The Gulfshore's Top Doctors 2008

    Outside of your family, it’s one of the most important relationships you must develop and nurture through the years, so you want someone who is going to reciprocate that investment in you. Your doctor—whether he or she is a primary care physician or a specialist—plays a key role in your well-being by preventing health risks, treating ailments and illnesses and helping improve your health so you can get the most out of life. 
    To help you find the right doctor for your needs, we’ve partnered once again with Castle Connolly Medical in New York to develop a list of top physicians in Collier, Lee and Charlotte counties. (To see the qualifying criteria, please see "The Process" on p. 52.) In this issue, you’ll get a glimpse of three of these physicians through the eyes of their patients. The accompanying list includes the doctors who made the top 40 percent of Castle Connolly’s choices for our region. For a complete list, the company’s book, America’s Top Doctors, is available at www.castleconnolly.com

Allergy & Immunology
Kevin Rosenbach, M.D.
Naples Community Hospital Healthcare System
15495 Tamiami Trail,
Suite 119/120
Naples, FL 34110
(239) 596-5560
Special expertise: Asthma, immunotherapy

Brett Stanaland, M.D.
Naples Community Hospital Healthcare System
1000 Goodlette Road N.,
Suite 200
Naples, FL 34102
(239) 434-6200
Special expertise: Asthma,
insect allergies

Cardio-thoracic Surgery
Dennis Stapleton, M.D.
Naples Community Hospital Healthcare System
311 Tamiami Trail, Suite 301
Naples, FL 34102
(239) 649-0440
Secondary affiliation: HealthPark Medical Center
Special expertise: Cardiac surgery

Cardiovascular Disease
Victor Howard, M.D.
Fawcett Memorial Hospital
2484 Caring Way, Suite B
Port Charlotte, FL 33952
(941) 625-6223
Special expertise: Interventional cardiology, clinical trials

Silvio Travalia, M.D.
Naples Community Hospital Healthcare System
694 Eighth Street N.
Naples, FL 34102
(239) 434-9222
Secondary affiliation: Physicians Regional Medical Center

William Cook, M.D.
Physicians Regional
Medical Center
Medical Surgical Specialists
6101 Pine Ridge Road
Naples, FL 34119
(239) 348-4400
Secondary affiliation: Lee Memorial Health System
Special expertise: Noninvasive cardiology

Steven West, M.D.
Southwest Florida
Regional Medical Center
Cardiology Consultants
SW Florida
13411 Parker Commons Blvd., Suite 101
Fort Myers, FL 33912
(239) 415-4900
Secondary affiliation: Lee Memorial Health System
Special expertise: Coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure

Colon & Rectal Surgery
Anthony Vernava III, M.D.
Physicians Regional Healthcare System Medical Surgical Specialists
6101 Pine Ridge Road
Naples, FL 34119
(239) 348-4400
Special expertise: Colon and rectal cancer, incontinence-fecal, inflammatory bowel disease

Dermatology
Brian Harris, M.D.
Lee Memorial Health System
9090 Park Royal Drive
Fort Myers, FL 33908
(239) 936-3344
Special expertise: Skin cancer, Mohs’ surgery

Cynthia Strohmeyer, M.D.
702 Goodlette Road N.,
Suite 200
Naples, FL 34102
(239) 261-2255
Special expertise: Cosmetic dermatology

Stephen Spencer, M.D.
Peace River Regional
Medical Center
3161 Harbor Blvd., Suite A
Port Charlotte, FL 33952
(941) 613-2400

Charles Camisa, M.D.
Physicians Regional
Medical Center
6101 Pine Ridge Road
Naples, FL 34119
(239) 348-4335
Special expertise: Psoriasis, oral dermatology, lichen planus

Craig Eichler, M.D.
Physicians Regional
Medical Center
6101 Pine Ridge Road
Naples, FL 34119
(239) 348-4335
Special expertise: Skin cancer, dermatologic surgery

Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism
Todd Brodie, M.D.
Naples Community Hospital Healthcare System
730 Goodlette Road N.,
Suite 205
Naples, FL 34102
(239) 436-3666
Special expertise: Thyroid disorders, osteoporosis

