Meet the Maimonides clinicians presenting at this year’s Annual Primary Care Symposium.
Jeffrey J. Basti, MD
Division Chief, Primary Care
Vice Chair, Medicine
Maimonides Medical Center
Dr. Jeffrey J. Basti has more than thirty-seven years of medical experience. For the last 12 years, he has served as one of the Vice Chairs of Medicine at Maimonides Medical Center. His experience has included overseeing the Simulation Lab and as well as multiple primary care clinics serving the Brooklyn community with 20 attending physicians across each site. Prior to Maimonides, he was Chief of Critical Care at Lutheran Medical Center in Brooklyn, where he practiced for 25 years.
Dr. Basti also serves as the NYPD’s Deputy Chief Surgeon and Medical Director in charge of Medical Special Operations, performing annual and incident-related evaluations of SCUBA teams from Harbor Unit. He also performs medical evaluations for the Emergency Services Unit and Medical Division Paramedics. In addition, Dr. Basti is an FAA-certified Airmen Medical Examiner. This includes supporting the NYPD Aviation Unit for fitness to fly, with annual evaluation of NYPD pilots.
Elliot Borgen, MD
Attending Physician, Cardiology
Maimonides Medical Center
Dr. Elliot Borgen has been an attending physician at Maimonides Medical Center in the Department of Cardiology since 2000. Dr. Borgen focuses on Angioplasties, Stenting, Interventional Ultrasound and Rotablation. Dr. Borgen is also involved in clinical research on such topics as: Etiology and Treatment of the No Reflow Phenomenon, Application and Imaging Cardiac Interventions, and the role of serial drug testing in patients with inducible polymorphic ventricular tachycardia. Professional Societies include Member, American College of Cardiology and Affiliate in training, American College of Cardiology.
Daniel Buchen, MD
Chief, Dermatology
Maimonides Medical Center
Dr. Daniel Buchen is Chief of Dermatology and a board-certified dermatologist and Mohs surgeon specializing in all aspects of adult and pediatric dermatology. He leads the Maimonides Melanoma Center, a multidisciplinary program providing comprehensive diagnostic and treatment services for all stages of melanoma, from total body skin examination, dermoscopy, and Mohs surgery, to advanced oncology care. His work in skin cancer encompasses the entire spectrum of cutaneous malignancies, including non-melanoma skin cancer (basal and squamous cell carcinoma), melanoma and other rarer types. The total body skin examination is pivotal for high-risk patients and Dr. Buchen brings meticulous attention and clinical acumen, combined with the latest equipment such as dermoscopy, to identify and biopsy early malignancy.
Dr. Buchen also specializes in complex medical dermatology, treating difficult, rare, or complicated skin problems that can arise from internal diseases, such as blistering diseases, inflammation of blood vessels, and connective tissue diseases like lupus or dermatomyositis. Dr. Buchen has been practicing for more than 25 years and earned his medical degree at the State University of New York, did his internship at Mount Sinai Hospital, and residency at the University of Southern California.
Edward Chapnick, MD
Executive Vice Chair, Medicine
Chief, Infection Control
Maimonides Medical Center
Dr. Edward Chapnick is the Executive Vice Chair of Medicine at Maimonides Medical Center. He has been part of Maimonides since 1985, previously completing both his chief medical residency and post-doctoral fellowship at Maimonides. Dr. Chapnick publishes extensively and is currently active in research. He has a wide spectrum of professional affiliations, such as the American College of Physicians (fellow), American Medical Association, Medical Society State of New York, Kings County Medical Society, Infectious Diseases Society of America (fellow), the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (fellow), and the International Society of Travel Medicine. He is currently a professor of Clinical Medicine at SUNY Downstate College of Medicine and has been the recipient of many honors, including Teacher of the Year at Maimonides.
Antony Delliturri, DO
Surgical Oncology and Thoracic Surgeon
Maimonides Medical Center
Dr. Antony N. Delliturri, DO, is an Advanced Robotic Thoracic and Foregut Surgeon in the Department of Surgery at Maimonides Medical Center. He received his medical degree from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed his surgical residency at Maimonides Medical Center. He then completed a cardiothoracic fellowship at Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. Dr. Delliturri advanced his specialization in robotic surgery by completing the AATS Foundation Thoracic Surgical Robotics Fellowship in 2024. He later joined the faculty at Maimonides Medical Center, where he maintains a robust clinical practice that encompasses robotic surgery, major open thoracic operations, as well as robotic bronchoscopy and advanced endoscopic interventions. Dr. Delliturri has contributed to the field through textbook chapters, peer-reviewed publications, and presentations at national conferences.
