Leon C. Chow, M. D.

Leon C. Chow, M. D. received his Medical Degree from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.  His Internship and Residency in Internal Medicine were both performed at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, California where he was Chief Resident for the Department of Medicine.  Dr. Chow completed his Fellowship in Cardiovascular Disease at the University of California/San Diego in San Diego, California.  Following his Fellowship, Dr. Chow returned as an Attending Physician to California Pacific Medical Center where he served as the Director of the Coronary Care Unit and the Director of Echocardiography and Non-Invasive Cardiology Lab.  Dr. Chow was a Clinical Instructor in Medicine at the University of California/San Francisco and an Assistant Professor of Medicine for the Division of Cardiology at the University of Florida Health Science Center/Jacksonville, Florida.  Dr. Chow is Board Certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Disease.  He is a member of the American College of Cardiology, the American Society of Echocardiography, the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology and the Clay County Medical Society.

Russell B. Stapleton, III, M. D.

Russell B. Stapleton, III, M. D. has been practicing medicine in Jacksonville, Florida since 1996.  Dr. Stapleton received his degree in Medicine from The Medical University of South Carolina located in Charleston, South Carolina.  He continued at The Medical University of South Carolina to perform his Internship in Internal Medicine, his Residency in Internal Medicine and his Fellowship in Cardiovascular Disease.  Dr. Stapleton was a Staff Physician with the United States Air Force from 1990 to 1993.  Dr. Stapleton is Board Certified in Cardiovascular Disease and Interventional Cardiology.  His professional memberships include:  The American College of Physicians, The American College of Cardiology, The American Society of Nuclear Cardiology and The Duval County Medical Society.

Welcome to Southern Heart Group

 

Welcome to Southern Heart Group

 

Southern Heart Group is a highly distinguished team of cardiovascular specialists who have been caring for the Jacksonville area for over 30 years. With multiple national accreditations and cardiologists recognized among “America’s Top Physicians”, we are proud of our leadership role in the community and are pleased to have been chosen ”Northeast Florida’s Best for Cardiology Care“.

 

At Southern Heart Group, we are devoted to providing the highest quality of care for the full spectrum of cardiac and vascular conditions. Our multi-disciplined physicians are well known for their compassionate approach and are widely recognized for their comprehensive expertise.  With multiple locations to fully serve Jacksonville and Northeast Florida, Southern Heart Group has been described as “an exceptional team that provides superior care and service“. Our thorough consultations and various state-of-the-art diagnostic and therapeutic technologies are performed in a comfortable setting with a knowledgeable, friendly staff. Our goal is to make each visit with us both pleasant and worry-free for our patients and their families. At Southern Heart Group, it is our top priority to achieve the best possible outcome for each person entrusted to our care.

 

More than 30 years after treating our first patient, Southern Heart Group remains the leader in providing the highest quality of cardiovascular care to the communities of Northeast Florida. We are dedicated to the patients we serve and we look forward to assisting you.

 

 

Girish S. Shroff, M. D.

Girish S. Shroff, M. D. has an extensive Medical career. Dr. Shroff began his Medical Training in India at the J. L. N. Medical College at Karnatak University where he received his M. B. B. S. degree in Medicine. Dr. Shroff performed a Medical Internship at the District Hospital of Belgaum, India and an Orthopedics Residency at the Bangalore Medical College in Bangalore, India. Dr. Shroff performed a Geriatrics Residency at Oak Forest Hospital in Oak Forest, Illinois and then went on to perform his Residency in Internal Medicine at the Finch University of Health Sciences/The Chicago Medical School in North Chicago, Illinois, where he was also a fourth year Chief Resident and then a Fellow in Cardiology. Dr. Shroff has received many Honors in his career including Distinction in Forensic Medicine and was awarded AMA/Burroughs Welcome Leadership Program. Dr. Shroff is Board Certified in Cardiovascular Disease. He is an active Member of the American Medical Association, American College of Cardiology and the Florida Medical Association.

Thomas L. Wolford, MD

Named a “Healthcare Hero” by the Jacksonville Business Journal and rated a Five Star Physician by Healthgrades, Dr. Thomas L. Wolford is a highly-skilled interventional cardiologist who has dramatically changed the scope and quality of care available to residents of Northeast Florida communities. Known for his exceptional skill at delivering complex treatments through arteries that others find challenging, Dr. Wolford has an outstanding reputation for acheiving exceptional results while exercising sound judgement and always putting the patient’s best interest first.

Dr. Wolford is triple boarded in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease, and Interventional Cardiology and is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology. After receiving his MD from The Washington University School of Medicine, Dr. Wolford performed his Internship and Residency in Internal Medicine at Barnes Hospital then went on to a cardiology fellowship at the Emory University affiliated hospitals in Atlanta, GA.  Following additional fellowships in both Interventional Cardiology and Congestive Heart Failure & Transplant Cardiology at Saint Louis University Medical Center, Dr. Wolford worked as an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Cardiology and as a staff physician at John Cochran VA Medical Center in Saint Louis. Dr. Wolford has performed extensive research in the field of Cardiology and is well published having had his accomplished work featured in national medical literature publications.

Upon joining Southern Heart Group, Dr. Wolford successfully made the transition from academia to private clinical practice by focusing all of his efforts and experience on adhering to the highest standards of patient care and advocacy. Having now performed thousands of coronary and peripheral interventions, Dr. Wolford has improved the health and quality of life for countless patients by restoring and improving blood flow to the heart and peripherals. The positive impact that he has had on the communities of Northeast Florida is evidenced first and foremost however by the lives he has saved. As one of only 2 interventional cardiologists in Clay County, Dr. Wolford has saved countless heart attack victims often under the most emergent of circumstances.

