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Adventist Health doctors awarded Physican of the Year honors at symposium
This year, 18 out of 4,800 medical staff physicians, throughout the Adventist Health system, received the honor.
Dr. Frank Gavini
Dr. Gavini is a fellowship-trained and board-certified cardiovascular specialist who’s been caring for patients in Central California for more than 24 years. Though he’s been in the business for decades, he continues to educate himself on the newest advancements in medicine.
On March 19, 2015, Dr. Gavini and the Cardiac Catheterization Lab team at Adventist Medical Center – Hanford became the first in Kings County to perform an S-ICD (subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator) procedure on two patients at risk of suffering from cardiac death or arrest. One of the patients had this to say, “I was happy to hear nothing was going to go inside my heart or down my arteries… The procedure went fine. Dr. Gavini really knows his stuff.”
Dr. Gavini is the Chair of Department of Medicine at Adventist Medical Center – Hanford and Medical Director for the hospital’s Cardiac Cath Lab. He also has his own private practice in Hanford.
“It is my strong personal belief that I am trying in part to fulfill the purpose of God, who led me to Central California all the way from India to bring comfort and healing,” he says. “I thank Adventist Health for supporting my growth in our mission to follow the Great Healer.”
Those who work with Dr. Gavini say he’s a very humble and caring person. “He goes above and beyond by taking extra steps to get involved in a patient’s care,” says Rose Solorza, medical assistant. “Personally, he’s done so much for my family,” says Receptionist Jocelyn Cuevas. “My grandfather was one of his patients. He makes you feel like you can call him at any time of the day to ask questions...” Dr. Gavini has a wife and three grown children. In his free time, he enjoys playing the keyboard and studies video and photography.
Dr. Gary Hoffman
Dr. Hoffman’s dream is to have a behavioral health provider in all 32 clinics throughout Adventist Health / Community Care. The clinical psychologist and director of all behavioral health clinics in the Central Valley Network has life-long ties to the area, including master’s and bachelor’s degrees in psychology from California State University, Fresno and a doctorate from the American Psychological Association accredited program at Alliant University.
He’s been with the Central Valley Network since 2009 and in the Clinic Director role since 2013. In that time, he’s teamed up with medical providers to promote and expand his department’s services to meet the community’s behavioral health needs. “I spend 80% of my time devoted to patient care,” says Dr. Hoffman. “I appreciate the opportunity to serve a diverse population of children, teenagers and adults. It reinforces my appreciation of Adventist Health’s mission to share God’s love by providing physical, mental and spiritual healing.”
Dr. Hoffman’s goal is to treat patients before their behavioral health problems take a toll. “We notice poor treatment compliance with medical issues and an increase in emergency room visits when we don’t intervene at an early stage of anxiety and depression,” he says. “We also see difficulties with school attendance and acting out in children and teens because of a lack of access to services.”
Dr. Hoffman sees his department’s services as playing a major role in helping reduce behavioral health problems at all stages of life. His team members say this strong dedication to his community is what makes him a great person and a great leader. “He’s very compassionate, not only with employees and patients, but anybody he comes into contact with,” says Corina Herrera, Behavioral Health assistant. “He’s very open to suggestions and always does his best to include us in department decisions.”
Dr. Hoffman has a wife of 22 years, a son and two grand-children. He enjoys traveling all over the south and southwestern United States with his family and attending community events, auto and motorcycle races and baseball games.
Dr. Agustin Rubio
Staff members at Adventist Health / Community Care – Reedley call Dr. Rubio “The People’s Doctor.” The board-certified family medicine physician grew up in the Central Valley and is fluent in Spanish, which allows him to connect with a large Hispanic population.
For Doctors’ Day one year, Adventist Health / Central Valley Network held a contest and asked the community to share an excellent experience with a physician. One patient wrote: “The experience I will never forget happened during the summer of 2007 at Selma Community Hospital. My dad… was an alcohol abuser. At that point his alcoholism had become worse with each day that passed. With time, his foot became swollen… and had foul-smelling drainage, so he was sent to the hospital. There, an angel changed my dad’s thoughts and life forever. Dr. Rubio… told my dad the harsh truth… He did it with compassion. My dad is almost two years sober…”
The comment was received while Dr. Rubio was a resident. Six years later, he’s still receiving similar praises from patients and staff members. “I’ve worked with Dr. Rubio for four years,” says Lorena Perez, medical assistant. “He’s always been humble and treats us with respect, which is why I bring my family to him for care. He sees my children and my parents, who just love him!” Dr. Rubio credits his faith in God for allowing him to continue to do what he loves. “I live out Adventist Health’s mission in my everyday practice by offering compassion, education and prayer so that my patients can achieve health and restoration that God has promised them,” he says.
