Dr. Viraj Bhalani, MD

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Get to know Nephrologist Dr. Viraj Bhalani, who serves patients throughout the State of Florida.

Dr. Viraj Bhalani is a member of Florida Kidney Physicians, a state-wide leader in the care of patients with kidney disease, including those with chronic kidney disease, on dialysis or who have received a kidney transplant.  Additionally he specializes in treating patients with difficult to control blood pressure.  Dr. Bhalani is located in the Tampa, FL market and sees patients in offices, hospitals and dialysis clinics in Brandon and Plant City.  Dr. Bhalani is an innovative and compassionate nephrologist who has nearly a decade of experience in treating very complex medical conditions.  He is dedicated to providing exceptional care through a holistic approach, including a healthy lifestyle intervention.  With a passion for incorporating a well-balanced, well-planned, high quality whole-foods plant-based diets, alongside traditional medications, he is committed to improving kidney health and overall well-being by providing patients with individualized treatment plans, based on their specific healthcare goals and life circumstances.  In addition to nutritional counseling, Dr. Bhalani advocates for lifestyle changes in other areas including exercise, movement, mindfulness, and sleep.  

Pertaining to his educational pursuits, he embarked on his medical journey at Saba University School of Medicine in the Netherlands Antilles, graduating in 2008. Following this, he completed his residency in internal medicine at Columbia University/Stamford Hospital in 2012, before completing a fellowship in nephrology at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston in 2015.

As a testament to his success, Dr. Bhalani is board-certified in internal medicine and nephrology by the American Board of Internal Medicine, which is a physician-led, non-profit, independent evaluation organization driven by doctors who want to achieve the highest standards for the best care in a rapidly changing world.

Before delving into nephrology, Dr. Bhalani served as a hospitalist at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. Additionally, he contributed significantly to the field as a research assistant at the Renal Research Institute in New York, where his work resulted in publications in prestigious medical journals such as the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology and Blood Purification.

Currently, he holds the position of a teaching attending in the Internal Medicine Residency Program at HCA Brandon Regional Hospital. Furthermore, he serves as the Medical Director of Davita East Brandon Dialysis Unit in Brandon, FL where he oversees various dialysis modalities, including in-center hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis.

Nephrology is a specialty of medicine  that concerns itself with the kidneys. It is the study of normal kidney function and kidney disease, the preservation of kidney health, and the treatment of kidney disease, from diet and medication to renal replacement therapy. Nephrologists have advanced training in treating kidney disease. They diagnose and treat kidney failure, as well as help patients by prescribing medications, offering special diet advice, and coordinating dialysis care or kidney transplantation when it becomes necessary.

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