San Bernardino County Physician Who Helps Lower-Income Patients Assumes Presidency Of The California Medical Association

Main Category: Primary Care / General Practice
Article Date: 08 Oct 2008 - 10:00 PDT

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Dr. Dev GnanaDev, M.D., 58, accepted the role of President of the California Medical Association, an organization representing 35,000 physician members in all modes of practice and specialties. He took office at the close of CMA's Annual House of Delegates, which concluded this week in Sacramento.

"This is an important time for health care in California," Dr. GnanaDev stated. "As physicians, we must be a voice for the patients we serve. Our first and most important goal is to ensure that Californians have access to the care they need. The doctors of the California Medical Association will be doing everything in our power to make that happen."

Dr. GnanaDev served for the past year as president-elect before taking office and will serve a one year term. Dr. GnanaDev has been an active in the CMA for 27 years and was the president of the San Bernardino County Medical Society, founded the New Beginnings Gang Tattoo Removal program for reformed gang members and was also founder of a cardiac rehabilitation program for indigent patients. He is a founding board member of the Inland Empire Burn Institute, and he has served on the board of the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation's Inland Empire Section. He has a special interest in rehabilitation of children with burns, and has worked with local firefighters to raise money to send children to Burn Camp and to educate children about the dangers of burns in educational programs at schools.

Dr. GnanaDev was forced to be a patient himself, suffering a heart attack and enrolling in a heart-health post operative program. Following that experience, in 2002, he donated $30,000 to start the Cardiac Health Management Program at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton. The program provides free cardiac care to qualified post-operative patients. His great interest in lower-income patients led to his receiving the Medical Board of California Physician Recognition Award in 2005 for contributions to care of indigent patients.

Dr. GnanaDev has received numerous additional awards, including the American Medical Association's Pride in the Profession Award in 2007, and Distinguished Executive of the Year Award from Cal State University San Bernardino this year. In 2005, he received the American Heart Association (Inland Empire) "Star of the Hearts" Award. He was given the Golden Scalpel (best teacher) award from surgical residents at Loma Linda University School of Medicine in 1991, where he serves as an associate professor. He also holds a Professor of Surgery appointment at Western University for Health Science in Pomona.

Board certified in general surgery, vascular surgery, and surgical critical care, Dr. GnanaDev earned his Medical Degree in Kurnool, India, at Kurnool Medical College. After interning in his native India, he served his residency in Newark, New Jersey, and was a fellow in cardio-vascular surgery at Arizona Heart Institute in Phoenix, Arizona. He earned a master's degree in business administration from California State University, San Bernardino, in 2001.

He is chief of surgery and has served as medical director at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton since 2000. Before that, he was associate medical director at San Bernardino County Medical Center for eight years. Dr. GnanaDev, his wife, Rosaria, and their children Monica, Yamuna and Raja live in Upland.

The California Medical Association represents more than 35,000 physicians in all modes of practice and specialties. CMA is dedicated to the health of all patients in California.

California Medical Association