About Dr. Rod
ABOUT
Dr. Roderick Santa Maria is a Board Certified Internal Medicine physician in solo practice for 30 years in Boca Raton, Florida. He received his doctorate of medicine from the New York University School of Medicine. After completing his medical residency years at Case Western Reserve University Hospital, he moved to South Florida, seeking a growing community with an abundance of potential new patients on which to build his practice and his reputation. Upon arrival in Boca Raton he first joined a large group of doctors to help himself become established in the area. In 1987 he left that group atmosphere to start a solo practice, looking for a setting that was much more personal and would allow him to get to know his patients and staff as individuals, and they to know and trust him. Dr. Rod is known for the personalized care he provides to patients, and his knowledge of preventive medicine. He works with all types of patients, specializing in cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment, nutrition, lipid management, weight control and chronic illness.ILLNESS PREVENTION AND LONGEVITY
He has also worked with multiple patients experiencing symptoms of Dysautonomia and Postural Orthostatic Intolerance Syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and gastroparesis, helping to define the diagnosis and manage the ongoing daily problems working in partnership with renowned specialists from around the country. As an Internist practicing in the modern era of highly complex and rapidly evolving medical diagnostics and treatments, Dr. Rod is known for his broad range of technical knowledge applied and adapted to each patient on a personal level. This personalized medicine approach requires spending the time and having the interest to explore the long and winding path that has brought each person to our practice, seeking answers and solutions and understanding of their own individual situations. Dr. Rod sees his patients for an extended time during office visits—giving his patients the opportunity to obtain the best medical care. He sees between 6-10 patients a day and allows anywhere from half an hour to an hour to spend with each patient. His patients also have direct access to him via cell phone after hours and on weekends. Dr. Rod adopted a concierge medical practice model in 2008 in order to provide his patients with more personalized services. Patients pay a retainer fee to be members of the practice thus allowing the practice size to remain small and the time available to concentrate on the needs of each patient to be great.“My natural inclination from day one was to try to stop disease before it became a serious issue,” Dr. Rod says. “I was always looking for an edge everywhere I could to try to help people stay healthy. I didn’t care where it came from, whether it was holistic or nutritional or medicinal – if it potentially could help, then I would research it.”
We welcome new patients to call and experience first hand the warm and friendly nature of our practice. We know that you will be happy that you did!“I began a concierge medical practice when I realized that attempting to see many patients in a short amount of time was not allowing me to actually have enough quality time with them. How could I listen to my patients concerns, encourage questions and give sound advice in a 5 to 10-minute time frame? It wasn’t satisfying for me as a doctor—how could it be satisfying for my patients?”
“I encourage my patients to come to me with their questions, their research, and their theories on why they’re feeling the way they do. By understanding the patient’s concerns, you can assuage fears about their symptoms or prognosis.”
Video introduction to Dr. Roderick Santa Maria
Education
- Undergraduate
- St. John Fisher College
- Rochester, NY
- Bachelor of Science, Biology 1973
- Medical School
- New York University School of Medicine
- New York, NY
- Doctorate of Medicine 1979
- Internship
- Case Western Reserve University Hospitals
- Cleveland, OH
- Internal Medicine 1979-1982
- Residency
- Case Western Reserve University Hospitals
- Cleveland, OH
- Internal Medicine 1979-1982
Affiliations
- Boca Raton Regional Hospital
Professional Appointments
- Boca Raton Regional Hospital
- – Member, Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee 1990-present
- – Member, Institutional Review Board 1991-present
Professional Interests
- Cardiovascular disease treatment and prevention, nutrition, lipid management, weight control
- Studies and Lecturer on natural supplements and their use in internal medicine
Certifications
American Board of Internal Medicine
