Providers

All professionals at Maranatha Medical Plaza maintain the highest levels of accreditation and pursue ongoing education to stay abreast of the latest trends in the medical field. Read on to learn more about our staff's experience and training.

  • Dr.
    Jose Medina-Bairan, MD, FCCP, FACP, FAASM

    Dr. Medina graduated from the Pedro Henriquez Ureña National University in the Dominican Republic in 1985. He then completed an Internship and Residency in Internal Medicine at the Oncology Institute Department of Health, and the Salvador B. Gautier Hospital (affiliated with the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. In order to further his training, he moved to Brooklyn, New York, where, from 1988 to 1991, he completed an Externship, Internship and Residency in Internal Medicine at the State University of New York Health Science Center in Brooklyn. From 1992 to 1995 he completed two Fellowships, one in Pulmonary and the other in Critical Care, and was later named Chief Fellow of Pulmonary at that institution.

    Dr. Medina also worked as an attending physician at Kings County Hospital, University Hospital and VA Hospital from 1991 to 1995, and as a Clinical Instructor of Medicine, teaching both students and medical residents at the State University of New York. During his Fellowship in Pulmonary, he was exposed to Sleep Disorders which later became the foundation of an avid passion for assisting individuals with respiratory sleep disorders. Dr. Medina is Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Medicine, Critical Care Medicine, and Sleep Medicine. He is a Fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians, American College of Physicians, and American Academy of Sleep Medicine and serves as a member of the Florida Medical Association. He has been awarded Physician of the Year by the NRCC and America’s Top Physician by the Consumer’s Research Council of America on several occasions and holds a life membership in Who’s Who among Professionals.

  • Dr.
    J. Gabriel Medina-Smester, MD

    Dr. Medina-Smester graduated Magna Cum Laude from The University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Science in Cellular Biology. He was a Betty Wray Scholar at the Medical College of Georgia and completed his Internship and Residency in Internal Medicine at Jackson Memorial Hospital/University of Miami Hospital/Miami VA, as well as his Fellowship in Sleep Disorders. 

    He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine in Internal Medicine and Sleep Disorders. He sees patients in the fields of Internal Medicine, Sleep Medicine, Obesity and Regenerative Medicine.

  • Dr.
    Juan C. Guarderas, MD

    Dr. Juan C Guarderas, MD, joined Maranatha Medical Plaza in January 2021. He is original from Quito, Ecuador, and attended Medical School at the University of El Salvador, in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

    He did his residency in Internal Medicine at the East Tennessee State University and his fellowship in Allergy and Immunology at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. He practiced Allergy and Immunology for 22 years at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, FL, where he became the director of the Department. In 2014, he was invited to put together an Allergy program with the Department of Medicine of the University of Florida, and directed that program for 3 years, a program that has been very successful in-patient care, research and education. Dr. Guarders retired from that position in February 2018.

    Since retirement he has continued to work assisting other allergists in the area in their practices when there was a need, until joining the practice of Dr. Jose Medina, a pulmonologist, to provide care to patients with allergic, respiratory, and immune deficiency disorders as a combine team in the South Georgia and North Florida area. His areas of interest and expertise are related to all allergic disorders, especially nasal allergies, asthma, chronic cough, recurrent infections, anaphylaxis, drug allergies, insect allergies and allergic skin conditions.

  • Christine Brown, NP

    Christy Brown, a Georgia native, graduated with an ADN in 1995 from Jefferson Community College in Watertown, NY. She received her BSN and MSN from Valdosta State University in 2005 and 2013, respectively. Christy worked at SGMC from 1995-2013 in a variety of nursing and leadership roles focusing in critical care and cardiology and later worked briefly at Valdosta Family Medicine. Christy joined Maranatha Medical Clinic in March of 2014.

    She has maintained a Georgia RN license since 1995 and received her AGPCNP certification in 2013. She is BLS and ACLS certified and maintains membership in Sigma Theta Tau and United Advanced Practice Registered Nurses of Georgia.

  • Melanie Eller Lindsey, NP

    Melanie Eller Lindsey, Certified Family Nurse Practitioner joined the Maranatha Medical Clinic staff in February 2019. She graduated with her Associate of Science in Nursing in 1980, Bachelors of Science in Nursing in 1995, and Masters of Science in Nursing in 1996 from Mississippi University for Women in Columbus, Mississippi. Board-certified through American Nurses Credentialing Center as a Family Nurse Practitioner and a Medical/Surgical Nurse. 

    Member of the American Nurses Association, Georgia Nurses Association, and participates with the local chapter of the United Advanced Practice Registered Nurses of Georgia. Basic Life Support and Advanced Cardiac Life Support certified. Melanie has actively practiced as a family nurse practitioner for the past 25 years.

  • Elliot Ortiz, CRT, RPSGT

    Elliot Ortiz has years of experience as a Respiratory Therapist and serves as the Chief Technologist of REM Sleep Centers. He has overseen our labs in multiple cities throughout Georgia and has organized the implementation of REM Sleep Centers into Florida and the Dominican Republic.

    With his expansive knowledge of home medical equipment such as CPAP, APAP, BiPAP, and ASV, Elliot has been crucial in the training of the polysomnographist team at REM Sleep Centers as well as in patient education in order to maximize compliance with PAP therapy. He directed the accreditation of the sleep lab by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine to make REM Sleep Centers a leading comprehensive facility in our community. Elliot also leads the efforts of our PAP Clinic to ensure the success of each patient with his or her individualized treatment.

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Hours of Operation

Our Regular Schedule

Maranatha Medical Plaza

Monday:

8:30 am-5:30 pm

Tuesday:

8:30 am-5:30 pm

Wednesday:

8:30 am-5:30 pm

Thursday:

8:30 am-5:30 pm

Friday:

8:30 am-12:30 pm

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed