Top of the line: some of the world's most well-respected doctors practice in South Florida. A guide to choosing the best physician specialists - Top Doctors in South Florida

South Florida CEO, July, 2002 by Scott Singer

The older we get, the more obsessed we become about a myriad of concerns: Do I look good? Do I feel good? Am I eating right?

Stress tests, now highly recommended (I thought this was just a daily activity in my life) are necessary to see if you have "leakage" from one of your heart valves. It's not unusual for weary executives to find themselves reading pharmaceutical ads in the news weeklies just to see what the contra-indications are for their drug of choice.

And it's not just the internal concerns. Top executives must look good. Tucks, hair implants, chin implants -- all have redefined the term "plastic surgery." It's a war out there, and the leader must, above all, look good and feel good. This is big business. There is no doubt that for CEOs health is all-consuming, and they will go to extremes to preserve, protect and regain it.

Anonymous South Florida CEO

"Seek out the best-regarded physicians in the community." That's the No. 1 piece of advice Steven Sonenreich has for anyone concerned about their health (which means almost everyone). The Mount Sinai Medical Center & Miami Heart institute CEO says that finding top doctors is more essential than seeking top medical facilities.

But how can you determine the best individual provider for your health care, with legions of doctors practicing in South Florida? Consumer health research firm Castle Connolly Medical Ltd. produces a highly-regarded list of the top doctors in the US, as revealed by their peers -- physicians and hospital medical leaders. SouthFloridaCEO has highlighted a selection of the best of these physicians in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties, a small portion of Castle Connolly's list. Included are pediatric specialists, since a CEO's ability to perform also depends on his or her family's health.

Use this resource while you're still healthy. "You don't want to develop that relationship at a bad time," says Sonenreich. "You want to develop that relationship at a good time.

Because a listing of certifications and faculty appointments hardly begins to tell the story of South Florida's top physicians, we also profile six "medical pioneers" that Castle Connolly's research has consistently recognized. They are leaders in their fields, bringing world-class medicine to the tri-county area.

For Castle Connolly's full guide, America's Top Doctors (2nd ed.), call 1-800-399-3627 ($29.95 soft cover or $79.95 hard cover). www.AmericasTopDoctors.com (AOL key word CastleConnolly).

Allergy & Immunology

Baptist Hospital of Miami. (305) 665-1623. Certification: Internal Medicine, 88; Allergy & Immunology, 91. Faculty: Asst. Prof. Medicine, Univ. Miami School Medicine

Susan Benenati

Stuart Friedman

Boca Raton Community Hospital. (561) 495-2580. Certification: Internal Medicine, 80; Allergy & Immunology, 83

Joan Gluck

Baptist Hospital of Miami. (305) 279-3366

Michael Pacin

Baptist Hospital of Miami. (305) 279-3366. Certification: Allergy & Immunology, 79; Internal Medicine, 74

Mark R. Stein

Good Samaritan Medical Center - W. Palm Beach. (561) 626-2006. Certification: Internal Medicine, 75; Allergy & Immunology, 77

Cardiac

Electrophysiology

Alberto Interian, Jr.

Jackson Memorial Hospital. (305) 585-5532. Certification: Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease), 87; Internal Medicine, 85. Faculty: Prof. Medicine, Univ. Miami School Medicine

Cardiology

(Cardiovascular Disease)

Steven Borzak

JFK Medical Center Atlantis. (561) 641-9541. Certification: Internal Medicine, 87; Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease), 91

James Margolis

Miami Heart Institute. (305) 674-3117. Certification: Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease), 75; Interventional Cardiology, 99. Faculty: Clinical Prof. Medicine, Univ. Miami School Medicine

Robert Myerburg

Jackson Memorial Hospital. (305) 585-5523. Certification: Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease), 70; Cardiac Electrophysiology, 98. Faculty: Prof. Medicine, Univ. Miami School Medicine

Paul Vignola

Mount Sinai Medical Center. (305) 674-2533. Certification: Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease), 77; Interventional Cardiology, 99

Colon & Rectal Surgery

Mercy Hospital. (305) 8542432. Certification: Celon & Rectal Surgery, 71

Manuel Carbonell

John Christie

Baptist Hospital of Miami. (305) 913-0666. Certification: Surgery, 71. Faculty: Assoc. Clinical Prof. Celon & Rectal Surgery, Univ. Miami School Medicine

Rene Hartmann

Baptist Hospital of Miami. (305) 271-0300. Certification: Surgery, 78; Colon & Rectal Surgery, 94. Faculty: Assoc. Clinical Prof. Surgery, Univ. Miami School Medicine

Juan Jose Nogueras

Cleveland Clinic Florida. (954) 659-5251. Certification: Surgery, 97; Colon & Rectal Surgery, 93

Steven Wexner

Cleveland Clinic Florida. (954) 659-6020. Certification: Surgery, 96; Colon & Rectal Surgery, 89. Faculty: Prof. Surgery, Univ. S. Fla College Medicine

Dermatology

Bernard H. Cohen

Baptist Hospital of Miami. (305) 444-0120. Certification: Dermatology, 72. Faculty: Clinical Prof. Dermatology, Univ. Miami School Medicine

Howard Green

St. Mary's Medical Center - W. Palm Beach. (561) 659-1510. Certification: Dermatology, 92