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MAKINGROUNDS…MAKINGROUNDS…MAKINGROUNDS…

Plaza Health Network Welcomes Claudia Mason, M.D., M.Sc.,
Leonard J. Pianko, MD, FACC as Receives Palm Beach County
New Chief Medical Officer Medical Society’s Heroes
in Medicine Award
Plaza Health Network is proud to announce Leonard J.
Pianko, M.D., F.A.C.C. as its new Chief Medical Officer. This
new position is a homecoming of sorts for Dr. Pianko who Cleveland Clinic Florida’s Claudia Mason, M.D., M.Sc.,
once served as the Medical Director of Aventura Plaza from was recognized as a 2017 Physician Hero by the Palm Beach
2002 to 2005. With an already successful, established private Dr. Leonard J. Pianko County Medical Society. The award is given to individuals
practice in Aventura, Dr. Pianko continued to care for patients whose skills and dedication to the profession have con- Dr. Claudia Mason
at Aventura Plaza, Arch Plaza and Sinai Plaza over the years. Dr. Pianko received his tributed in significant ways to the betterment of local,
medical degree at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, followed by an national and/or international health care.
internship and residency in internal medicine and cardiovascular training at Robert Dr. Mason joined Cleveland Clinic in 2008, and has been a practicing physician for
Wood Johnson Medical School in New Jersey. more than 35 years. As a certified OB-GYN and menopause practitioner, she practices
well-women care, ambulatory gynecology, contraception, menopause, and hormone
therapy. In 2015, she was named Physician of the Year for Quality and Patient Safety
Breast Surgical Oncologist by Cleveland Clinic Florida and holds the position of Regional Quality Offer for the
Jane Mendez, M.D., FACS, Joins institution. In addition, Dr. Mason serves on the Board of Directors for the South
Florida affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Foundation and is the Palm Beach represen-
Miami Cancer Institute tative for the Women’s Professional Staff Association at Cleveland Clinic Florida. She
is also a member of the American Medical Women’s Association, receiving the
Breast surgical oncologist Jane Mendez, M.D., FACS, joins AWMA’s 2016 Local Hero Award.
the growing team of cancer specialists at Miami Cancer
Institute, a part of Baptist Health South Florida, as Chief of Dr. Amit Patel Named
Breast Surgery. Board certified by the American Board of
Surgery and fellowship trained at New York's Memorial Sloan- Chief of Cardiac Surgery
Kettering Cancer Center, Dr. Mendez specializes in the treat- Dr. Jane Mendez
ment of breast cancer and performs all types of breast surgical
procedures. She received her undergraduate degree from Harvard University and her Amit Patel, M.D., M.S., professor of surgery and director of
medical degree from Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York. She also completed a sur- Clinical Regenerative Medicine and Tissue Engineering at the
gery residency at Mt. Sinai Hospital. Prior to joining Miami Cancer Institute at the Baptist University of Utah School of Medicine, has been named Chief
Hospital campus, Dr. Mendez gained extensive experience as a surgical oncologist at of Cardiac Surgery at the University of Miami Health System.
Boston Medical Center, where she served as president of the medical and dental staff. She Patel is a leader in the development of new therapies for car-
also served as director of surgical clerkship and associate professor of surgery at Boston diac diseases that incorporate the latest advances in open sur- Dr. Amit Patel
University School of Medicine. gical reconstruction, trans-catheter interventions, stem cells,
genetic approaches, and matrix therapies. Patel has served as national principal investi-
Miami Cancer Institute Names Yoon gator in several first-in-human trials and has numerous patents, publications, and
national and international presentations. He is a leader in clinical translation and inno-
Hang “John” Kim, M.D., Director of vation with a track record of entrepreneurship intended to bring forth novel devices and
biologics that may ultimately represent new treatments and cures.
Integrative Medicine
Brijesh P. Mehta, MD, Director
Yoon Hang “John” Kim, M.D., has joined the growing team
of cancer care specialists at Miami Cancer Institute, a part of Of Stroke And Neurocritical Care
Baptist Health South Florida, as Director of Integrative At Memorial Healthcare System
Medicine. Prior to joining Miami Cancer Institute at the
Baptist Hospital campus, he served as a consultant to numer- Named Pioneer Of The Year
ous hospitals, clinics and academic institutions, designing and Dr. Yoon Hang Kim
establishing their integrative medicine programs and curriculums. Dr. Kim’s extensive The Florida Department of Health is honoring Brijesh P.
teaching experience includes positions at the University of West Georgia in Carrollton, Mehta, M.D., Director of Stroke and Neurocritical Care in the
and the Acupuncture & Integrative Medicine College in Berkeley, California, where he Neuroscience Institute of Memorial Healthcare System, for his
served as Dean of Integrative Medicine. Dr. Kim attended medical school at the Medical work in stroke care, dedication to stroke awareness and revo- Dr. Brijesh P. Mehta
College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee and was the recipient of the Howard Hughes Medical lutionizing protocols that involve work with multiple emer-
Institute Medical Student Research Fellowship. He completed an internship in family gency management services (EMS). Dr. Mehta is being honored as the 2017 recipient of
practice at the Medical College of Wisconsin, Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center in the Marilyn Crook EMS Pioneer Award which recognizes an individual who has
Milwaukee, and a residency in preventive medicine at San Diego State advanced the EMS profession and/or system through visionary leadership. Among the
University/University of California.
trait sought as an honoree is one who has dedicated themselves to setting directions and
creating patient focus, clear and visible values, as well as high expectations. The award
also recognizes efforts of the recipient in ensuring the creation of strategies, systems, and
methods designed to achieving performance excellence, as well as their commitment to
stimulating innovation, building knowledge and capabilities, and ensuring EMS sustain-
ability. Prior to joining Memorial Healthcare System, Dr. Mehta trained for eight years at
Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham & Women’s Hospital, both leading teach-
ing institutions for Harvard Medial School.

10 July 2017 southfloridahospitalnews.com South Florida Hospital News