A mere 2 years ago, heart attack victims in Clay County were unable to receive the lifesaving coronary intervention that they desperately needed as no facility existed that could perform the required procedure. Patients had to be transferred out of their community to other  facilities in the area dramatically increasing costs and time before treatment was received which, in the event of a heart attack, often makes the difference between life and death. It is estimated that every minute someone experiencing a heart attack waits for treatment will result in two million heart cells lost.

Today, that difficult patient transfer is no longer necessary due largely in part to the industry of Dr. Wolford. Orange Park Medical Center now has 2 cardiac catheterization labs and the ability to fully perform both emergent and elective interventions. In addition, the number of cases performed by Dr. Wolford in the first year allowed the hospital to reach its required volume so rapidly that Orange Park Medical Center now offers comprehensive open heart surgery less than 2 years after the first emergent coronary intervention was performed.

Dr. Wolford understands that a patient’s recovery from a devastating event like a heart attack does not stop once blood flow has been restored. He is dedicated to the idea that it is a long process and requires a focused team approach. Thus he was instrumental in the creation of the newly founded Cardiac Rehab Program at Orange Park Medical Center. Prior to the program’s inception, cardiac rehab was unavailable in Clay County and patients were required to travel outside of their community for care. Dr. Wolford’s ongoing efforts for the people of Clay County and surrounding communitites continue to change and improve the medical landscape of Northeast Florida.

Dr. Wolford practices full time at Southern Heart Group’s Orange Park location. He serves as Medical Director for the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program at Orange Park Medical Center and he is the Medical Director of Southern Heart Group’s nationally accredited Vascular Laboratory.

Praveen K. Kanaparti, MD, FACC

Praveen K. Kanaparti, MD, FACC

Dr. Kanaparti received his MBBS and MD from Osmania University, Hyderabad, India. In the US, he completed his Residency in Internal Medicine and a Fellowship in Cardiology at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York. There he received The Leo Davidoff Society award for outstanding achievement as a Resident.

For a year, he worked as an attending physician at Montefiore/North Central Bronx hospitals and conducted basic research on endothelial cell adhesion molecules and their role in Atherogenesis. Dr. Kanaparti has additional training in Cardiac MR and Cardiac CT from the University Of  Virginia.

He is proficient in performance of Cardiac Catheterization, temporary and permanent pacemaker implantation, Transthoracic & Transesophageal echocardiography and Echo-guided Pericardiocentesis. He is a member of American Heart Association, American Society of Nuclear Cardiology,  Society of Cardiac CT, Society of Cardiac MR, Society of Vascular Ultrasound and a Fellow of American college of cardiology. He is Board certified in Internal Medicine and in Cardiology.

Dr. Kanaparti became a Diplomate of the Certification Board of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography.

David J. Stroh, D. O.

David J. Stroh, D. O. has had a career in Medicine in Pulmonary/Critical Care and Cardiology as a civilian and as a Commander with the United States Navy.  Dr. Stroh obtained his Osteopathic Degree in Medicine from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  He performed his Internship at the Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.  Dr. Stroh performed his Residency at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, Florida.  His Fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine was performed at the University of Miami.  Dr. Stroh entered Naval Service in 1981 and attended Officer Indoctrination School in 1990.  He worked as a Staff Physician in Pulmonary/Critical Care and was a Cardiology Fellow at the Naval Hospital of San Diego from 1990-2000.  He worked as a Staff Physician in Cardiology at the Naval Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida from 2000-2002.   During his time in the Military, Dr. Stroh received many awards including:  Navy Commendation Medal with the Gold Star, Humanitarian Support Medal, Joint Meritorious Unit Commendation, National Defense Ribbon, and NATO Ribbon.  Dr. Stroh is Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Medicine, Critical Care, Cardiovascular Disease and is certified by the Certification Board of Nuclear Cardiology to practice Nuclear Cardiology.  Dr. Stroh is a Fellow with the American College of Physicians, a Fellow with the American College of Cardiology, a member of the Florida Osteopathic Medical Association and has been a member of the Association of Military Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons.

Venkata S. Sagi, M. D.

Venkata S. Sagi, M. D. is a highly-specialized electrophysiologist and a well-respected expert in treating disorders of the heart’s electrical system. Dr. Sagi received his M. B. B. S. from Andhra Medical, Affiliate of University of Health Sciences in India where he finished in the top ten percent of his class. He performed his Internship at Andhra Medical before coming to the United States to perform his Residency in Internal Medicine and Fellowship in Electrophysiology at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. Dr. Sagi performed additional Fellowships in Cardiology at Louisiana State University in Shreveport, Louisiana and in Electrophysiology at the University of Missouri at Kansas City/Mid-America Heart Institute in Kansas City, Missouri.

Dr. Sagi is Board Certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease and Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology. He is a member of the American College of Cardiology and an affiliate member of the Heart Rhythm Society. During his graduate training, Dr. Sagi received awards for his performance as a Medical Intern and Resident. He has also been the recipient of the Edgar E Hull Award in Cardiology.

Dr. Sagi has performed thousands of procedures to successfully treat patients suffering from rhythm disturbances of the heart. Utilizing the latest state-of-the-art diagnostic techniques and therapies, Dr. Sagi is able to diagnose and treat even the most difficult cases of irregular heart beats.