Opinion: New Medical Specialties in Madera

When I decided to make Madera my home 22 years ago, I knew two things about the city: the people were the friendliest of any city that I’d previously inhabited, and we were desperately in need of medical specialists. Madera has been changing over the past couple of decades, and the most recent additions have been three medical specialty offices in the E. Almond Avenue cluster, near Madera Community Hospital.

Rao Dermatology

Rao Dermatology is located at 457 East Almond Ave., Suite 101. Dr. Babar Rao, a Board-Certified Dermatologist, has offices in Fresno and Hanford, the Madera office being his newest. In September, Dr. Altiya Haroon will join the practice. She has both M.D. and Ph.D. degrees and is finishing her residency in New Jersey.

The office provides both medical and cosmetic services. The in-office professionals in Madera, in addition to Dr. Rao, are Dr. Lana Kashlan and Certified Physician Assistant Bree Parker. Bree received her B.A. degree in business and earned an M.S. in Physician Assistance Services from Bethel University in Minnesota. A physician assistant performs a wide range of services, which include developing a comprehensive patient history, ordering and interpreting diagnostic tests, diagnosing injuries and illnesses, and prescribing medications.

Rao Dermatology cares for patients who are suffering from acne, psoriasis, and dermatitis (skin anomalies, like eczema and keratosis). The medical personnel specialize in skin cancer prevention, detection, and treatment, including MOHS surgery. They also provide injectables, fillers, laser treatments, microneedling, and platelet-rich plasma for hair loss.

The office is open Monday to Thursday, from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Medicare and most medical insurances, including most PPO’s and some HMO’s, are accepted. For appointments, phone (559) 395-4360.

Advanced Foot Care

Advanced Foot Care and Clinical Research Center is located at 457 E. Almond Ave., Suite 103. This is an independent podiatric office that provides care for the foot and ankle. According to Delia Zermeno, the office manager, patients generally present symptoms which include bunions, ingrown toenails, flat feet, plantar fasciitis, and fungal nails. Elder patients often require palliative care to ease pain and suffering. And, diabetic patients require constant foot care.

In-office professionals are Dr. Razan Kaileh, and Dr. Jay Mukker. Dr. Kaileh recently completed her degree at the Barry University School of Podiatric Medicine in Miami Shores, FL. The university was founded in 1940 by the Adrian Dominican Sisters and is one of the largest Catholic universities in the Southeast. She did her internships and residencies at James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital, an affiliate of the University of South Florida, in Tampa, FL, and Roger Williams Medical Center in Providence, R.I., an affiliate of Boston University School of Medicine.

Medicare and most third-party insurances are accepted, and the office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For an appointment, call (559) 674-3338.

Heart, Artery, and Vein Center

The Heart, Artery, and Vein Center is located at 457 E. Almond Ave., Suite 105. The Center’s health professionals are dedicated to interventional cardiology and other treatments of the heart, arteries, and veins. The Madera office is affiliated with the Heart, Artery, and Vein Center of Fresno. According to office manager Jessica Jimenez, treatments are focused on vascular problems, including varicose veins.

Common patient problems include hypertension (high blood pressure), previous heart attacks, shortness of breath, leg pains, and leg ulcers. Basically, anyone who experiences swelling associated with the leg can benefit from the provided services.

In-office professionals include nurse practitioner Abigail Ogle and Dr. Sanjay Srivatsa. Nurse practitioners are trained to assess patient needs, order and interpret diagnostic and laboratory tests, diagnose disease, formulate treatment plans, and prescribe medications.

Dr. Sanjay Srivasta received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in pharmacology from Pembroke College, University of Cambridge in England, where he also received his medical degree and did both an internship and residency. In the mid-1990’s, he was at the Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Medicine, where he completed fellowships in the study of cardiovascular diseases and coronary intervention.

In 2014, Dr. Srivasta established the Heart, Artery, and Vein Center of Fresno, and he now extends his services to Madera. His office, which is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., accepts nearly all medical-insurance plans. For an appointment, call (559) 479-4077.

Offices

All three offices are located on the north side of Almond Avenue, close to the Gateway Drive overcrossing. The waiting rooms, as well as the rest of the complex, are new and modern. Personnel are friendly and courteous, and patients receive individualized attention.

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Jim Glynn is Professor Emeritus of Sociology. He may be contacted at j_glynn@att.net.