FALL 2019

Bright and early on a Monday morning, the Jean & Alfred Goldstein Health Center at Sarasota Memorial Internal Medicine Practice at Newtown is already busy with patients. Vida Farhangi, M.D., medical director, rushes in with a bright smile after a morning meeting with her internal medicine residents.

Dr. Farhangi has been with the practice since it opened in July of 2017. Since then, its resident physicians have served more than 7,000 patients, with nearly 2,000 on a recurring basis.

The Healthcare Foundation was proud to support Dr. Farhangi, Sarasota Memorial Hospital President and CEO David Verinder, founding program director Wilhelmine Wiese-Rometsch, M.D. and associate program director Karen Hamad, M.D. who were the driving forces behind the practice.

The residents are doctors who have completed medical school and are continuing specialty training through the FSU College of Medicine Internal Medicine Residency Program at SMH. Their rotations include one week each month at the Newtown location, which offers primary care for the community including physicals and adult vaccinations, care for chronic conditions, care for acute illness and general health, nutrition and medication counseling.

With the help of another Healthcare Foundation grant, made possible by proceeds from last year’s Women & Medicine educational luncheon, the practice was able to hire a new chief medical resident, Antoni Wojtkowski, M.D., who began in July. The practice is also affiliated with the Good Samaritan Pharmacy, which is also supported by the Healthcare Foundation. For those patients who meet the financial criteria, the pharmacy provides free medicines. “Within the last six months, more than $500,000 worth of medications was provided through this practice,” said Dr. Farhangi.

Response from the community has been overwhelming. “Through word of mouth, people are learning to trust us and we are becoming a valued part of this community,” she said.