Medicine has always carried its risks, its statistical uncertainties and something unquantifiable that obstructs the path to the best possible outcome, a reminder that there is always room for something new. Today, when the United States is considered the world’s unchallenged leader in medical research and development and sets the global medical agenda, it is vitally important to remain as close and as synchronized as possible so that physicians can deepen their expertise, and patients can receive the highest standard of care.
It is precisely this role as a bridge to American medicine and a vehicle for sharing experience that MedVeritas Global has taken on. The platform brings together a wide range of field experts practising in the United States, including Georgian-American physicians, enabling them to share their knowledge and experience with Georgian patients and, in doing so, contribute to the development of higher medical standards in Georgia.
MedVeritas Global is a telemedicine platform working on an unprecedented scale in Georgian healthcare, dedicated to the quality development of services in the country. The platform, which is oriented entirely towards patient well-being and the delivery of the best possible service, has three founders who tell us, in their own words, why they decided to create it and what mission it serves.
Tamar Tchelidze, MD, MPH, DrPH
MedVeritas Global – Founder and CEO
Dr. Tchelidze is a Senior Medical Affairs and Global Health Leader with over 25 years of expertise in translating scientific innovation into real-world patient impact. Her career spans clinical medicine, global biotechnology, and health policy, including shaping landmark United Nations declarations and spearheading national-scale health initiatives. Specializing in Implementation Science, she ensures the platform bridges the gap between the world’s most advanced medical breakthroughs and individual care.
«Creating the platform was a very natural decision, when you consider that over 26 years of practice in the United States, my colleagues and I were frequently contacted by Georgian patients or their family members who wanted to hear a second professional opinion or to verify a complex diagnosis. It was precisely the recognition that many of my fellow citizens navigating difficult medical situations and confronting serious diagnoses needed greater clarity and confidence that made it clear to me that there was a need for a safe, better-organized, high-quality platform.
I believe the platform serves two primary functions. First and foremost, patient care: through telemedicine, we offer access to second opinions from America’s leading specialists without patients needing to leave their homes. The second function, I believe, will be of particular interest to Georgian physicians themselves: an initiative to be announced this June. It envisions collaboration between American and Georgian physicians and aims to deepen relations between the two countries. It is a fully free educational initiative that will initially encompass four components. The first session is already planned for 20 June in endocrinology, and the second for 27 June in rheumatology.
All of this is aimed at ensuring the formulation of an optimal treatment plan in complex medical situations. The initiative does not replace the role of local physicians; quite the opposite: it supports the development of the best treatment approach for the patient through joint consultations and collaboration. Through our initiative, a shared consilium will be created, and MedVeritas Global will be the space in which complex cases are reviewed collectively.»
Nino Mikaberidze, MD, MS
MedVeritas Global Co-founder and Clinical Director.
Dr. Mikaberidze is a Graduate of the residency programme at Jacobi Medical Centre, Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Expert in rare and complex diseases; rheumatologist specializing in musculoskeletal and autoimmune disorders; Director of Rheumatology at Manhattan Pain Management; Fellow at the Hospital for Special Surgery.
«Recognizing the professionalism of Georgian physicians and maintaining a collegial, partnership-based relationship with them is one of MedVeritas Global’s core values. The platform offers patients and local physicians an additional professional resource that can be exceptionally valuable in particularly complex, rare and multidisciplinary clinical cases for sharing professional experience and, above all, serving the patient’s best interests. In modern medicine, seeking an alternative professional opinion is a widely accepted and established practice in both America’s and the world’s leading clinical and academic circles.
We believe that a strong healthcare system is built precisely through collaboration among physicians, through the sharing of experience and a team-based approach.»
Mariam Jashi, MD, MPH, MPA
MedVeritas Global Co-founder and Director of Strategy and Global Partnerships.
Dr. Jashi is a global health leader with 27 years of experience, including 11 years with UNICEF and 8 years in senior government roles, as Deputy Minister of Health and as a Member of Parliament of Georgia. Currently CEO of the Global Sepsis Alliance, she holds leadership and advisory positions with the Medical Women’s International Association, UNITE, Tbilisi Medical Academy, and Virchow Foundation. Dr. Jashi has led major public health initiatives, expanding access to essential healthcare and medical innovations across 19 countries.
