Is There a Doctor in the House?

At Sierra Vista Medical Group, the answer is increasingly, “Yes!” SVMG, the medical practice of Canyon Vista Medical Center, has recently been expanding the number and types of physicians, the scopes of practice, and the specialties offered. Community members frequently ask us what providers there are at the hospital. This article will focus on the latest updates on the providers and services currently available.

Meet Canyon Vista Medical Group’s Newest Providers!

It is important to realize not all of Canyon Vista’s doctors are part of the medical group. The hospital’s providers may be employed by the hospital, contracted to provide a specific service, or be independent providers with privileges at the hospital. For example, if you are admitted to the hospital, your day-to-day care will be managed by a “hospitalist,” which is simply a physician who specializes in the care of patients in a hospital. The group that is contracted to provide hospitalist services for CVMC is Sound Physicians. You may also have a specialist who is responsible for your specific condition or treatment plan. The specialists who treat patients at CVMC are largely, but not entirely, employed by the hospital and organized through Sierra Vista Medical Group, or SVMG.

Primary care providers are the first line of defense in keeping our community healthy. They provide vaccinations and screenings, annual check-ups, and referrals to specialty care. At SVMG, both Family Medicine and Internal Medicine clinicians provide this vital service.

Family Medicine specialists are trained to care for the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of patients, young and old, male and female, throughout their entire lifetime.  In 2024, our Family Medicine team moved their services to the Lenio Building at 210 El Camino Real, next to the Cochise College downtown campus in order to be able to offer services closer to where people live. Dr. Blair Goodsell, a former Army physician, has been a provider in Sierra Vista since 1989.  Nurse Practitioner Alli Skeehan, has worked in every nursing capacity, receiving her Nurse Practitioner’s license in 2023.  These two providers care for family members across all ages, diseases, and parts of the body. Joe Clifton, the Practice Manager for SVMG said that the Family Medicine group takes walk-ins at the Lenio office. “We have actually been helping a lot of sick people coming as walk-ins, especially because of the flu.”  CEO Shaun Phillips is recruiting additional Family Medicine providers to supplement this team.

Internal Medicine doctors specialize in adult health and focus on solving diagnostic problems, often serving as primary care providers for adult patients. Dr. Roberto Molina, who speaks English and Spanish fluently, heads up the Internal Medicine primary care group at Medical Office Building 2, next to the hospital. Dr. Molina and Physician’s Assistant Alyssa Knapp both have deep roots in the Sierra Vista area and handle a wide range of conditions, from common ailments to more complex diseases. In 2024, Nurse Practitioner Anne Murray joined the team. These three providers are dedicated to listening to and understanding your concerns in order to develop a personalized plan to meet your individual needs.

Advanced Wound Care Center. If you have a sore or wound that has not improved with conventional treatment, you will likely be referred to the Advanced Wound Care Center. Dr. Roberto Molina and Andrea Ruble, a Family Nurse Practitioner will work together to heal your persistent wounds, teach you how to do your own wound care at home and how to protect yourself from further injury.

 Gastroenterology: Competition for specialists in this field is fierce and only growing more intense as it continues to be one of the most difficult specialties to recruit.  However, in August of last year, SVMG was thrilled to welcome Vandana Vedula, MD, a Gastroenterologist with over 30 years of experience, to its medical group. Fluent in both English and Hindi, she can communicate effectively with patients from various backgrounds, ensuring a personalized and compassionate approach. Dr. Vedula is able to provide a routine colonoscopy or to be your partner managing a complex gastrointestinal disease.

Interventional Cardiology: When it comes to diseases of the heart, patients generally either see a traditional Cardiologist for non-invasive treatments or an Interventional Cardiologist, which uses catheter-based procedures to diagnose and treat heart conditions. SVMG employs two Interventional Cardiologists: Dr. Fadi Fahad and Dr. David Cohen. Dr. Fahad came to Sierra Vista specifically to build out the cardiology program at CVMC and is committed to its success.  He specializes in interventional cardiology as well as minimally invasive intravenous procedures of the arms and legs. Dr. David Cohen joined the team in May 2024. Board certified in both Internal Medicine and Interventional Cardiology, Dr. Cohen also has experience placing cardiac implants. With these two specialists, the future of the cardiology program is bright.

Neurology: Neurology deals with complex conditions affecting the brain, spine, and nervous system. Prior to 2022, you had to go to Tucson to see a neurologist.  Today, there are two right here in our own medical group. Dr. Yanny Phillips established the outpatient Neurology Clinic for general neurology patients at Canyon Vista when she joined the medical group in 2022. She has extensive experience in treating Epilepsy and Headache. Dr. Dorlyne Brchan (pronounced “ber-kahn”) expanded the scope of the Neurology service line to pediatrics when she joined the medical group in 2024. She has a special interest in integrative/functional headache management as well as the management of headaches in adolescents and children.

