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Care Team Posts

Our Team > Care Team > Dr. Joe Aquilina

Executive Leadership

Meet the formidable members of the DAP Health Executive Leadership team, ever dedicated to expanding the impact of our services.

Dr. Joe Aquilina

Chief Medical Officer

Chief Medical Officer Joseph Aquilina, MD, MBA, joined DAP Health in March of 2024. A retired Navy captain, he brings more than three decades of leadership in family medicine and primary care to the nonprofit.

“DAP Health is really a mission-forward organization, which is what attracted me to it,” he says. “Having had a career in the military, having this mission-centered approach for why you get out of bed in the morning was very familiar to me.”

In addition to providing the best possible care for those who need it most, Dr. Aquilina also wants to make sure to attract and retain top talent. “I want to not only make it easier for our clinicians to do more for their patients,” he says, “but do more to reduce physician burnout, and increase satisfaction, so that they can enjoy a long, mutually rewarding career with us.”

Dr. Aquilina has previously served as president of BTHealth Medical Group, chief medical officer of SharpCare Medical Group, medical director of U.S. Health Works, director and vice president for outpatient health clinics at San Diego’s Naval Medical Center, and center director of the Medical Clinic Marine Corps Air Station in Miramar.

He has also served as chair of the Bureau of Medicine Primary Care Advisory Board, and as the co-founder and head of business strategy at software company I-Chart. He earned an MBA from UC San Diego and a Doctor of Medicine from Loyola University. He’s board-certified by the American Academy of Family Medicine and holds licensure in California.

Actively engaged in professional organizations like the American Academy of Family Medicine Physicians, Dr. Aquilina’s visionary leadership and commitment to excellence continue to shape primary care and population health initiatives, leaving a lasting impact.

Dr. Aquilina lives in San Diego and is based at DAP Health Escondido, but travels to all locations served by the organization.

Our Team > Care Team > Scott Shuford, RN, MSN, AOCNP

Scott Shuford, RN, MSN, AOCNP

As a primary care nurse practitioner, Scott is responsible for patient health assessments focusing on primary care diagnosis, chronic disease management, and acute illness management. “I approach each and every patient from the perspective that the outcome of my assessment could potentially alter their life.”  With that always front of mind, he treats each patient with empathy and understanding. 

Scott’s approach is to educate his patients, so they understand his thought process when he orders tests or develops a plan of care.  His willingness to listen with compassion is something he offers each patient and, he feels, is reflective of DAP Health’s mission. “It’s very, very patient-centric and patient oriented, and it gives me an opportunity to use all of the skills that I have.”

Originally from San Diego, Scott moved to the desert in 2021 and has since taken up golf. He also enjoys photography and travel.  He’s been on an Alaskan cruise seven times or, as he likes to say, “so many times I could narrate it.” He has also spent time in Mexico and the Caribbean.

Prior to joining DAP Health, Scott spent 13 years working in oncology both as a nurse practitioner as well as a volunteer educator.  He was part of California’s Breast Cancer Early Detection Project and traveled around the state teaching physicians and other clinicians in underserved communities about breast cancer including how to do a proper breast exam and what workups should be done.  Scott was also involved with an end-of-life nursing education consortium where he taught nurses about the end-of-life experience and how to manage and care for a patient.

Scott brings many years of experience in a wide variety of positions - and several degrees and certifications - to DAP Health. In addition to working in the operating room and intensive care units in hospitals, he has also worked in internal medicine, pulmonary care and end of life and pain management. “I’m a nurse first and foremost. There are about 12 letters after my name, but the first two are the ones I'm most proud of. And those are RN.”

DAP Health clinicians, including Scott provide the latest HIV/AIDS treatments in a safe, judgment free environment. They are skilled in working with LGBTQ+ individuals to craft treatments that work and enhance their patients' quality of life. Services includes HIV testing; STI screening; linkage to care; HIV medications, including antiretrovirals, PEP and PrEP; patient education; mental health services; dental services; and more.

