DOCTORS OF INTEREST
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Treasure Coast Medical Report
In his Midway Specialty Care Center, and its predecessor, Midway Care Center, Ramgopal has
conducted 250 clinical trials that have been an invaluable resource to his patients.
served on the Treasure Coast, and in 2014 he founded the
Midway Specialty Care Center. As medical director of the
nonprofit organization, he was looking for strategies to deliver
better infectious disease care for his patients. The clinic’s
mission is to provide comprehensive care, including primary
and specialty treatment, and access to behavioral health,
gynecological, and nutritional services.
“It’s about the whole caring for people who are down,
who have nothing, and lift them up and give them hope and
inspiration,” he says. “It’s a strong philosophy of mine and
it’s because, where I came from, a poor country and recognize
now you’re in the wealthiest country in the world, how can
you work and enhance people’s lives in a quality way?”
The clinic’s success is largely due to the teamwork of dedicated
clinicians, says Ramgopal. The doctor is also a big believer
in scheduling shorter waiting periods for his patients’
appointments.
“For my patients, I try to get you in as quickly as possible,”
he points out. “There’s a lot of urgency with infectious
diseases.”
Addressing mental health is another important part of
patient care at the clinic.
“I understood very early that patients with HIV can be
very depressed, and that’s not unusual,” he explains. “Can
you imagine living with something for the next 30 to 40 years
of your life and interfering with your daily functions with
people and making you fearful? In the world of HIV, we recognize
that if you’re not taking your medications, a lot of it is
probably wrapped around mental health — depression, fear,
anxiety, and substance abuse.”
The clinic also provides transportation for disadvantaged
patients to make their appointments. Recently, a food bank
was set up so the clinic’s patients can have access to nutritional
food.
The Midway Specialty Care Center serves as a model for
other infectious disease clinics in Florida. Other physicians
throughout the state have reached out to Ramgopal to start
up clinics for the less fortunate in their communities. In a
collaborative agreement, 11 clinics have been established
throughout Florida.
And not forgetting his roots, Ramgopal is also planning to
set up a state-of-the-art infectious disease clinic in his homeland
Ramgopal is devoted to fighting HIV by educating the public.
of Guyana. Collaborating with Guyanese hospitals,
the University of Miami, and the Mayo Clinic, he wants to
promote a new generation of people to take care of patients
and motivate medical students.
“I think it’s an important time to put my footprint back
there again, because it’s good to give back,” he says. “Being
from Guyana made me appreciate life better. There’s a value
to appreciate where you’re at. There’s a value of a greater
force getting you there. It can be given today and taken away
from you tomorrow. So you need to appreciate every day that
you have and try to do the right thing on a daily basis.”
“It’s about the
whole caring for
people who are
down, who have
nothing, and lift
them up and give
them hope and
inspiration.”
— Dr. Moti Ramgopal