Monica Ghitan, MD
Director, Infectious Diseases
Maimonides Medical Center
Dr. Monica Ghitan is the Associate Director of Infectious Diseases and Fellowship Program Director in the Department of Medicine at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY. Dr. Ghitan is also Medical Director of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program. She has been part of the team for years, completing both her medical residency and post-doctor fellowship at Maimonides. Dr. Monica Ghitan has been involved in a wide range of research, including infections epidemiology and transmission, resistant organisms and Clostridium Difficile among other. She has professional affiliations with the American Medical Association, the American College of Physicians and the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Dr. Ghitan holds the academic title of Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at SUNY Downstate.
Jocelyne Karam, MD
Director, Endocrinology
Maimonides Medical Center
Dr. Jocelyne Karam is the Director of the Division of Endocrinology at Maimonides Medical Center. Prior to joining the Maimonides team, Dr. Karam completed her Internal Medicine Residency and fellowship in Endocrinology at SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn. Dr. Jocelyne Karam is an Associate Professor of Medicine at SUNY Downstate Medical Center. She is the affiliate site Program Director of SUNY Downstate Endocrinology Fellowship Program at Maimonides Medical Center and participates actively in teaching fellows, residents, medical students and other healthcare professional at the center. Her publications and research have focused on diabetes prevention, obesity, diabetes treatment and thyroid disorders. Dr. Karam’s ultimate goal is to help patients feel better and educate health care professionals within her specialty.
Victor Lagmay, MD
Director, Head and Neck Cancer Surgery
Maimonides Medical Center
Dr. Victor Lagmay completed his residency training in Otolaryngology at New York University and is fellowship-trained in Head & Neck Surgery. He is the Director of Head and Neck Cancer Surgery at the Maimonides Comprehensive Cancer Center. He continues to provide general ear, nose and throat care to adult patients, with a special interest in sinonasal diseases, including sinusitis and nasal polyps. Dr. Lagmay is board-certified in his field and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He maintains memberships in the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, the American Thyroid Association, and the New York Head & Neck Society.
Inna Nelipovich, MD
Director, Women’s Heart Program
Maimonides Medical Center
Dr. Inna Nelipovich is a graduate of SUNY Downstate medical school and completed her training at Montefiore Einstein Medical Center, followed by a cardiology fellowship at NewYork-Presbyterian Queens. She has been a clinical cardiologist at Maimonides Medical Center since 2011. Her primary interests are preventative cardiology, hypertension, and cardiovascular health in women and she serves as director of the Maimonides Women’s Heart Program.
Prayag Patel, MD
Attending Physician, Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery
Maimonides Medical Center
Dr. Prayag S. Patel is a board-certified, fellowship-trained otolaryngologist who graduated magna cum laude from Boston University with a major in Biology and minor in Economics. He went on to obtain his medical degree from the State University of New York (SUNY) Downstate College of Medicine. He continued at SUNY Downstate Medical Center to complete his residency in Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. During his last year of residency, he was awarded SUNY Downstate GME Resident Advocate of the Year for his overall contributions and achievements throughout residency. Subsequently, he went on to complete a fellowship in Rhinology and Endoscopic Skull Base Surgery at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. Besides managing and treating general otolaryngologic diseases for both adult and pediatric patients, Dr. Patel’s clinical interests include medical and surgical management of nasal obstruction, chronic rhinosinusitis, rhinorrhea, allergic rhinitis, cerebrospinal fluid leaks, and sinonasal and skull base tumors. Dr. Patel has co-authored over 10 peer-reviewed publications and 3 book chapters, in addition to presenting at numerous national otolaryngology conferences. At present, he is also a reviewer for the Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Journal. Dr. Patel is active in the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, American Rhinologic Society, and North American Skull Base Society.
Aaron Z. Tokayer, MD
Chief, Gastroenterology
Maimonides Medical Center
Dr. Aaron Z. Tokayer is Chief of Gastroenterology at Maimonides Medical Center. He is Professor of Medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and SUNY-Downstate. He studied and graduated GI Fellowship at Johns Hopkins Medical Center in 1992 with an additional Master of Health Science degree in Clinical Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Study Design from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. Dr. Tokayer joined Maimonides in 2022 to develop the Maimonides Center for Neurogastroenterology and GI Motility, after being on staff and faculty at Montefiore Medical Center for 30 years, where he still is involved in fellow education.
