Special Expertise: Cardiology
Board Certifications: Diplomate, American Board Of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine; Diplomate, American Board Of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease; Certification, Board Of Nuclear Cardiology; National Board Of Echocardiography
Residency: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School
Fellowship: Northshore UniversityHospital (Chief Fellow)
Hospital Affiliation: Delray Medical Center
A few years ago, Jonathan J. Vafai, M.D., FACC, FASE, saved a patient’s life twice in one week.
“I was treating him for congestive heart failure, when I saw a lesion on his back that looked like melanoma,” says Dr. Vafai, a board certified cardiologist with the South Florida Heart Institute in Delray Beach. “He talked with his dermatologist, who removed the cancer, and he continues to see me for his heart disease.”
That deep concern for patient care is the hallmark of the institute’s six experienced cardiology specialists, who share their knowledge and skills to determine the best possible treatment for each individual.
“We take a collaborative approach to delivering evidence-based medicine,” says Eric H. Lieberman, M.D., FACC, who is board certified in cardiology with special training in cardiac pacing and defibrillation. He is also the national medical director of cardiology for Tenet Health. “We work closely with primary care physicians and other specialists to coordinate care for patients and their families.”
Dr. Lieberman emphasizes the importance of a cardiology evaluation for adults with signs of heart disease, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, fainting or dizziness.
“Don’t let fear of COVID-19 keep you from taking care of your heart,” he says. “It’s far better to treat a cardiac problem at an early stage, rather than waiting for a life-threatening heart attack.”
At South Florida Heart Institute, all patients are screened at the door, and appropriate precautions are taken throughout an office visit or hospital stay to minimize the risk of viral transmission.
Mark Fisher, M.D., FACC, and Arthur P. Weiner, M.D., FACC, founded the Delray Beach practice in 1991. Both are board certified cardiology specialists who have treated multiple generations of family members over the decades.
“We have grown the practice through word-of-mouth referrals from patients and physicians,” says Dr. Fisher. “With our focus on excellent team care, we have treated many parents and their children, allowing us to monitor and evaluate younger patients who may have a predisposition to heart disease.”
Dr. Weiner adds that the field of interventional cardiology has made significant advances through the years, including sophisticated stents, catheters and other devices.
“With our newer techniques, many patients can go home the same day after placement of a stent,” he says. “We can also do interventions through the radial artery in the wrist as well as the femoral artery in the thigh, depending on the most appropriate procedure for each patient.”
Adds Dr. Fisher: “Today, many types of heart conditions can be treated effectively through medications with excellent patient outcomes. We also believe in practicing the art of cardiology, talking with our patients, examining their heart conditions and using our experience to find the right diagnosis.”
One of the team’s areas of focus is cardio-oncology, as many cancer survivors are at increased risk for heart problems.
“We work closely with the region’s oncologists to optimize cardiac care for patients undergoing treatment as well as monitoring heart conditions in survivors,” saysDr. Lieberman.
The institute’s cardiology specialists – includingJonathan Kahan, M.D., and Benjamin Ravaee, M.D. – take an academic approach to providing patient care. For instance, all of the physicians serve on the faculty of the Florida Atlantic University/Delray Medical Center Cardiology Fellowship Program. The institute’s cardiologists also take part in grand rounds at Delray Medical Center, where Dr. Vafai serves as chairman of cardiology.
“Being active in teaching the next generation of physicians keeps us on our toes while ensuring that we stay on the leading edge of medicine,” says Dr. Lieberman. “We put that knowledge to work every time we see a patient in order to deliver the best possible personalized care.”