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Yana Gofman, D.O. is a board-certified physician with extensive experience in primary care, geriatric medicine, and preventative healthcare. She graduated with honors from Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine, where she ranked in the top 10% of her class and was the recipient of the prestigious A. Alvin Greber Cardiology Award. 

Dr. Gofman earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in Psychology from Nova Southeastern University in 2007, where she received the Outstanding Student Award. She began her academic journey at Ferris State University, demonstrating early on a strong commitment to excellence in her studies.

Her medical training includes completing an internship and residency in osteopathic internal medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, FL, from 2011 to 2014. During this time, she gained a robust foundation in managing complex medical conditions across diverse patient populations.

Dr. Gofman has over a decade of professional experience as a primary care physician. Her clinical focus is on treating adult and geriatric patients, emphasizing personalized care and preventative medicine to enhance patient outcomes. Dr. Gofman is deeply committed to fostering long-term patient relationships and empowering individuals to achieve their best health through proactive, comprehensive care.

Dr. Gofman is fluent in both English and Russian, which enables her to effectively communicate with a diverse range of patients. Beyond her professional endeavors, she values spending time with her family, exploring travel opportunities, and enjoying the outdoors. Her multifaceted interests and dedication to patient care exemplify her holistic approach to medicine.

Nelson Calvo, APRN is originally from Havana City, Cuba. Growing up he always had a passion for medicine and in 1990 started medical School and graduated in 1996 as a general practitioner in a well-recognized institution, Hospital Calixto Garcia. Nelson then completed his residency program as a Family Physician, ending as a specialist in Urology in 2002. Shortly after, he was sent by the Cuban government to Venezuela as a primary care provider to serve as a doctor in underserved communities.

Working without resources in a community, living below the poverty standard, isolated from health facilities, without economic resources, and with an extremely low level of education, created a new challenge for Mr. Clavo. He then set a goal to reduce comorbidities and mortality associated with parasitism, and chronic/acute disease.

In 2007 he moved to America in hopes of better possibilities for his family and himself. In 2018, after many years of hard work and dedication, Nelson graduated as an Advanced Nurse Practitioner and returned to the Primary Care setting again. Now with more experience, he utilized the tools he learned in medical school, residency, and life to improve and promote health in my community. As a practitioner, his goal is to continue using his extensive experience when treating patients and learning in this fast-evolving world of medicine.

Nelson Calvo, APRN is proud to be happily married with two sons, one of which has already graduated as a Medical Doctor and the other on his way to becoming a physician as well. In his free time, he likes practicing sports, dancing, and listening to music.

Rafael Castells Ferras is a trusted and accountable bilingual (English and Spanish) Board-
Certified Advanced Practice Registered Nurse with over 12 years of experience in the medical field. He is trained to work in high-stress environments, demonstrating excellent
interpersonal communication skills and a keen sense of purpose. Rafael excels at
collaborating with healthcare teams to provide superior medical care, with exceptional
proficiency in assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating patient treatment.

Mr. Castell's medical education in Cuba includes a specialization in Ophthalmology and Visual/Neuro Electrophysiology, with several years of community service. He holds a Master’s in Nursing from Miami Regional University and has trained to work in acute care settings at the University of Miami Emergency Room and Bascom Palmer ER. Since the global health crisis, he has been actively practicing and providing patient care in these critical environments.

Rafael is passionate about educating his patients on their conditions to improve health outcomes. He firmly believes that community-based disease prevention and health promotion are essential for long-term wellness.

Dr. Denise Dvorquez earned her medical degree from the Catholic University of Santiago de Guayaquil in Ecuador in 2007. She began her medical career as a primary care physician in the Galápagos Islands, where she served the local community for one year. Driven by a passion for public health, she was awarded a prestigious Fulbright Scholarship and completed a master's degree in public health at Johns Hopkins University.

Following her graduate studies, Dr. Dvorquez returned to Ecuador to teach at her alma mater before relocating to the United States to pursue her residency in Internal Medicine at Jackson Memorial Hospital/University of Miami. She is board certified in Internal Medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine and also holds certification from the American Board of Obesity Medicine.

Dr. Dvorquez has since practiced primary care in both Washington State and California, with a strong commitment to preventive care and chronic disease management. Outside of medicine, she enjoys the ocean, outdoor adventures, and camping. She values quality time with her son and loves playing soccer with him. Dr. Dvorquez is bilingual in English and Spanish.

AssociatesMD is a primary care practice with offices in Plantation, Pembroke Pines, Fort Lauderdale, Davie, Weston, Margate, and Dania Beach, Florida. The multispecialty medical group provides innovative, high-quality care from some of the best providers in Broward County.

The practice offers a number of primary care services to manage general health, including annual physical exams, urgent care, chronic care management, diagnostics, vaccines, and allergy testing. The practice also offers women’s health services, catering to the unique health care needs and concerns of women throughout all stages of life. 

AssociatesMD also specializes in cardiology, performing cardiac pre-operative clearance exams and specialized diagnostic testing like echocardiograms and stress tests. Additionally, the multispecialty practice provides nutrition services and helps with diet and weight loss. 

