Dr. Giffler Honored by South Florida Hospital News
Dr. Ronald F. Giffler, President of FirstPath Laboratories, Inc., has a long and distinguished career in all aspects of human pathology, and is a prominent leader in the South Florida medical community. He has been instrumental in developing an organization that is leading its industry and redefining healthcare delivery. Specifically, the organization was challenged with providing leading-edge laboratory solutions in an increasingly cost-prohibitive environment, while maintaining a consistently high level of satisfaction among physicians, patients, and medical facilities served. Dr. Giffler met this challenge by developing a flexible organization and high-performance workforce. He served as an exemplary model of excellence as a leader, as a physician and as a business executive. He has taken FirstPath to new heights of service delivery, developing an organization that is profitable, a workforce of first-rate pathologists, technologists, consummate healthcare providers and administrators, a team that is flexible in navigating an increasingly complex medical arena.
Dr. Giffler has modeled care, competence and professionalism, in serving our patients, the facilities we support and the wider community. The organization provides an integrated set of pathology services, recently opening a new location in Fort Lauderdale. It provides levels one through six surgical pathology, along with frozen sections, Pap smears and other non-gynecological pathology procedures. Leveraging the strong foundation that Dr. Giffler cultivated, the organization has been able to execute a smooth transition, which catapulted it to new medical and business plateaus.
Because Dr. Giffler has spent significant time working in hospital emergency rooms providing direct patient care, he is in a unique position to understand the role of the clinical laboratory in the provision of patient care, and the needs of the busy physician providing that care. He considers himself a consulting physician to the patients, families and friends, as well as physicians, and has cultivated an environment of extreme sensitivity at FirstPath. He is committed to continual improvement, both organizational and personal, demonstrating it in his personal life and encouraging it among the FirstPath team members.
As consumed as one might imagine him to be, Dr. Giffler is, nevertheless, an active member of a number of professional and social organizations, serving as President-elect of the Broward County Medical Association. He maintains a very low profile in the media and tends to be publicity-shy, even when it involves third-party submissions such as this. His other activities include serving as President of the Florida Physicians Association, and as Inspector in the Laboratory Accreditation Program for the College of American Pathologists. Dr. Giffler contributes actively to a number of community non-profit organizations. He encourages industry and community involvement among the FirstPath team members.
In addition to his medical credentials, Dr. Giffler holds a law degree (J.D.) from the University of Miami and an MBA from Nova Southeastern University. A Florida-licensed HealthCare Risk Manager, Dr. Ronald Giffler has written and lectured extensively on risk management and medical-legal issues in defense of Florida physicians and their patients.
He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Florida Medical Foundation. As a former Board member and secretary of the Board of Women in Distress of Broward County, Dr. Giffler frequently addresses audiences of physicians on domestic violence awareness issues.
Dr. Giffler's service to community extends beyond city and state borders. He currently serves the country as a Major in the Medical Corps of the United States Army Reserve.
In his spare time Dr. Giffler indulges an interest in antique automobiles and classical music. Healthcare service is a family affair in the Giffler household. His wife Diane currently chairs the central branch of the Broward County Medical Association Alliance. Similarly, their daughter, Sara, is a veterinarian in Virginia Beach, VA.