, and Effects of Choral Hydrate on Breathing Mechanics in Infants. Published material of Dr. Ponte’s can be found on subjects such as Clinical Pediatrics, Respiratory Care, and Pediatric Infectious Disease.

Octavio E. Prieto, M.D., is Board Certified in Internal Medicine at Plantation General Hospital and has been in practice for over 25 years. Dr. Prieto earned his medical degree from the University of Salamanca in Salamanca, Spain. Postgraduate training included an Internship at Mount Sinai Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio and a Residency in Family Practice from the Medical Center of Central Georgia.

Dr. Prieto is a member of the American Academy of Family Practice, American Medical Association, and the Florida Medical Association. He has also upheld the titles of Secretary, Treasurer, and Chair of the Membership Committee to the Broward County Medical Association. He is also a member of the Executive Committee and Education Committee at Plantation General Hospital.

Robert S. Singal, M.D.

Robert S. Singal, M.D., is a Board Certified Cardiologist at Westside Regional Medical Center with almost 20 years of experience. Dr. Singal earned his medical degree at the University of South Florida in Tampa. Postgraduate training included an Internship at the Medical College of Georgia and a Fellowship in Cardiology at the University of Miami/Jackson Medical Center. He currently serves as the Medical Director for Westside Regional Medical Center’s Cardiac Cath Lab.

His professional affiliations include the American College of Physicians, American College of Cardiology, Broward County Medical Association, Florida Society of Internal Medicine, American Society of Cardiology, American Society of Internal Medicine, and the American Heart Association.

Jose Ramon Alvarez, M.D., is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Pulmonary Disease at Westside Regional Medical Center. Dr. Alvarez earned his medical degree from the University of Costa Rica. Postgraduate training included an Internship at the University of Costa Rica’s affiliated hospitals, Chief Resident at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, MD, and a Fellowship in Pulmonary/Critical Care Medicine from the Louisiana Sate University School of Medicine. He has been in private practice for over 20 years.

Dr. Alvarez is a Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine, in the Subspecialty of Pulmonary Medicine and is a member of The Costa Rican Medical Association, American Thoracic Society, American College of Chest Physicians, the Broward County Medical Association, and the Florida Medical Association.

Dr. Alvarez has served has chairman for the Department of Medicine, a member of the Medical Executive Committee, and recently appointed as Chief of Staff for Westside Regional Medical Center. Published material of Dr. Alvarez’s can be found in the Southern Medical Journal (1986) and the American Journal of Emergency Medicine.

Paul R. Kahn, M.D., F.A.C.S., earned his medical degree at University Hospital of the West Indies in Jamaica. Postgraduate training then included General Surgery and Chief Residency at the University of Miami. Dr. Kahn specializes in Adult and Pediatric Urology and is on staff at Westside Regional Medical Center He has been in practice in South Florida for over 25 years.

Dr. Kahn is a Diplomate of the American Board of Urology, a Fellow of American College of Surgeons and International College of Surgeons, a member of the American Association of Clinical Urologists, Southeastern Section of AUA, American Urological Association, and the Florida Urological Society.

In 2006, Dr. Kahn started performing Robotic Radical Prostatectomies and Robotic Nephrectomies at Westside Regional Medical Center. In September 2006, Dr. Kahn was the first physician at Westside Regional Medical Center to perform a da Vinci® assisted laparoscopic robotic prostatectomy.