Cancer Specialists Join Baptist Health South Florida

Physicians from one of the largest hematology and oncology practices in the region, Advanced Medical Specialties, have joined Baptist Health Medical Group – an organization of more than 180 physicians integrated within Baptist Health – as the founding physicians of Miami Cancer Institute.

These cancer specialists offer a wide range of treatments, including outpatient chemotherapy, hormonal therapy and new targeted therapies, outpatient radiation therapy, including brachytherapy, tomotherapy, partial breast irradiation and expanded access to clinical trials.

The physicians and their staff will be integral to the development of Miami Cancer Institute, a $430 million, 395,000-square-foot facility on the Baptist Hospital campus, set to open in 2016. The Institute consolidates Baptist Health clinical cancer services, research and technology platforms, including the first proton therapy center in South Florida.

Leonard Kalman, M.D., longtime leader of Advanced Medical Specialties, has accepted a position as Deputy Director of Miami Cancer Institute.
“We are enthusiastic about joining Miami Cancer Institute and Baptist Health Medical Group as the founding physicians of the Institute,” he said, “and look forward to continuing to provide high-quality, evidence-based cancer care, while developing new and exciting therapies for our patients through this partnership.”

“As Baptist Health prepares for the future of cancer care with the opening of Miami Cancer Institute, these well-respected, compassionate, skilled doctors, who offer the most up-to-date therapies with customized treatment plans, will be crucial to the development of the Institute,” said Bernie Fernandez Jr., M.D., CEO of Baptist Health Medical Group.

The physicians provide personalized and comprehensive oncology services to adults and children at a variety of locations in South Florida. The doctors and their specialties are:

Medical Oncologists

• Federico Albrecht, M.D. – lung cancer, ovarian and other gynecologic malignancies, leukemia and benign hematology
• Santiago Aparo, M.D. – gastrointestinal cancer, lung cancer, ovarian and other gynecologic malignancies, sarcoma, melanoma and benign hematology
• Frances Behrmann, M.D. – breast, ovarian and other gynecologic malignancies and benign hematology
• Peter Citron, M.D. – hematologic malignancies, including lymphoma, myelodysplasia, multiple myeloma and myeloproliferate diseases, leukemia and benign hematology
• Doured Daghistani, M.D. – pediatric oncology
• Fernando de Zarraga Jr., M.D. – gastrointestinal and genitourinary cancer and benign hematology
• Sara Garrido, M.D. – breast cancer
• Victor Guardiola, M.D. – breast and brain/CNS cancer, leukemia and benign hematology
• Leonard Kalman, M.D. – ovarian and other gynecologic malignancies and brain/CNS cancer
• Paul Kaywin, M.D. – lung cancer and benign hematology
• Antonio Muiña, M.D. – genitourinary cancer and benign hematology
• Lisa Reale, M.D. – head and neck cancers, hematologic malignancies including lymphoma, myelodysplasia, multiple myeloma and myeloproliferate diseases, leukemia and benign hematology
• Michael Troner, M.D. – head and neck cancers, genitourinary cancer and benign hematology
• Antonio Ucar, M.D. – gastrointestinal cancer, leukemia and benign hematology
• Siddhartha Venkatappa, M.D. – breast, ovarian and other gynecologic malignancies, head and neck cancers, sarcoma, melanoma, leukemia and benign hematology
• Grace Wang, M.D. – breast cancer

Radiation Oncologists

• Andre Abitbol, M.D. – lung cancer, head and neck cancers, and brain/CNS cancers
• Alan Lewin, M.D. – breast cancer
• Steven Olszewski, M.D. – genitourinary cancers, ovarian and other gynecologic malignancies
• Maria-Amelia Rodrigues, M.D. – breast cancer, genitourinary cancer, ovarian and other gynecologic malignancies

Hospital Oncologists/Hematologists

• Steven Fein, M.D.
• Alberto Larcada, M.D.

Baptist Health Medical Group includes more than 180 physicians who provide comprehensive, high-quality medical care to patients of all ages. The group includes heart and chest surgeons, neurosurgeons, orthopedic surgeons, sports medicine specialists, cardiologists, gastroenterologists, oncologists/hematologists, physical medicine and rehabilitation specialists, hospitalists and primary care physicians.

Miami Cancer Institute, a world-class clinical center and research facility, will offer South Florida’s only proton therapy treatment (scheduled to open in 2016) is part of Baptist Health South Florida, the largest healthcare organization in the region, with seven hospitals (Baptist Hospital, Baptist Children’s Hospital, Doctors Hospital, Homestead Hospital, Mariners Hospital, South Miami Hospital and West Kendall Baptist Hospital) and more than 30 outpatient and urgent care facilities spanning three counties.

The not-for-profit, faith-based Baptist Health has more than 15,000 employees and 2,200 affiliated physicians and also includes Baptist Outpatient Services and internationally renowned centers of excellence. Baptist Health Foundation, the organization’s fundraising arm, supports services at all hospitals and facilities. Baptist Health was just listed by Fortune magazine as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America (#19 in the nation and #1 in Florida) and has remained on the list for 14 years. It was also recognized as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies for the fourth year in a row by the Ethisphere Institute.

Contact: Kelli Romano; 786-527-9059