Caring Team
Interventional Spine Specialists of Florida is composed of a dedicated team of physicians and specialists in each area of service. We are dedicated to providing the highest quality of care and comfort for each patient on a personal level, and build a relationship that will last a lifetime.
Our Pain Physicians
Jesse Hatgis, DO
Dr. Jesse Hatgis, D.O. is a double board certified osteopathic pain management/physical medicine and rehabilitation physician. As an interventional pain physician, Dr. Hatgis utilizes a variety of advanced therapies including, but not limited to, spinal cord stimulation, kyphoplasty, endoscopic discectomy, tumor ablation, radiofrequency ablation, interspinous process device placement, facet joint stabilization, minimally invasive lumbar decompression (MILD procedure), nerve blocks, joint injections, and regenerative medicine. Dr. Hatgis is the President and Medical Director of Interventional Spine Specialists. He also serves as the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Accredited Pain Medicine Fellowship Program Director at Larkin Hospital – Palms Springs Campus.
Edward Frankoski, DO
Edward Frankoski earned his medical degree at Nova Southeastern University, College of Osteopathic Medicine and his residency training was completed at The Western Pennsylvania Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where he received extensive training in Pain Management.
Dr. Frankoski stays current with all new and up to date treatments through many educational meetings throughout the year. He has been practicing Pain Management in the Aventura area for over twenty years and he has been involved in drug research as well as procedure research studies.
“I believe patients should be treated with respect and courtesy from the moment of the first call to the office. Everyone in my office wants patients to be fully informed and educated in all aspects of their care.”
Nachi Gupta, MD
Dr. Nachi Gupta is a fellowship-trained interventional pain physician at Interventional Spine Specialists of Florida. He earned his medical degree at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, completed his residency at Mount Sinai in New York, and is board certified in Emergency Medicine. He went on to the ACGME-accredited Pain Medicine fellowship at Larkin Community Hospital, Palm Springs Campus, where he trained under the practice’s President and Medical Director, Dr. Jesse Hatgis.
Dr. Gupta’s practice centers on minimally invasive, image-guided treatment of neck, back, and joint pain, including epidural and facet injections, radiofrequency ablation, spinal cord and peripheral nerve stimulation, basivertebral nerve ablation, sacroiliac joint fusion, interspinous fusion, and endoscopic spine procedures.
Dr. Gupta also holds a PhD in mathematics from the University of Oxford, is an inventor on multiple gene therapy patents, and has authored more than 80 publications. He brings that same rigor to patient care, reading the evidence closely and recommending only the treatments it supports.
“Most people who come to see me have been hurting for a long time and have already seen a lot of doctors. My job is to listen, find where the pain is really coming from, and treat it with the least invasive thing that will actually work.”
Monish Merchant, MD
Dr. Merchant is a Vascular and Interventional Radiologist who has published extensively on a variety of interventional radiology topics. He has a large volume of experience in novel embolization procedures and techniques.
Keerthi Prasad, MD
Keerthi is a Vascular and Interventional Radiologist with several years of experience in building and growing joint-venture outpatient Interventional Radiology labs. Dr. Prasad has trained physicians from across the USA in outpatient IR techniques and operations.
Advanced Practice Providers
Vanessa Stark, PA-C
Vanessa Stark, PA-C (Board- Certified Physician Assistant) is a
dedicated and compassionate board-certified Physician Assistant
specializing in pain management. She earned her master’s degree
from St. Francis University in collaboration with Miami Dade
College and has over 16 years of prior experience as a Physical
Therapy Assistant specializing in orthopedics. This extensive
background allows her to approach pain management with a
comprehensive understanding of the musculoskeletal system,
ensuring her patients receive the highest standard of care. Vanessa
is skilled in diagnosing chronic pain conditions and developing
personalized treatment plans that include minimally invasive
procedures to help patients improve function and quality of life.
Fluent in English and Spanish, she is dedicated to providing
compassionate, patient-centered care to a diverse community.
Outside of work, Vanessa enjoys spending time with her family and
pursuing her passion for cars. With a unique blend of expertise,
empathy, and enthusiasm, Vanessa Stark is dedicated to helping her
patients and navigating their pain management journey with
confidence and support.
Sara Samla, PA-C
Sara Samla, PA-C (Board- Certified Physician Assistant) is a
Physician Assistant (PA) with a passion for Interventional Pain
Management. She earned her Master of Science in Physician
Assistant Studies from Florida International University and is
certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician
Assistants (NCCPA). Sara has a particular interest in providing
comprehensive, personalized care tailored to each patient’s unique
needs. She is fluent in both English and Urdu. In her free time, Sara
enjoys reading, crafting, and spending time with her family