Three internal medicine doctors have joined Auburn Regional Medical Center’s clinic network to open the new Regional Medical Internal Medicine practice in Auburn.

The practice, which opened Jan. 9, includes three board-certified internal medicine physicians: Dr. Madhavi Mandala, MD; Dr. Nedal Gara, MD; and Dr. Joseph Dawood, MD, MBA.

Dawood begins practicing at the clinic in March.

“These doctors specialize in adult medicine and the management of chronic disease,” explained Larry Coomes, CEO of Auburn Regional. “We have an increasing need for internal medicine doctors in our community as our population grows and ages, and as conditions such as diabetes become more prevalent. The new clinic gives more access to this type of care.”

Mandala comes to Auburn from Massachusetts, where she was part of an established primary care clinic. She completed her residency in internal medicine at St. Barnabas Hospital, Cornell University in Bronx, N.Y. Dr. Mandala, originally from India, has a particular interest in women’s health and geriatric medicine, as well as chronic disease management.

Gara returns to the Puget Sound after practicing in Spokane. Prior to that, he was an internal medicine hospitalist for Harrison Hospital in Bremerton. Gara, originally from Israel, completed his residency at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and also holds a degree in nursing as a registered nurse.

Both doctors have families and live in the area.

Dawood is a familiar face at Auburn, having previously served as a hospitalist at Auburn Regional and as the hospital’s chief of medicine. He completed his residency at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Bronx, N.Y. Dawood has practiced internal medicine in several Puget Sound area hospitals and in private practice in Washington, Arizona and California.

The new internal medicine practice – located in the medical office building adjacent to the hospital at 202 N. Division Street, Suite 400 – accepts most major insurance, including Medicare and Medicaid. The clinic phone number is 253-833-7256.

Auburn Regional is the 162-bed community hospital with an affiliated network of specialty care, family practice and urgent care clinics.