«The mission of MedVeritas Global is to make American experience and expertise accessible to every Georgian patient and every member of their family.
Health is a right, not a privilege. With the support of global approaches, it is possible to deliver vitally important, high-quality care to every person, child and adult alike while simultaneously strengthening local healthcare systems.
There is no more important, more responsible, or more meaningful work than serving the health of women and children. It is from this that the social and economic foundations of public and global health and of countries’ development flow.»
Quality is paramount at MedVeritas Global, which is why patients’ well-being is entrusted to only the best. On the platform, you will encounter only board-certified, leading specialists with many years of experience managing complex cases in their respective disciplines.
Leading Experts of MedVeritas Global
Nick Chitaia, MD
Dr. Nick Chitaia is a board-certified endocrinologist specializing in the diagnosis and management of diabetes, metabolic disorders, and complex hormonal conditions. He has extensive clinical experience in managing both common and complex endocrine diseases, with a focus on optimizing long-term metabolic health and preventing complications. Dr. Chitaia’s expertise includes diabetes management, thyroid disorders, adrenal and pituitary conditions, and metabolic syndromes. His approach emphasizes personalized, evidence-based care, integrating advanced treatment strategies to support patients with chronic and multifactorial endocrine conditions. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta and his fellowship in Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism at the University of Florida. Dr. Chitaia is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism and is committed to delivering comprehensive, patient-centred care.
Yuliya Linhares, MD
Dr. Yuliya Linhares, is a nationally recognized Hematologist and Medical Oncologist specializing in lymphoma, bone marrow transplantation, cellular therapies, and immunotherapy. She currently serves as Chief of Lymphoma Services at Miami Cancer Institute and is an Associate Professor of Translational Medicine at Florida International University. Dr. Linhares completed her Internal Medicine residency at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), followed by a Hematology/Oncology fellowship at UCLA. She also completed a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Fellowship at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). She is board-certified in Internal Medicine, Hematology, and Medical Oncology and is also a Diplomate of the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine. She has extensive academic and clinical leadership experience in hematologic malignancies and advanced cellular therapies, including prior roles as Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR-T) Therapies Clinical Director at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology/Oncology at Cedars-Sinai, Health Sciences Assistant Clinical Professor at UCLA. Dr. Linhares specializes in the management of complex lymphomas and hematologic cancers, including Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma, with expertise in bone marrow transplantation, CAR-T therapies, immunotherapies, in bloodless cancer treatments and bloodless autologous stem cell transplant and cellular therapies for those who refuse blood transfusions for the reasons of faith (such as Jehovah’s Witnesses), and precision oncology.
Bun Jim, MD
Bun Jim, MD, is a board-certified nephrologist based in New York, with recognized expertise in complex kidney disease and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. She practices at NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi and North Central Bronx Hospital, where she provides comprehensive, patient-centred care for a broad spectrum of renal conditions. Dr. Jim’s clinical and research interests focus on hypertension in pregnancy, including preeclampsia and its biomarkers, as well as the management of chronic kidney disease. She is particularly regarded for her expertise in navigating complex, high-risk cases that require a nuanced, multidisciplinary approach. She is a Professor of Medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and serves as Associate Program Director for the Nephrology Fellowship, where she is actively involved in training the next generation of nephrologists. Dr. Jim completed her medical training at Albert Einstein/Montefiore Medical Center, followed by a fellowship in Nephrology at the University of Pennsylvania.
Lasha Gogokhia, MD, MSc
Dr. Lasha Gogokhia is an Assistant Professor of Medicine and Associate Director of Clinical Research in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Stony Brook University’s Renaissance School of Medicine. He specializes in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, pouchitis, and complex colitis variants, with expertise in postoperative IBD management, dysplasia surveillance, and intestinal failure and malabsorption syndromes. His clinical focus also includes complex and immune-mediated gastrointestinal disorders such as microscopic colitis, immune checkpoint inhibitor-associated colitis, celiac disease, and infectious complications, including Clostridioides difficile infection. His approach emphasizes multidisciplinary, patient-centered care integrating medical, endoscopic, and nutritional management. Dr. Gogokhia completed his gastroenterology fellowship with advanced IBD training at Weill Cornell Medicine – New York Presbyterian Hospital, where he also trained as a T32 research fellow and earned a Master of Science in Clinical Investigation. He is actively involved in advancing precision medicine approaches in IBD care.
