by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
Dr. Tim Davlantes, a family physician at Mayo Clinic, has been elected president of the Florida Academy of Family Physicians.
Davlantes will lead an organization that has has over 4,000 members and is part of a group of over 70,000 family physicians nationwide. That figure represents 12 percent of all doctors in direct patient care.
“We think very, very highly of him,” said Tad Fisher, executive vice president of FAFP. “Dr. Davlantes has been a leader in family medicine for a number of years.”
When most think of Mayo, they think of patients needing specialty treatment for potentially life-threatening illnesses.
“Mayo does have a primary care specialty,” said Davlantes, who has been at the hospital for seven years. “There are probably about 20 of us.”
Before joining Mayo, Davlantes had a medical career in Jacksonville that spans back to 1983 when he was a resident at St. Vincent’s Medical Center. He was also with a private practice for nine years and a medical director for a couple of different HMOs in the area. Davlantes was with Baptist/St. Vincent’s until the two hospitals split before joining Mayo.
“We (family physicians) are the largest single specialty in Florida,” said Davlantes, who’s wife Terri is vice dean at Florida Coastal School of Law. “We are a trade group.”
Davlantes said he will represent the FAFP in legislative matters and areas such as patient care administration. He has been a member of the FAFP’s eight-member board of directors for several years, serving as treasurer and secretary.
“I was really next in line,” he said, adding he expects to spend a couple of days a month tending to the business of the FAFP.
Fisher said Davlantes’ experience both as a physician and a medical administrator will bode well during his year as president of the organization.
“He has a fantastic history in the world of primary care and medicine, particularly in Duval County,” said Fisher. “He has wonderful experience in private practice and health care. Being at Mayo stands alone and he also teaches residents.”
Fisher said he believes Davlantes’ medical business background will also be an asset, especially in educating the state’s doctors about medical reform and how the presidential election may affect the profession.
Davlantes said he’s looking forward to his year as president.
“I think it’s good for me,” he said. “Beyond that, it’s good for family medicine. I enjoy doing this and I like the opportunity to help my fellow physicians in this arena.”
Davlantes is a graduate of Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit. He is a certified member of the American Board of Family Practice.
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