
Dr Bolla with her adopted sheltie, Shadow
Meet Dr. Bolla
Dr. Leela R Bolla M.D., Fellow of The American Geriatrics Society
Dr. Bolla was born and raised in Southern India and graduated from Guntur Medical College at age 22, with top honors. She served as a Medical Officer in The Ministry of Jamaica, WI for over two years before migrating to the U.S. in 1985. Dr. Bolla graduated from Wright State University in Dayton Ohio in Internal Medicine and served as Chief Resident during her residency. She practiced for several years in Dayton before moving to Cleveland and joining the world-renowned Cleveland Clinic Foundation as a staff physician. She completed a two year Fellowship in Geriatric Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and worked with Dr. Robert Palmer MD, who was the original architect of the ACE (Acute Care of Elderly) concept which is now a nationally recognized model of hospital care of the Geriatric patient.
LICENSURE
- State of Florida
BOARD CERTIFICATION
- Diplomate American Board of Internal Medicine, Sept. 1989
- CAQ Geriatric Medicine, 1998, 2008
CLINICAL EXPERIENCE
- Medical Director of The Chateau at Moorings Park Naples, Florida, July 2009 to Nov 2012
- Private Practice in Naples, Florida, Feb. 2000 to Present
- Associate Staff, Cleveland Clinic, Naples, Florida, Feb. 2000-April 2003
- Assistant Professor, Division of Geriatric Medicine, Center on Aging, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, Colorado, Sept. 1997-Dec. 1999
- Clinical Associate in Internal Medicine, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio,Nov. 1994-Aug. 1995
- Private Practice Internal Medicine (Solo), Samaritan North, Dayton, Ohio, Oct. 1990-June 1992
- Urgent Care and Private Practice Internal Medicine, Centerville Physicians Center (Affiliate Miami Valley Hospital, Dayton, Ohio), Feb. 1989-Sept. 1990
- Medical Officer, Ministry of Health, Jamaica, West Indies, July 1982-Sept. 1984
FELLOWSHIP
- American Geriatrics Society
- American Board of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, 2007
- Geriatric Medicine, Department of General Internal Medicine, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, Sept. 1995-Sept. 1997
INTERNSHIP
- Good Samaritan Hospital, Family Practice (Affiliate Wright State University School of Medicine), July 1985-June 1986
RESIDENCY
- Residency, Wright State University School of Medicine, Internal Medicine, Dayton, Ohio, July 1986-Feb 1989
- Chief Resident Internal Medicine, April 1988-June 1988
- Rotating Internship, Government General Hospital, Guntur, A.P. India, Nov. 1980-Oct 1981
EDUCATION
- School: St. Joseph's Convent, A.P. India (1964-1973)
- Premed College: Maris Stella College, A.P. India (1973-1975)
- Medical College: Guntur Medical College, Guntur, A.P. India Nagarjuna University (Nov. 1975-Sept. 1980)
AWARDS
- GulfShore Life Top Geriatric Doctor 2017-2012
- Castle Connolly Top Doctor Award 2018-2012
- Castle Connolly Top Physicians 2012
- America's Top Physicians 2011, 2010
HONORS IN MEDICAL SCHOOL
- Gold Medal in Anatomy
- Certificate of Merit in Biochemistry
- Dr. Govinda Menon Prize in Anatomy
- Certificate of Merit in Pharmacology
- Prize in Forensic Medicine
- Gold Medal in Ophthalmology
- Gold Medal for Best Out-going Student, 1975-1980 class
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
- Montgomery County Medical Society,
Dayton, Ohio, 1990-1992 - American Geriatrics Society (AGS), 1996-Present
- Collier County Medical Society
- North Naples Hospital Medical Executive Committee
- Florida Medical Directors Association
PUBLICATIONS
- Bolla, L., Palmer, R.M, "Paraneoplastic Cerebellar Degeneration: Case Report and Literature Review." Archives of Internal Medicine, 159:1258-1262, 1997.
- Palmer, R.M., Bolla, L. "When Your Patient is Hospitalized: Tips for Primary Care Physicians." Geriatrics, Vol. 52, No. 9, Sept. 1997.
- Miller, D.L., Bolla, L., "Patient Values: Guide to Medical Decision Making." Clinics in Geriatric Medicine, Vol. 14, No. 4: 813-829, Nov. 1998.