Facial Plastic Surgery
Jon Strohmeyer, M.D.
702 Goodlette Road N.,
Suite 100
Naples, FL 34102
(239) 261-5525
Special expertise: Facial plastic surgery, reconstructive surgery

Family Medicine
Gregory Krill, M.D.
Lee Memorial Health System
16271 Bass Road
Fort Myers, FL 33908
(239) 432-3322
Special expertise: Geriatric medicine, hypertension, cholesterol/lipid disorders, diabetes

John Diaz, M.D.
Naples Community Hospital Healthcare System
2450 Goodlette Road N.,
Suite 202
Naples, FL 34103
(239) 213-9790
Special expertise: Preventive cardiology, preventive medicine, cholesterol/lipid disorders

Robert Poling, M.D.
Physicians Regional
Medical Center
1850 San Marco Road, Suite C
Marco Island, FL 34145
(239) 394-8252
Special expertise: Sports medicine, heart disease, diabetes, preventive medicine

Family Practice & Geriatrics
Daniel Kaplan, D.O.
Naples Community Hospital Healthcare System
South Florida Medical Group
7935 Airport Pulling Road,
Suite 2
Naples, FL 34109
(239) 596-3300
Secondary affiliation: Physicians Regional Medical Center
Special expertise: Geriatric medicine

Gastroenterology
H. Scott Harris, M.D.
Cape Coral Hospital
2721 Del Prado Blvd., Suite 200
Cape Coral, FL 33904
(239) 772-3800
Special expertise: Colon cancer, colonscopy

General Surgery
Jeffrey Lewis, M.D.
Lee Memorial Health System
16400 HealthPark
Commons Drive
Fort Myers, FL 33908
(239) 278-5200
Secondary affiliation: Southwest Florida Regional Medical Center

Mark Liberman, M.D.
Physicians Regional
Healthcare System
Medical Surgical Specialists
6101 Pine Ridge Road
Naples, FL 34119
(239) 348-4400
Special expertise: Laparoscopic surgery, obesity/bariatric surgery, breast cancer

Hand Surgery
Ronaldo Carneiro, M.D.
Physicians Regional
Medical Center
6101 Pine Ridge Road
Naples, FL 34119
(239) 348-4040
Special expertise: Carpal tunnel syndrome, wrist surgery, arthritis

Infectious Disease
Douglas Brust, M.D.
Lee Memorial Health System Internal Medicine Associates
1528 Del Prado Blvd.
Cape Coral, FL 33990
(239) 458-3338
Special expertise: AIDS/HIV, infections in transplant patients

Ronica Kluge, M.D.
Lee Memorial Health System
24600 S. Tamiami Trail, Suite 400
Bonita Springs, FL 34134
(239) 948-3761
Secondary affiliation: Southwest Florida Regional Medical Center
Special expertise: AIDS/HIV, viral infections

Christine Forszpaniak, M.D.
Naples Community Hospital Healthcare System
848 First Ave. N., Suite 230
Naples, FL 34102
(239) 434-7779
Secondary affiliation: North Collier Hospital

Nicholas Lekas, M.D.
Physicians Regional
Medical Center
6101 Pine Ridge Road
Naples, FL 34119
(239) 348-4000
Special expertise: Infections-bone and joint, infections-heart, travel medicine

Internal Medicine
Manuel Del Sol, M.D.
Lee Memorial Health System
Internal Medicine Associates
1528 Del Prado Blvd.
Cape Coral, FL 33990
(239) 458-3338

George Ferguson, M.D.
Naples Community Hospital Healthcare System
787 Fourth Ave. S.
Naples, FL 34102
(239) 262-0501

Corey Howard, M.D.
Naples Community Hospital Healthcare System
1000 Goodlette Road, Suite 100
Naples, FL 34102
(239) 643-2112

