Clínica Latina Serving More Than 200K Patients In 40 Years Of Affordable Health Care Service

Clínica Latina continues to provide affordable health and medical care in Milwaukee's Southside for 40 years.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

October 24, 2015

Milwaukee, WI - Today, Dr. Leonardo Aponte MD announced that he and the Clínica Latina S.C. at 1238 S. Cesar E. Chavez Drive, (414-645-6669) in Milwaukee has served more than 200,000 patients in a combined 40 years of affordable health and medical care service. Dr. Aponte is general practitioner, including a family medical practice and is a certified Nuclear Medicine doctor. He speaks four languages, French, German, Spanish and English.

On Saturday, Dr. Aponte in a video personally thanked the community, his medical staff, doctors and administrative workers for their dedication, support and service all these years. Dr. Aponte is working on several projects today, one of them is creating a minor surgery clinic facility to do affordable surgeries for patients saving them high cost fees otherwise charged at hospitals. The second project is to establish a resource clinic to treat drug and alcoholic addiction. Dr. Aponte says, that the first project is close to getting accomplish since, he doesn't count on federal, state or private funds. The Clínica Latina is a full health care service provider including minor laser surgery for the last 15 years, has 9 medical staff including administrative members and is looking forward for the 41st Anniversary next year, according to Dr. Aponte.

At first, Dr. Aponte began to treat Mexican and Puerto Rican families, today the Clínica Latina has been able to treat patients from Asia, Europe, Central and South America. Everyday, we get new patients, especially younger in age, Dr. Aponte told Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA).

In brief: Dr. Aponte arrived in Milwaukee from Connecticut in 1974 after finishing his Nuclear Medicine studies. He first practice medicine at the Medical Surgical Clinic at the 2500 block of W. Lincoln Ave. from September 1974 to July 1975. While at the clinic on Lincoln Ave., Dr. Aponte noticed that Mexican families weren't getting the medical services needed. On August 1975, Dr. Aponte was able to start his practice in a one room office at a dental facility with late Dr. John Gonis who established Dental Associates on S. 16th St. (later renamed S. Cesar E. Chavez Drive) and Ron Silverman, his partner who had an Optical practice. He practice medicine for four months at Dental Associates and then briefly moved to the 1600 block of W. Greenfield Ave. on the upper level of the Gull Pharmacy. He practiced medicine for the next 8 years at 1322 S. 16 St. and provided free medical consultation to Mexican families at the Guadalupe Church School.

Dr. Aponte was later able to open the Clínica Latina S.C. at 1238 S. Cesar E. Chavez Drive. Congratulations to Clínica Latina and its medical and administrative staff on their 40th Anniversary.

Medical and administrative staff:

● Dr. Leonardo Aponte 

● Dr. Antonio Gonzalez  (21 years of medical service)

● Dr. Tomas O'Conner (5 years of medical service)

● Dr. Elaine Gilbert (8 years of medical service)

● Adriana Luevano, Clinic Administrative Manager, (7 years of service)

● Cindy Nuñez, Medical Assistant, (3 years of service)

● Jorge Escamilla, Medical Assistant 

● D'Andre Turner, Billing, (14 years of service)

● Rosa Villa, Accounting 

● Lee Fevo, Accounting  

Video: Dr. Leonardo Aponte and the Clínica Latina's 40th Anniversary in Milwaukee https://youtu.be/Rbp7TmiceVU