Our Team > Care Team > Dr. Christina Vu, DO

Dr. Christina Vu, DO

 

As a primary care physician in DAP Health’s medical clinic, Dr. Vu will be taking care of HIV PrEP and PEP patients as well as the general population.  A California native who is fluent in Vietnamese, Dr. Vu did her internal medicine residency at Desert Regional Medical Center and completed a fellowship in infectious disease at Los Angeles County+ USC Medical Center. She takes great pride is being able to provide quality care to people from all walks of life. 

Dr. Vu, an osteopath, treats patients as a whole; She looks at their overall wellbeing including physical and mental health and not just their individual symptoms. From there, she can assess the entirety of the illness, make the necessary connections between mind and body, and assign a treatment plan.  She provides individualize care based on where clients are coming from.  “I want to meet them where they are and from there, create a plan based on goals with them, alongside them, as opposed to just making it a directive.”

Dr. Vu’s passion is to serve underprivileged populations as an infectious disease specialist and to provide care to vulnerable populations in the community.  Her interests lie in public health and hospital epidemiology, HIV, and hepatitis C. Being an infectious disease trainee during the COVID-19 pandemic gave Dr. Vu an opportunity to be involved in the research and study of trends and characteristics associated with severe coronavirus disease and related pulmonary infections.

When not at DAP Health, Dr. Vu spends her time volunteering. During her fellowship at USC, she started a non-profit organization to help bring mobile medical clinics to people living with homelessness. Here in the Coachella Valley, Dr. Vu created a wellness program during her residency at Desert Regional Medical Center. She is also a classically trained pianist and enjoys playing everything from contemporary music to classical and hopes one day soon to add jazz to her repertoire.

DAP Health clinicians, including Dr. Vu, provide the latest HIV/AIDS treatments in a safe, judgement free environment. They are skilled in working with LGBTQ+ individuals to craft treatments that work and enhance their patients' quality of life. Services includes HIV testing; STI screening; linkage to care; HIV medications, including antiretrovirals, PEP and PrEP; patient education; mental health services; dental services; and more.

Our Team > Care Team > Sergio Godinez, PA-C

Sergio Godinez, PA-C

 

Providing care to underprivileged communities is the reason Sergio Godinez studied medicine and why he joined DAP Health. Now at the blue clinic, Sergio previously worked at Valley Comprehensive Medical Group and West Coast Wound and Skin Care.He graduated from San Diego State University with a degree in biology and earned his master’s degree in physician assistant studies from Samuel Merritt University.

Conversing with patients to learn about their medical conditions and whether they are well controlled or if the patient is struggling is key to his practice. Fluent in Spanish, Sergio understands that patients -- whether they're Spanish speaking or English speaking – just want to be heard. “First and foremost, I'm here to listen to their concerns. Often, patients don’t know what to say during a consult with their provider or feel rushed. I'm here to listen to every single one of their concerns. There's no such thing as something that should be overlooked. There's no such thing as a small complaint. Everything has its viability.”

Sergio believes patient care is a team effort. “I do not make decisions for my patients and, likewise, patients do not make decisions for themselves. It's a team-based effort. Having a complete understanding of what they're doing increases adherence. And I've noticed there's been much more success when the patient is on board with the treatment plan.”

When he’s not working, Sergio loves to draw and paint. This creative outlet helped him tremendously during his PA program. In fact, he took such meticulous notes and incorporated such detailed drawings that they were shared with students who were struggling with their studies. Even now, drawing remains a great outlet for him.

A relative newcomer to the valley – he’s been here for 15 months – Sergio is still learning his way around. “ I have a great appreciation for the patient population here in the valley and I  just want to reach out to as many as possible and provide that care.”

DAP Health clinicians, including Sergio, provide the latest HIV/AIDS treatments in a safe, judgment free environment. They are skilled in working with LGBTQ+ individuals to craft treatments that work and enhance their patients' quality of life. Services includes HIV testing; STI screening; linkage to care; HIV medications, including antiretrovirals, PEP and PrEP; patient education; mental health services; dental services; and more.