Brian Lee, M.D.
Physicians Regional
Medical Center
3291 Woods Edge Parkway,
2nd Floor
Bonita Springs, FL 34135
(239) 947-4557
Special expertise: Heart disease, men’s health, preventive medicine, cholesterol/lipid disorders

Leonard Schlossberg, M.D.
Physicians Regional
Medical Center
Concierge Medical Practice
2230 Venetian Court, Suite 2
Naples, FL 34109
(239) 566-3100
Secondary affiliation: Naples Community Hospital Healthcare System'
Special expertise: Concierge medicine, cholesterol/lipid disorders, preventive cardiology, geriatric medicine

Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Patricia Poling, M.D.
Physicians Regional
Healthcare System
1850 San Marco Road, Suite C
Marco Island, FL 34145
(239) 394-8252
Special expertise: Women’s health, preventive medicine, nutrition, pediatrics

Interventional Cardiology
Michael Flynn, M.D.
Naples Community Hospital Healthcare System
606 Ninth St. N., Suite 100
Naples, FL 34102
(239) 403-9569
Special expertise: Coronary artery disease, heart valve disease, cholesterol/lipid disorders

James Venable, M.D.
Naples Community Hospital Healthcare System
606 Ninth St. N., Suite 100
Naples, FL 34102
(239) 261-5270
Secondary affiliation: North Collier Hospital

Medical Oncology
Thomas Teufel, M.D.
Lee Memorial Health System
811 Del Prado Blvd.
Cape Coral, FL 33990
(239) 772-3544

William Harwin, M.D.
Lee Memorial Health System
15681 New Hampshire Court
Fort Myers, FL 33908
(239) 437-4444
Secondary affiliation: Southwest Florida Regional Medical Center

Mark Moskowitz, M.D.
Naples Community Hospital Healthcare System
Florida Cancer Specialists
6360 Pine Ridge Road, Suite 201
Naples, FL 34119
(239) 353-6636
Secondary affiliation: Physicians Regional Medical Center

Daniel Morris, M.D.
Naples Community Hospital Healthcare System
400 Eighth St. N.
Naples, FL 34102
(239) 649-3335
Special expertise: Prostate cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer

Lowell Hart, M.D.
Southwest Florida Regional Medical Center
3840 Broadway
Fort Myers, FL 33901
(239) 275-6400
Secondary affiliation: Lee Memorial Health System
Special expertise: Melanoma, colon cancer, breast cancer, lymphoma

Nephrology
Carolyn Venable, M.D.
Naples Community Hospital Healthcare System
Nephrology & Hypertension Specialists
1213 Piper Blvd., Suite 101
Naples, FL 34110
(239) 254-0099
Secondary affiliation: North Collier Hospital

James Sterrett, M.D.
Physicians Regional Medical Center
Medical Surgical Specialists
6101 Pine Ridge Road
Naples, FL 34119
(239) 348-4000
Special expertise: Kidney disease-chronic, dialysis, hypertension

Joel Van Sickler, M.D.
Southwest Florida Regional Medical Center
7981 Gladiolus Drive
Fort Myers, FL 33908
(239) 939-0999
Secondary affiliation: Lee Memorial Health System
Special expertise: Transplant medicine-kidney

Neurological Surgery
John Dusseau, M.D.
Lee Memorial Health System
2780 Cleveland Ave., Suite 819
Fort Myers, FL 33901
(239) 336-6800

Gary Colon, M.D.
Naples Community Hospital Healthcare System
730 Goodlette Road N.,
Suite 100-B
Naples, FL 34102
(239) 262-1721
Secondary affiliation: Physicians Regional Medical Center
Special expertise: Spinal surgery, brain surgery

Mark Gerber, M.D.
Physicians Regional Medical Center
Neuroscience & Spine Associates
670 Goodlette Road N.
Naples, FL 34102
(239) 649-8833
Secondary affiliation: Naples Community Hospital Healthcare System
Special expertise: Spinal surgery, brain tumors

Douglas Savage, M.D.
Southwest Florida Regional Medical Center
12700 Creekside Lane, Suite 101
Fort Myers, FL 33919
(239) 432-0774
Special expertise: Pain-low back, pain-neck