Puja Jain, MD
Dr. Puja Jain is a board-certified Neurologist with additional board certification in Neuromuscular Medicine. She completed her Neurology residency at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, followed by a fellowship in Neuromuscular Medicine at University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Jain specializes in the evaluation and management of complex neurologic and neuromuscular disorders, including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, peripheral neuropathy, Myasthenia Gravis, muscular dystrophies, myopathies, and Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy. She also has expertise in headaches, migraines, cognitive symptoms, and disorders affecting both the central and peripheral nervous systems. Her clinical approach emphasizes comprehensive diagnostics, multidisciplinary collaboration, and individualized treatment strategies tailored to each patient’s clinical presentation and quality-of-life goals. Dr. Jain is affiliated with Wyckoff Heights Medical Center, Brooklyn.
Farah M. Khatoon, MD, MPH
Dr. Farah M. Khatoon is a board-certified pediatric endocrinologist and Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics (Endocrinology) at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. She specializes in the diagnosis and management of pediatric endocrine disorders, including diabetes, growth disorders, thyroid disease, puberty disorders, obesity, and other hormonal conditions affecting children and adolescents. Dr. Khatoon completed her pediatric residency at Atrium Health Navicent and her fellowship in Pediatric Endocrinology at Emory University School of Medicine. She is known for her compassionate, patient-centred approach and dedication to providing thoughtful, individualized care for children and families.
Elaheh Vahabnezhad, MD
Dr. Elaheh Vahabnezhad is a board-certified pediatric gastroenterologist based in Los Angeles, California, with more than 20 years of clinical experience. She specializes in the diagnosis and management of complex gastrointestinal conditions in children, including inflammatory bowel disease, reflux, chronic abdominal pain, celiac disease, and other digestive disorders. Dr. Vahabnezhad earned her medical degree from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She completed her pediatric residency training at the University of California, Los Angeles, and went on to complete her fellowship in Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition at Mattel Children’s Hospital, UCLA. She is widely recognized for her compassionate, patient-centered approach and dedication to providing thoughtful, individualized care for children and families.
Dali Edwards, D.O, MD
Dr. Edwards is a board-certified medical oncologist whose clinical practice is dedicated exclusively to the care of patients with breast cancer across all stages and subtypes. She brings extensive expertise in modern oncologic therapies, including chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, targeted therapy, antibody-based treatments, and immunotherapy. Following initial training in obstetrics and gynecology in Georgia and the United Kingdom, Dr. Edwards completed her Internal Medicine residency at the University at Buffalo, where she also conducted clinical research at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. She went on to complete a fellowship in Hematology and Medical Oncology at the University of Rochester Medical Center, further refining her expertise in complex oncologic care. In recognition of her contributions to the field, she was awarded the Segel-Halterman Award for Research in Medical Oncology in 2023. Dr. Edwards is known for her compassionate, patient-centred approach, providing comprehensive care tailored to each individual.
Remy Rabinovich, MD
Dr. Remy Rabinovich is a board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon specializing in the comprehensive management of traumatic, sports-related, and degenerative conditions affecting the hand, wrist, and elbow. He is recognized for his expertise in complex upper extremity injuries, peripheral nerve disorders, tendon and ligament pathology, arthritis, and microsurgical techniques. Dr. Rabinovich completed his orthopedic surgery residency at Lenox Hill Hospital/Northwell Health, where he served as Chief Resident during his final year. He subsequently pursued advanced subspecialty fellowship training in hand, upper extremity, and microsurgery at the Philadelphia Hand to Shoulder Center and Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals. His fellowship training focused on the treatment of complex fractures, amputations, peripheral nerve injuries, compressive neuropathies, ligament and tendon injuries, tendinitis, and degenerative joint disease of the upper extremity. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Rabinovich serves as an Assistant Professor at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, where he remains actively involved in academic medicine and surgical education.
With this impressive list of specialists, we have introduced the part of the platform’s extensive team that was among the first to join this initiative and has expressed its readiness to share its knowledge with patients and physicians worldwide. We wish them every success on this significant and responsible path.
