Richard L. Oehler, MD, FACP
Director of Clinical Education, Division of Infectious Disease & International Medicine
Program Chief for Academics and Teaching, Infectious Disease Section, James A. Haley Veterans Hospital
Assistant Epidemiologist, Infectious Disease Section, James A. Haley Veterans Hospital
Chairman, Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, James A. Haley Veterans Hospital
Biographical Sketch | Areas of Expertise | Current Research | Publications
BS, University of South Florida
MD, University of South Florida
Residency, Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine
Fellowship, Infectious Disease, Division of Infectious Disease, University of South Florida
E-Mail: richard.oehler@med.va.gov
Phone: (813) 972-2000 x 6184
FAX: (813) 978-5983
Biographical Sketch
Rejoining the USF infectious disease faculty in 2002 was, for Dr. Oehler, in several ways, a homecoming. A Tampa native, he has long had an affiliation with the University of South Florida (USF) since taking math and science summer courses as a high school student in the early 1980's. After receiving his MD at the USF College of Medicine in 1992, Dr. Oehler completed his Internship and Residency in Internal Medicine at Emory University in 1995. He then returned to USF to train in Infectious Diseases. In 1997, a private practice opportunity in Huntsville, AL, beckoned, and he relocated to northern Alabama. He practiced there as a sole practitioner for 5 years, honing his clinical skills, but still felt a longing to return to his hometown and its growing and ever more successful university. The opportunity to join the clinical faculty at the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital (JAHVAH), the busiest VA in the country, came in 2002. An Associate Professor of Medicine at USF, he currently serves as an attending in infectious diseases at the Haley VA Hospital as well as at the Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa General Hospital, Shriner's Hospital, and Kindred Hospital, all in Tampa. Dr. Oehler is also chairman of the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee at the JAHVAH. Since his return, Dr. Oehler has been instrumental in the development of educational programs for Infectious Diseases faculty and fellows. He has received national recognition for his research in infections in returning soldiers and international recognition for his 2009 Lancet ID co-authored publication on the association between MRSA infections in humans and companion animals. For this work, Dr. Oehler has appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, New York Daily News, the UK’s Daily Mail, Fox 13 News and countless other media outlets. Dr. Oehler is a recognized authority in the use of informatics in the field of infectious diseases, especially with regard to smart phones.
Dr. Oehler is also an advisor to the Bella Moss Foundation(www.thebellamossfoundation.com), the leading worldwide charity devoted to promoting information awareness on MRSA infections in companion animals. In 2005, he was also the first clinician in the Tampa Bay area to document the presence of Community-acquired MRSA strains in a local hospital. Since 2007, Dr. Oehler is the co-founder and webmaster of IDPodcasts.net, the leading infectious diseases educational podcast site on the web, with over 100 hours of free medical lectures available for download, also available in the iTunes Store. Dr. Oehler is married and has two children.
Areas of Expertise
Methicillin-Resistant Staph aureus infections
Emerging Infectious Diseases/Influenza
Infections in the Immunocompromised Host
Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infections
Bone and Joint Infections
Wound Infections/Diabetic Foot
Mycobacterial infections
Current Research
(State/Federal – Coinvestigator)
Toney JF, Gompf SG, Oehler RL. VA Cooperative grant CSP #403 Shingles Prevention Study. Protocol CSP403. Dates: 2002-present
(Pharmaceutical -- Coinvestigator)
Toney JF, Bergan GA, Nadler JP, Dominguez E, Oehler RL, and Poblete SJ. A Randomized, Double Blind Study of Safety, Virologic and Immunological Effects of Stavudine plus 3TC in HIV-Infected Subjects Following at least Six (6) Months of Zidovudine Therapy. Bristol-Myers Squibb. 1996
Toney JF, Bergan GA, Nadler JP, Dominguez E, Oehler RL, Poblete SJ, and Seeley P. An Open-Label, Multicenter, Safety and Efficacy Study of 5% Topical Imiquimod Cream in the Treatment of Visible, External Genital/Perianal Warts in Male and Female Patients. 3M. 1998
Toney JF, Bergan GA, Nadler JP, Dominguez E, Oehler RL, Poblete SJ, and Seeley P. An Open Comparitive Multicenter Study of Intravenous Itraconazole followed by Itraconazole Oral Solution versus Intravenous Fluconazole followed by Oral Fluconazole Tablets in the Treatment of Candidemia in Non-Neutropenic patients. Janssen. 1996.