Neurology
Michael Novak, M.D.
Naples Community Hospital Healthcare System
1660 Medical Blvd., Suite 200
Naples, FL 34110
(239) 566-3434
Special expertise: Headache, pain management, multiple sclerosis

Michael Finkel, M.D.
Physicians Regional Medical Center
Medical Surgical Specialists
6101 Pine Ridge Road
Naples, FL 34119
(239) 348-4397
Special expertise: Movement disorders-lower limb, ADD/ADHD, headache in women, trauma neurology

Obstetrics & Gynecology
Mary Yankaskas, M.D.
Cape Coral Hospital
1265 Viscaya Parkway
Cape Coral, FL 33990
(239) 574-2229
Special expertise: Gynecology only, adolescent gynecology, menopause problems

Heather Auld, M.D.
Gulf Coast Hospital
Physicians Primary Care
SW Florida
9021 Park Royal Drive
Fort Myers, FL 33908
(239) 432-5858
Secondary affiliation: HealthPark Medical Center

Richard Murray, M.D.
Lee Memorial Health System
15641 New Hampshire Court
Fort Myers, FL 33908
(239) 275-4300
Secondary affiliation: Gulf Coast Hospital
Special expertise: Laparoscopy

Blane Crandall, M.D.
Naples Community Hospital Healthcare System
1660 Medical Blvd., Suite 101
Naples, FL 34110
(239) 596-2300
Secondary affiliation: North Collier Hospital

Jeffrey Heitmann, M.D.
Naples Community Hospital Healthcare System
1660 Medical Blvd., Suite 300
Naples, FL 34110
(239) 513-0053
Special expertise: Laparoscopic surgery, pregnancy-high risk

Dennis Hidlebaugh, M.D.
Physicians Regional Medical Center
6101 Pine Ridge Road
Naples, FL 34119
(239) 348-4400
Special expertise: Laparoscopic surgery-advanced, reconstructive vaginal surgery, infertility

Oncology and Hematology
Mark Rubin, M.D.
Naples Community Hospital Healthcare System
9776 Bonita Beach Road
Bonita Springs, FL 34135
(239) 947-3092
Secondary affiliation: Physicians Regional Medical Center

Ophthalmology
Mimi Groom, M.D.
Physicians Regional Medical Center
Groom Eye Center, Colonial Square
1112 Goodlette Road N.,
Suite 202
Naples, FL 34102
(239) 434-0808
Special expertise: Glaucoma, cataract surgery, refractive surgery

Mark Gorovoy, M.D.
Lee Memorial Health System
12381 S. Cleveland Ave., Suite 300
Fort Myers, FL 33907
(239) 939-1444
Special expertise: LASIK-refractive surgery, corneal disease and transplant, glaucoma, cataract surgery

Joseph Walker, M.D.
Southwest Florida Regional Medical Center
6901 International Center Blvd.
Fort Myers, FL 33912
(239) 939-4323
Secondary affiliation: Lee Memorial Health System
Special expertise: Retinal disorders, macular degeneration

Paul Raskauskas, M.D.
Southwest Florida Regional Medical Center
6901 International Center Blvd.
Fort Myers, FL 33912
(239) 939-4323
Special expertise: Retinal disorders, macular degeneration

Orthopaedic Surgery
Robert Zehr, M.D.
Naples Community Hospital Healthcare System
Zehr Center for Orthopaedics
2659 Professional Circle, Suite 115
Naples, FL 34119
(239) 596-0100
Special expertise: Hip and knee replacement, arthroscopic surgery

Howard Kapp, M.D.
Naples Community Hospital Healthcare System
130 Tamiami Trail N., Suite 220
Naples, FL 34102
(239) 434-5700
Special expertise: Hip and knee reconstruction, hip and knee replacement, sports medicine

Richard Pigeon, M.D.
Physicians Regional Medical Center
6101 Pine Ridge Road
Naples, FL 34119
(239) 348-4400
Special expertise: Minimally invasive spinal surgery, spinal surgery-cervical, spinal disc replacement