 

Our Team > Care Team > Noe Lopez
Image of DAP staff member

Noe Lopez

Physician Assistant, MHS, PA-C

Noe's daily interactions with DAP Health patients include taking their medical histories, conducting physical exams, ordering and interpreting tests, diagnosing and treating disease, and providing preventative health counseling. He has a natural ability to build rapport with patients and families. His patients find him approachable and relatable and they know that their concerns are being heard and that he will continue to follow up and address any future health issues on subsequent visits.

Prior to joining DAP Health in 2018, Noe was Physician Assistant, Internal Medicine for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Medical Facility in San Diego where, among his many responsibilities, he provided medical services to a culturally diverse population of patients who were mainly foreign-born and had varying cultural and religious practices. He also managed acute and chronic illnesses in the adult and geriatric population and provided appropriate follow-up care, as well as managed transgender care including initial workup and hormone replacement therapy.

Noe has also been a Physician Assistant for a number of other organizations including Salud Digna Medical Clinic in Los Angeles; Family Medicine Residency Clinic in Fort Hood Killeen, Texas; and Samaritana Medical Clinic, also in Los Angeles. In addition, has been a member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants and California Academy of Physician Assistants

"I actively listen to patients to gain insight, and in doing so I am able to provide personalized, comprehensive care. Building rapport provides a sense of accomplishment."

DAP Health clinicians, including Noe, provide the latest HIV/AIDS treatments in a safe, judgement free environment. They are skilled in working with LGBTQ+ individuals to craft treatments that work and enhance their patients' quality of life. Services includes HIV testing; STI screening; linkage to care; HIV medications, including antiretrovirals, PEP and PrEP; patient education; mental health services; dental services; and more.

Our Team > Care Team > Howard A. Aronow, MD
Image of DAP Care Provider

Howard A. Aronow, MD

Primary Care Physician, Adult Neurologist, AAHIVS

Howard Aaron Aronow, MD, or Aaron as everyone including his patients call him, is currently Associate Professor of Clinical Neurology and Medicine at the USC Keck School of Medicine where he has been on faculty since 1990. At present, he directs the HIV Neurology program part-time, but is happy to also join us part-time at DAP Health.

Dr. Aronow has been treating people living with HIV since the beginning of the epidemic, in 1981, when he finished medical school. He completed his Neurology residency training at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and his fellowship in Neuro-virology at the Memorial Sloan–Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, in the mid to late 1980’s. Dr. Aronow was a member of the first Neuro-AIDS Study Group in the nation.

In addition to previously serving as the first Medical Director of the HIV Health Care Center, subsequently known as the Jeffrey Goodman Special Care Clinic at the LA Gay & Lesbian Center, Dr. Aronow currently serves as Attending Neurologist at the HIV Outpatient Clinic of the Los Angeles County + University of Southern California (LAC+USC) Medical Center.

Moreover, in addition to extensive clinical experience, Dr. Aronow has expertise in the field of neurological HIV/AIDS research, and is the co-investigator on numerous studies researching the neurological effects of HIV on various populations, resulting in publications including “Effects of Coinfection with HIV and Hepatitis C Virus on the Nervous System.”

Dr. Aronow has served as a board member for many organizations including the Center for Health Justice, Gay and Lesbian Adolescent Social Services (GLASS), and Jewish AIDS Services. He is the only physician on the Los Angeles HIV Legal Services Advisory Panel.

For over twenty-five years, Dr. Aronow has devoted his medical career to the research, teaching, clinical, and neurological care of patients living with HIV/AIDS. Over the course of the past ten years alone, he has clinically treated or supervised treatment of thousands of HIV/AIDS patients. Consequently, he has developed a deep understanding of the emotional and medical challenges this particular patient population endures.

As an open, long-time survivor of HIV himself, Dr. Howard Aaron Aronow has a lengthy and unique personal experience in caring for people living with HIV/AIDS.

DAP Health clinicians, including Dr. Aronow, provide the latest HIV/AIDS treatments in a safe, judgement free environment. They are skilled in working with LGBTQ+ individuals to craft treatments that work and enhance their patients' quality of life. Services includes HIV testing; STI screening; linkage to care; HIV medications, including antiretrovirals, PEP and PrEP; patient education; mental health services; dental services; and more.