Toney JF, Bergan GA, Nadler JP, Dominguez E, Oehler RL, Poblete SJ, and Seeley P. A Phase III, Double Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Recombinant Human Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor (rhu-GM-CSF) in Patients with Advanced HIV Disease. Immunex. 1996.
Gompf SG, Oehler, RL, Toney JF, Nadler JP. A Randomized, Multicenter, Open Label, Phase IV Study Evaluating the Efficacy and Safety of 16-Week Versus 24-Week Treatment with PEGASYS ® in Combination with Copegus® in Interferon-naïve Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C Genotype 2 or 3 Virus Infection. Roche. Protocol NV17317. Dates: 2003-present
Toney JF, Gompf SG, Oehler RL, Cutolo EP, Lezama J. Intravenous ARBELIC (AMI-6424) for Uncomplicated Staphylococcus Aureus Bacteremia (Phase II Study). Theravance. Protocol TD-6424. Dates: 2003-present
Greene JN, Oehler RL, Gompf SG. 045-00 A multicenter, open, non-comparative study to estimate the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of caspofungin acetate in the treatment of adults with invasive Candida infections, Merck. Protocol 045-00 2005, (5% effort)
Greene JN, Oehler RL, Gompf SG. A randomized controlled trial of posaconazole (SCH 56592) vs. standard azole therapy for the prevention of invasive fungal infections among high-risk neutropenic patients, Schering Plough. Protocol P01899, 2005, (5% effort)
Grants:
Hemophilia of Georgia. Grant# 6123-412-L0
Duties: Patient Care. Staff weekly Clinic. Administrative duties
Dates: 2002-present
Publications
Burdette SD, Herchline TE, Oehler R. Practicing Medicine in a Technological Age: Using Smartphones in Clinical Practice. CID. 47: 117-122, 2008.
Mastorides SM, Oehler RL, Greene JN, Sinnott JT, et al. Detection of Airborne Mycobacterium tuberculosis Using Micropore Membrane Air Sampling and Polymerase Chain Reaction. Chest. 115(1): 19-25, 1999 Jan.
Oehler RL, Lorenzo, N. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. Emedicine.com (electronic publication), July 28, 2003. Revised, 2004, 2005.
Cooper CD, Oehler RL, Greene JN, Sandin R. A Gardnener Susceptible to Lymphangitis. Infections in Medicine. 21(2):66, 2004.
Clum S, Cooks A, Lezama JL, Oehler RL, Cutolo EP. Challenging Cases in Infectious Diseases: Abdominal and Scrotal Pain. Infect Med. 21:276-283, 2004 Jun.
Oehler RL, Elko LM, Gompf SG. Acute Graft Thrombosis Secondary to Listeria Bacteremia: A Case Report and Review of the Literature. Infect Dis Clin Pract. 2:345-9. 2004 Nov
Oehler R. A Man with Fevers and New Onset Seizures. Infections in Medicine. 119-22. 2005 Mar.
Gompf S, Oehler R. Adenoviruses. Emedicine.com (electronic publication), (Revision) 2005.
Tan, M, Oehler RL. Lower Extremity Cellulitis and Bacteremia with Herbaspirillum seropedicae associated with Aquatic Exposure in a Patient with Cirrhosis. Infect Dis Clin Pract. 13:277-9, 2005.