- Bolla, L.R., C.M. Filley, Palmer, R.M. "Office Diagnosis of Dementing Illnesses" Geriatrics, Vol. 55, Number 1:34-46, Jan 2000.
NATIONAL MEETINGS: SYMPOSIUM, ABSTRACTS & PAPER PRESENTATIONS
- Bollla, L.R., "Dementia Vs Depression", Sponsored by Council on Aging, April 10, 2013
- Bolla, L.R., Palmer, R.M., "Paraneoplastic Cerebellar Degeneration," Â Poster presentation, American Geriatrics Society, May 1996
- Bolla, L.R., Palmer, R.M., "Lain G Home Care Nurses: A Vital Link Between Patients and Advance Directives." Poster presentation, The Gerontological Society of America (GSA), Nov. 1996
- Bolla, L.R., Palmer, R.M., "Unusual Neuropsychiatric Presentations in the Elderly." Poster presentation, American Geriatrics Society, May 1997
- Bolla, L.R., Palmer, R.M., Laing, G., Hammel, J., "Advance Directives in Home Care Patients." Poster Poster presentation, American Geriatrics Society, May 1997
- Bolla, L.R., Grabiner, M.D., "Age vs. Disuse Related Changes in Postural Stability." Paper presentation, The Gerontological Society of America, Nov. 1997
- Bolla, L.R., Palmer, R.M., Hammel, J., "Advance Directives Attitudes: Knowledge and Practices of Housestaff." Poster presentation, American Geriatrics Society, May 1998
- Bolla, L.R., Jahnigen, D., "Advance Directives: An Interdisciplinary Teaching Model." Audiovisual Media Presentation, The Gerontological Society of America, 1998
- V.M.I, Roche, Bolla, L.R., Backstrom, D., Hersch, D., "The ABC's of Medicare-A User Friendly Approach," Poster Presentation, The Gerontological Society of America, 1998
CME PRESENTATIONS
- Bolla, L., "Paraneoplastic Cerebellar Degineration: More Common Than You Think." Grand Rounds presentation, Department of General Internal Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Sept. 1996
- Bolla, L., "End of Life Decision Making." Grand Rounds presentation, Department of OBGYN, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, Colorado, May 1998
- Bolla, L., "Non Pharmacological Treatment of Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis." Colorado Pharmacy Association, Silver Creek, Colorado, June 21, 1998
- Bolla, L., "Perioperative Management of the Elderly." Grand Rounds presentation, Mercy Hospital, Durango, Colorado, April 1998
- Bolla, L. "All Who Forget Do Not Have Alzheimer's," Grand Rounds presentation, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, Colorado, Dec. 1998
- Bolla, L., "Health Screening and Immunization of the Elderly," Florida Osteopathic Medical Society Annual Mid Winter Educational Retreat, Florida Gulf Coast University, Feb. 3, 2001
- Symposium Director Cleveland Clinic Geriatrics Update 2002 at the Registry Resort, Naples, Florida Jan. 18-20, 2002
- Dementia Update, Cleveland Clinic, Grand Rounds, Naples, Florida, April 26, 2002
- Differential Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease. Cleveland Clinic, Naples, Florida, July 2002
- Delirium in the Hospitalized Elderly, Cleveland Clinic, Naples, Florida, Aug 20, 2002
- Symposium Director Cleveland Clinic Geriatrics Update 2003: Contemporary Geriatrics for the Practicing Physician at the Registry Resort, Jan. 18 & 19, 2003
- Differential Diagnosis of Dementia, Jan. 18, 2003. Contemporary Geriatrics for the Practicing Physician at The Registry Resort
- Differential Diagnosis of Dementia, Grand Rounds, Naples Community Hopsital, Naples, Florida
- Diagnosis and Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease, NCH, June 16, 2004
- Symposium Director and Speaker Contemporary, Geriatrics for the Practicing Physician, The Naples Beach Hotel, March 2007
- Vital Role of Geriatric Consultation in Managing Complex Neurologic Syndromes, Grand Floridian Resort, Lake Buena Vista, October 16-19, 2014
- "Relationship of Amyloid-Tau in the Pathophysiology of Alzheimer's Disease", Best Care Practices In PALTC Continuum 2017, October 13, 2017