Modern Vascular, a pioneering medical group dedicated to preventing amputation through the treatment of peripheral artery disease (PAD), today announced the hiring of Dr. Steve Berkowitz, a nationally recognized healthcare leader with over 25 years of experience in senior management, protocol standardization, and clinical oversight.
Previous Experience
Dr. Berkowitz comes to Modern Vascular from Banner Health in Phoenix, Arizona, where he served as the organization’s Medical Director of Specialty Performance Improvement. Prior to that position, he was the Chief Physician Executive and medical group president for Northern Light Health, a nine-hospital system in Maine. He’s also held the title of Chief Medical Officer at St. David’s Healthcare, a six-hospital system in Austin, Texas and at the Central and West Texas Division of HCA, which was awarded the Texas Award for Performance Excellence and the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality award.
“I am thrilled to join the Modern Vascular team,” Dr. Berkowitz said. “The organization is dedicated to saving patients from the unnecessary risk and cost associated with amputations. I have seen the work that is being done in their clinics and am convinced their treatments represent the gold-standard for PAD care. I was also impressed by Modern Vascular’s commitment to caring for underserved communities, especially indigenous populations in the American Southwest.”
Board Certified
Dr. Berkowitz, who is board certified in internal medicine, said he found Modern Vascular’s approach especially appealing because the procedures are minimally invasive, which means no general anesthesia and no surgery. This is particularly important given the typical age and health status of patients with peripheral artery disease. “Unfortunately, many patients are encouraged to undergo invasive vascular surgeries requiring hospitalization, and even amputations, a high-risk and life-altering surgery,” he added. “While amputations might be profitable for some practices, I believe patients and their quality-of-life matter more than profit. And I’m proud to work for a company with the mission of eliminating unnecessary amputations as the standard treatment for those with peripheral artery disease.”
New Role
In his new role, Dr. Berkowitz will ensure the best-in-class standards of care already in place at Modern Vascular clinics are enhanced, improved, and implemented as the company expands. He will also oversee the multidisciplinary panel of healthcare professionals employed by Modern Vascular, which includes Interventional Radiologists, Vascular Surgeons, and Interventional Cardiologists at the company’s 14 clinics nationwide.
“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Berkowitz to the Modern Vascular family,” noted Dr. Yury Gampel, the company’s founder and CEO. “As the demand for our minimally invasive services continues to grow and we open more clinics across the country, it is imperative for Modern Vascular to have a full-time Chief Medical Officer who will be an advocate for innovative quality measures that improve the lives of our patients.”