We asked 6,000 nurses to select the best physicians in the valley. The doctors listed on this page were chosen through ballots mailed to 6,012 nurses, addresses for whom came from the Virginia Board of Health Professionals. Ballots were open-ended, providing a blank space next to each specialty area. Completed anonymous ballots, showing only respondents’ age and gender along with votes for doctors, were returned by mail to our offices between March 16 – April 24, 2009.
Allergy/Immunology
Thomas M. Fame - PlatinumDane C. McBride - Gold
Luis A. Matos - Silver
Asthma and Allergy Center - Sponsor
Anesthesiology
Joe F. Clark - PlatinumMaxine Lee - Gold
Jeffrey A. Forbes - Gold
Cardiology
Frank A. England - PlatinumRichard Prokopchak - Gold
Terrence P. May - Silver
Cardiology Associates of Va. - Sponsor
Chiropractic
Gregory L. Walter - PlatinumParker J. Adams - Gold
Daniel C. Davidson - Gold
Dentistry
Nathan C. Stephens - PlatinumSteven S. Kanetzke - Gold
B. Scott Ward - Gold
Dermatology
Gary Gross - PlatinumSusan B. Dorsey - Gold
Allison K. Divers - Silver
Endocrinology
James D. Bailey - PlatinumMichael H. Koch - Gold
Carl H. Bivens - Silver
ENT/Otolaryngology
William J. Dichtel - PlatinumGeoffrey T. Harter - Gold
Tu A. Tran - Silver
Family
Clifford A. Nottingham - PlatinumMarie L. Malinchak - Gold
David A. Cummings - Silver
Robert C. Patten Jr. - Silver
William F. Ball - Silver
Starkey Medical Family Practice - Sponsor
Gastroenterology
Joseph L. Nelson - PlatinumVikas N. Chitnavis - Gold
Kevin R. Dye - Silver
Geriatrics
Aubrey Knight - PlatinumDavid B. Trinkle - Gold
Soheir Boshra - Silver
Gynecology
Christopher C. Keeley - PlatinumJames A. Kelly - Gold
Debra H. Clapp - Silver
Hematology/Oncology
William A. Fintel - PlatinumMark Currie - Gold
Gerald L. Schertz - Gold
Internal Medicine
Vashist Nobbee - PlatinumLawrence K. Monahan - Gold
Chetna Jha - Silver
Nephrology
F. Jackson Ballenger - PlatinumClifford P. Culpepper - Gold
Matt Matthews - Silver
Neurology
Timothy L. Hormel - PlatinumJohn Gordon Burch - Gold
Christopher J. Scherer - Silver
Roanoke Neurological Associates, Inc. - Sponsor
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Christopher C. Keeley - PlatinumJames A. Kelly - Gold
Dianna L. Curtis - Silver
Western Virginia OB-GYN, PC - Sponsor
Occupational Medicine
Darrell F. Powledge - PlatinumHetzel Hartley - Gold
Louis J. Castern - Silver
Ophthalmology and Optometry
Carey W. Robinson - PlatinumKurt W. Guelzow - Gold
Donna L. Maxfield - Gold
John M. Facciani - Gold
Vistar Eye Center - Sponsor
Eye Care and Surgery, P.C. - Sponsor
Orthopedics
Brent M. Johnson - PlatinumBertram Spetzler - Gold
Mark L. Hagy - Silver
Osteopathy
David A. Cummings - PlatinumN. Laura Liles - Gold
Pain Management
Marc A. Swanson - PlatinumMurray E. Joiner - Gold
Chheany W. Ung - Silver
Murray E. Joiner, Jr., M.D., P.C. - Sponsor
Pediatrics
Luthur A. Beazley III - PlatinumW. Hugh Craft - Gold
Michael B. Meyer - Silver
Psychiatry
David W. Hartman - PlatinumTracey W. Criss - Gold
Jitendra S. Desai - Silver
Pulmonary Medicine
Robert C. Keeley - PlatinumNelson B. Greene - Gold
James A. Witten - Silver
Rehabilition/Physical Medicine
Deborah T. Mowery - PlatinumMurray E. Joiner - Gold
Rheumatology
Joseph Lemmer - PlatinumJohn W. Pendleton - Gold
Catherine L. Daniel - Silver
Surgery- Cardiac
Joseph W. Baker - PlatinumBen R. Barton - Gold
W. Scott Arnold - Silver
Surgery- Colon/Rectal
Keith D. Munson - PlatinumA. Reif Kessler - Gold
David P. Minichan - Silver
Madge E. Ellis - Silver
Surgery- General
J. Albert Hagy, Jr. - PlatinumRobert B. Williams - Gold
Madge E. Ellis - Silver
Surgery- Neurosurgery
Raymond V. Harron - PlatinumJohn A. Feldenzer - Gold
Edgar N. Weaver Jr. - Silver
Surgery- Ophthalmology
Carey W. Robinson - PlatinumKurt W. Guelzow - Gold
John L. Hines - Gold
Surgery- Orthopedic
Brent M. Johnson - PlatinumJoseph T. Moskal - Gold
Preston A. Waldrop - Silver
Surgery- Plastic
Barton A. Thomas - PlatinumSteven G. Harris - Gold
Enrique A. Silberblatt - Silver
Enrique A. Silberblatt, M.D., FACS - Sponsor
Roanoke Plastic Surgery - Sponsor
Surgery- Reconstructive
Barton A. Thomas - PlatinumSteven G. Harris - Gold
Enrique A. Silberblatt - Silver
Surgery- Vascular
Jesse T. Davidson - PlatinumJames T. Callis - Gold
Frederick D. Swartzendruber - Silver
James G. Drougas - Silver
The Interventional Center at Jefferson Surgical Clinic - Sponsor
Urology
Mark A. Schmidt - PlatinumRodney J. Poffenburger - Gold
Robert A. Whisnant - Silver
Details on the results
In a few specialty areas, fewer than three physicians are listed; in these instances, there was not a sufficient number of votes beyond the physicians listed. And in one medical professional category listed on the ballot, there were not enough votes for any one practitioner to recognize the winner. Our thanks to the nurses who returned ballots.
These are by no means the only highly rated doctors in the valley. Nor is there any suggestion that you should consider changing from a doctor you are satisfied with. There are many reasons that many excellent physicians do not appear here, including lack of affiliation to area hospitals, newness to the area or the profession, the tendency of medical professionals to recommend those they know well, and the practice of sub-specialties too narrow to include in the survey.
Use of these results should be seen as just one factor in the choosing of a physician. Your own judgement as well as recommendations from friends and family members who have visited a doctor can be of great importance.
Information about these doctors and medical professionals and others in the medical field is available on the website of the Virginia Board of Health Professionals. Profiles include practice address, office details, years in practice, hospital affiliation(s) and Medicaid/Medicare participation.

