Need a GOOD primary Dr in Internal Medicine
 

Just moved here and need a GOOD primary Dr in Internal Medicine.

Internist
 

Dr. Martinez - Cruz 352-750-6650 Internist………….1 block from Villages hospital (in Dr. Smirnoff's old office).

My husband and I both love Dr. Martinez - Cruz, who is an Internist. He seldom keeps us waiting, more than 15-20 minutes. He listens to us and never rushes out the door. I've been to a lot of Villages doctors and he is the most patient and caring dr. I have been to.

Dr. Martinez-Cruz carries no malpractice insurance due to previous problems. He has this posted in his waiting room. Also has no hospital affiliation.

Over the past few months you have posted and started threads requesting recommendations of doctors, including an immediate need for stitch removal. Were you able to become associated with or a patient of any of the Villages healthcare offices? Our doctor is at the Colony location. She gives referrals when needed. By it being a doctor referral, the wait period is reduced tremendously.

Depending on your location, Dr Michael Wald at the Mullberry Health Center is a very good Internist. I've been very pleased with his care.

Dr Mirko Roethlisberger at Creekside Landing is an EXCELLENT doctor. He has been our physician for over 12 years.

WOW! These are two big negatives in my opinion. I had been looking for a primary care Dr. and saw all of the good posts about this Dr here on TOTV. I called and was told that he did not accept my insurance (which is a PPO, and accepted almost everywhere) Now, after seeing this post, I am glad that I didn't see him. I might be wrong but, maybe he has no hospital affiliation because he is unable to get malpractice insurance?

I recommend Dr Tafur.

Dr Winston Evalle on Wedgewood - 352-259-0364

WOW!!!....amazed as to why somebody would avoid an outstanding physician (Dr. Martinez-Cruz is a 5 star rated physician)...because he's an Internist and does not carry malpractice insurance....He's not a Surgeon, OB-Gyn just an Internal Medicine physician.....BTW....There actually is a law in Florida (see 458.320, F.S.) that says doctors must carry $100,000 in malpractice insurance in order to practice medicine at all, and in order to have hospital staff privileges (they see patients in hospitals and not just in their offices) they must have at least $250,000 in malpractice insurance. As an alternative to having an actual malpractice insurance policy, Florida law also allows doctors to use other types of pre-arranged secured assets to cover claims in these amounts, like trust accounts, bank letters of credit, and similar arrangements. There is nothing inherently wrong with these other types of security, but they are rarely used.

The poster said no medical malpractice insurance because of previous problems. That is concerning. You could look at not carrying insurance as a business decision. That is less concerning, but still concerning.

Previous Problems?
 

Please elaborate Mac9 on these "previous problems you speak of on this post" since you surely have the details since you wrote this post!

A group of gynecologists I went to in South Florida had the same sign re: malpractice insurance posted in their office. As far as doctors seeing patients in the hospital, isn't that declining? It seems that hospitalists are now doing that job.

You can search at Florida Dept. of Health for details about any physician practicing in Florida, including licensure, profile, education, insurance. I looked up my former OBGYN who has hospital privileges, who was named one of the 100 best doctors in the U.S. in a certain year, and does NOT carry malpractice insurance. I also looked up Dr. Martinez-Cruz and could find no record of "problems."

Thank You jg7933 and CarlaB.....it is FL law to have a min. of $100,000 (pennies, but it makes him legal in this state)......if the "previous problems" were that bad, he would have had his license to practice in FL revoked....please advise what the "previous problems" were........(did it ever dawn on you it could have been a soon-to-be ex-wife that is sucking the financial resources out of an excellent physician?)..........Thank You in advance.

I have to say, that never dawned on me. :confused:

Dr. Jay Shaktawat,(352) 633-8681, 13953 NE 86th Terrace, Suite 101
Lady Lake FL 32159, just North of the Lowes Shopping area across from the hospital.

Hi,

I also have Dr Martinez Cruz and asked him about why he didn't have mal-practice insurance. And he said it was the cost. He wants to be the kind of Dr to practice 'healing' his patients and their families. He wants to be able to spend 1/2 hour with a patient, or more if needed. In his previous group practice, the group wanted him to see 4 - 6 patients an hour. Seeing only 2 patients an hour just doesn't give him enough money to support his family, maintain his practice (rents, staff) and pay for malpractice insurance. I met his wife btw and I think she's his first. She loves dogs :)

They love all animals. They had a house and acreage out by DDRR with emus and llamas. It became too much to maintain, and they had to sell the animals. Dr. M-C said his wife cried when the animals were sold.

He is very knowledgeable, having practiced at Mass General. He recently diagnosed immediately a problem with my husband that, had we waited to see a specialist, could have resulted in long-term illness and organ damage. He says he got so many specialists' reports from all sorts of patients' problems while he was in Boston, and studied them carefully and learned.

We can't recommend him enough. For my husband to trust him so fully is a tribute. He's from the "I'm from Missouri; show me" school of skepticism.

I truly think he will hold his practice down to the number of patients he can accommodate completely.

I own an apology about Dr. Martinez Cruz........it is another physician who suddenly disappeared that is dealing with the ex-wife $$$ thing,( Dr. Spurrier). But what Kgentile said about trying to tally up 4-6 patients an hour is a result of all the cuts to Medicare reimbursements........Dr. Martinez Cruz does really listen......that's what you get when there is just 2 patients an hour........:)