Obstetrics and Gynecology: SVMG employs four Obstetrician-gynecologists, as well as three midwives and a nurse practitioner. Dr. Sidney Semrad, Dr. Eric Njiforfut (or “Dr. N”), and Dr. Adrianne Banks are full time OB/GYNs, while Dr. Paige Brainard divides her time between Sierra Vista and Tucson. Their services include labor and delivery, post-partum and prenatal care, breastfeeding support, contraceptive counseling, menopause management, gynecological conditions, surgeries, and routine exams. The team of midwives, Dana Albalate, Kendra Bowles, and Misty Lucero, along with Nurse Practitioner Rise Gold, provide personalized care, alternative birthing options, and greater provider availability. In 2022, this team was named one of the Best Hospitals for Maternity Care by the Leapfrog Group and Money Magazine, and in 2024 they received the Maternal Health Innovation Award from the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association. You cannot receive better maternity care. Anywhere.

 Orthopedic, Sports Medicine, and Spine Services: SVMG has a full team of orthopedic specialists dedicated to helping our community members maintain and retain freedom of movement and live pain-free. They have earned the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for Total Joint Replacement, and they have experience in and access to the latest robotic Velys^TM technology for knee and hip replacement. Dr. Brian Daines established the first Bone and Joint Institute at Canyon Vista Medical Center, using best practices in the field to help patients return to an active lifestyle as quickly and safely as possible, earning the distinction of Joint Center of Excellence.

Dr. Daines, along with Dr. Lawrence Susini, and Dr. Barry Bohlen, are general orthopedic surgeons. Dr. Max Berdichivsky, or “Dr. B” as many patients call him, specializes in conditions of the spine. Between them, they can handle anything from total joint replacements to arthritis and other degenerative diseases, as well as most sports injuries. In December, Sports Medicine Orthopedist Dr. Michael Nuzzo signed a contract to join the group starting in early 2025. Bottom line:  If it involves the shoulder, knee, ankle, hand, hip, or spine, it can likely be treated by the surgeons at SVMG. The Ortho team also includes three excellent Physician’s Assistants who help the physicians maintain their current and growing patient volumes: Jared Haymore, Dean Marturello, and McKay Tingey.

Pediatrics: Pediatric services are once again being offered at SVMG with the addition of Dr. Jessica Calvo and Dr. Dorlyne Brchan. Dr. Calvo treats common childhood illnesses and injuries, provides preventative care, check-ups, and vaccinations for infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. Born in Peru, she speaks English and Spanish fluently. Dr. Brchan, who was highlighted in the neurology section, adds to the pediatric practice with her specialty in pediatric neurology and headache medicine.

 Podiatry: SVMG welcomed Dr. Nathan Ptak in late 2024 to re-start its podiatry services. His training includes a fellowship in foot and ankle trauma reconstruction. Dr. Ptak’s expertise allows SVMG to once again offer treatments for foot and ankle injuries, tumors, wounds, complications from diabetes, fungal infections and poor circulation in the feet.

Surgical Services: SVMG is pleased to be able to offer a full team of general surgeons who are skilled and experienced in a wide range of surgical procedures. They are trained in high-tech tools such as the DaVinci^TM Robotic platform which allows surgeons to make smaller incisions leading to shorter hospital stays, less pain, faster recovery times, and fewer complications. Dr. Jody Jenkins, Dr. Michael Thompson and Dr. Roland Haj welcomed Dr. Amanda Arrington to the team last year. Dr. Arrington has additional training in surgical oncology, meaning this team can handle everything from GI scopes to cancer surgery. The surgeons are complemented by Physician’s Assistant Christina Schlesinger.

Urology Services: Our Urology team offers specialized care for prostate problems, kidney care, and for both men’s and women’s specific needs. In addition to his extensive training as a urologist, Dr. Peter Niemczyk (pronounced Nim-check) speaks English, German, Czech, and Polish. He has completed fellowships in Metabolic and Nutritional Medicine and is certified with the American Board of Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine. Dr. Jules Manger, an independent urologist, also shares his time between Tucson and Sierra Vista. Governor Henderson III, Doctor of Nursing Practice, completes the urology team with his focus on men’s health issues and prostate cancer management. They were excited to add the Aquablation^TM technology to their tool kit last year, allowing for a much less invasive treatment to traditional prostate surgeries.

Canyon Vista Medical Center is proud of these and all the providers who serve our community. They strive for excellence in their individual fields but also for the greater good of the hospital and in their mission to make our community healthier.   

Find a Doctor

Visit CanyonVistaMedicalCenter.Com to take a health assessment, learn more about the specific procedures, or read the biographies of any independent or employed provider. And here’s a tip: If you are trying to reach a specific provider and their name is not listed in the phone tree when you call, try the scheduler for any other provider in that department and ask for the provider you want. It is not unusual for the phone tree updates to take longer than the contracting process!

Ruth Quinn has been on the CVMC Board of Trustees for ten years (and counting), having served as Board Chair for the past six years. She is committed to helping CVMC’s mission of “Making Communities Healthier” by sharing the knowledge and experiences gained in that role with others in Cochise County.