Dr. Tokayer has a clinical interest in the full spectrum of GI motility, testing and therapeutics, including esophagus, gastric, colon and functional GI disorders, as well as a passion for personalized and directed patient care, and fellowship training and medical education.
He is a fellow in various GI societies including AGA, ACG, AGE, and NYSGE, as well as a member of the Neurogastroenterology and Motility Society.
Vishal Vashistha, MD
Medical Director, Maimonides Cancer Center
Chief of Hematology/Oncology
Maimonides Medical Center
Dr. Vishal Vashistha is a hematologist and medical oncologist at Maimonides Cancer Center. He serves as Cancer Center Medical Director and the Chief of the Division of Hematology/Oncology. Dr. Vashistha completed his internal medicine residency at Cleveland Clinic Foundation and his hematology/oncology fellowship at Duke University Medical Center. Dr. Vashistha is a staunch advocate for patients and works collaboratively with staff to provide the most up-to-date cancer treatments at Maimonides. His research has primarily focused on improving the utilization of novel precision oncology diagnostics, namely comprehensive genomic profiling, in routine cancer care.
Dr. Vashistha cares for patients with solid tumors, hematologic malignancies, bone marrow failure syndromes, and other benign hematologic conditions, including thrombotic and bleeding disorders. He has been prescribing and administering systemic therapies, including chemotherapy and immunotherapy, to cancer patients since 2017. Dr. Vashistha is certified in internal medicine, hematology, and medical oncology by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM). He is a member of The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), American Society of Hematology (ASH), and Association of Veterans Affairs Hematology/Oncology (AVAHO). He is also a member on the education committee for the Binaytara Foundation.
Corey Weiner, MD
Chief Medical Informatics Officer and Attending Physician, Emergency Medicine
Maimonides Medical Center
Dr. Corey Weiner is the Chief Medical Informatics Officer and an attending emergency physician at Maimonides Medical Center. He has spent more than 15 years working at the intersection of emergency medicine, digital transformation, and clinical operations, focusing on the design and improvement of electronic health records, clinical workflows, and decision-support tools in a busy urban Level I trauma center.
Dr. Weiner helps lead hospital-wide efforts to better align technology with clinical practice, with a focus on patient safety, provider efficiency, and practical adoption of digital tools. His work includes EHR optimization, development of clinical quality dashboards, improvements to communication and scheduling systems, and close collaboration with frontline clinicians and health IT teams. He has contributed to research on diagnostic pathways, workflow redesign, and emergency department operations, with publications in the American Journal of Emergency Medicine and presentations at national conferences.
Dr. Weiner is board certified in Emergency Medicine and Clinical Informatics and is an active member of AMIA, ACEP, and SAEM’s Emergency Medicine Informatics groups.
Matthew A. Weissman, MD
Chair, Medicine
Maimonides Medical Center
Dr. Matthew A. Weissman is the Chair of the Department of Medicine at Maimonides Medical Center. He is a primary care physician who is Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics. He is also an adjunct Professor of both Medicine and Pediatrics at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. His primary interests are the transition from pediatric to adult care, leveraging technology to streamline delivery and improve access to, and quality of care, and training the next generation of physicians and medical leaders.
Previously, Dr. Weissman was the Site Chair of the Department of Medicine at Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital, New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, and Mount Sinai Downtown where in addition to maintaining an active practice, he was responsible for the clinical, educational, and research activities of the Department. He also served as the Chief Medical Officer and Interim CEO of Community Healthcare Network (CHN), a major network of Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) in New York City where he helped create the first Nurse Practitioner fellowship program in New York State and one of the first in the country. He has held clinical, teaching, and administrative roles in other healthcare organizations in New York City and Yonkers, NY, including at three other FQHCs.
Dr. Weissman received his undergraduate degree in Economics from Harvard University magna cum laude and a Medical Doctorate and MBA in Health Management from Tufts University. He completed his residency and chief residency at Mount Sinai Medical Center. He currently co-chairs the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s Citywide Colorectal Cancer Control Coalition (C5). He is a Fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine and the American Academy of Pediatrics.