To manage those unexpected illnesses and injuries, AssociatesMD has urgent care clinics in Pembroke Pines and Fort Lauderdale. The highly attentive staff also provides Medicare patient navigation and personal health care assistants, helping patients get all the services they need for better health and wellness. 

AssociatesMD has telemedicine appointments for patients who are unable to get to the office for care.

Call AssociatesMD today or use the online booking button to schedule an appointment.

Slyllia Thompson is a Registered Nurse and Certified Nurse Practitioner with over 12 years of demonstrated nursing experience, spanning dynamic healthcare settings; in areas of Primary Care, Research, Assisted Living Facilities and Home Health. She graduated from Barry University in Miami with a BSN degree and went on to pursue her MSN degree at Florida A&M University in Tallahassee. She is a member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. She believes in patient centered care and optimizing the best healthcare outcomes for her patients. She enjoys spending time with her family, attending her kids sporting events, traveling, volunteering in her community and a home cooked meal.

Dr. Fernando A. Laracuente is our clinical director and leading medical provider at our offices. Dr. Laracuente received a degree from Nova Southeastern University with a specialization in Exceptional Education/Special Services and Nursing Education. He received his Master’s Degree in Nursing as an Advanced Practice Nurse Practice in Family Health and a Master’s of Science in Education in Family Therapy/Marriage Counseling with a Minor in School Counseling. Recent achievements include a post-masters graduate certificate in psychiatric mental health throughout the lifespan.

Dr. Laracuente is a pioneer, as he opened a nurse-operating full functional clinic under Florida's law of autonomous practice. His practice is holistic in that he emphasizes that wellness can only be achieved through balance between our bodies and our minds. His integrated approach can be seen in his ability to manage both primary care and psychiatric conditions.

In our clinic, we treat patients of all ages, from babies to seniors. We provide both primary care and psychiatric services for people of all ages. Dr. Laracuente has attained three distinguishable National Board Certifications through the ANCC and AANP – Family Practice and Psychiatric Mental Health, respectively. He has a license in Florida and New York. 

Dr. Laracuente has been a teacher for more than 20 years. He has taught at major universities, such as Nova Southeastern University, Miami-Dade College, and Universidad del Turabo (part of the Ana G. Mendez University System). Both Miami-Dade County Public Schools and private medical clinics have used him to evaluate the abilities of children with disabilities, as well as the need for services for children and adults. He is considered one of the founders of the Master's in Child Protection at Nova Southeastern University. His research led to the development of a course that is required to get this graduate degree. 

Dr. Laracuente has served in leadership and investigative roles for the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) and the NYC Administration for Children's Services, where he specialized in neglect, physical, and sexual abuse. He specializes in various forms of trauma as a therapist and provider.

Dr. Laracuente has extensive experience conducting psychiatric assessments required for bariatric weight loss, as well as early intervention. Additionally, he regularly conducts comprehensive developmental evaluations to assess developmental disorders in children (i.e., language delays, autism, ADHD, learning disabilities) and has become instrumental in ordering early services for these children.

At LHA, we feel that all of our patients are members of our family, and we treat you as such. We look forward to helping you achieve your health goals!

Dr. Fernando A. Laracuente

Clinic Director / Owner / Founder

Margarita Armas believes in developing strong relationships, in order to provide personalize care, tailored to meet each patient’s specific needs. By utilizing an advanced array of testing and holistic thinking together she can help optimize your health. She enjoyed 10 years of emergency and critical care at the bedside for Mount Sinai Medical Center. She has had the privilege to work alongside South Florida’s top physicians. Including top Internist, Cardiologist and Infectious Disease specialist. With over 15 years’ experience both in the emergency room and private practice, treating patients of all ages makes her knowledge widely based. She enjoys getting to know her patients on a personal level in order to build strong relationships. She received her Master’s degree from Keiser University as well as many certifications in Anti-Aging medicine. She has a passion for helping people by increasing her knowledge continuously and educating herself on innovative medical treatments.

About Us

The Foundation for Sickle Cell Disease Research (FSCDR) is a renowned organization solely focused on medical care and clinical research opportunities for those living with Sickle Cell Disease. FSCDR has locations across the State of Florida. Its Flagship is in Hollywood, Florida.

As the only organization in the United States with standalone sickle cell Centers of Excellence, The Foundation for Sickle Cell Disease Research welcomes patients from all over the world. The team of physicians, specialists, care coordinators, case managers, and social work professionals combine to provide all-inclusive care for children and adults with sickle cell disease.

Their stated mission is to tirelessly research, inform, hear, respect, treat, and support all individuals with sickle cell disease, and to make the disease a livable, non-threatening condition. In addition, they do innovative diagnostic testing, such as transcranial Doppler ultrasounds, X-rays, and medical treatments, including infusion services.

The team at The Foundation for Sickle Cell Disease Research works with other medical and education professionals to ensure that their patients of all ages receive the care and support they need to thrive, ranging from vaccinations to medication management and social work services.

Along with school individualized educational plan (IEP) support, disability application assistance, and case management, they help patients work through the social determinants of health to ensure patients receive the proper support they need.

To schedule an appointment with The Foundation for Sickle Cell Disease Research, call or book online today.