Dr. Nivia E. Vazquez

With 37 years of experience in pediatrics, Dr. Nivia E. Vazquez has a range of knowledge that she draws upon daily to treat children with compassionate medical care. Dr. Vazquez began her career as a nurse in the Pediatric Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and then served as Medical Director of the Child Protection Team in the 11th South District of Miami-Dade County in 1993. She started her own private primary care practice in 1994 known as Kids Krome Medical. It was later renamed Portofino Pediatrics when it relocated, along with Homestead Hospital.
Dr. Vazquez’s passion for her work is driven by the bonds she builds with her patients over the course of their lives and the enjoyment she holds in keeping them healthy and well. Dr. Vazquez is an active member in her local hospitals and is one of the few pediatricians who still attend to her patients in the hospital from birth. Dr. Vazquez is also an active member of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and its Florida Chapter, as well as being the Medical Director of Portofino Pediatrics, where she guides a team of doctors and staff each day.
Before she began practicing medicine, Dr. Vazquez was born in Cuba and immigrated to the United States as a child.  She graduated from Boston University School of Medicine and completed her pediatric residency at Miami Children’s (Nicklaus) Hospital.  Due to her upbringing, Dr. Vazquez is fluent in Spanish and English.
Since the early 2000s, Dr. Vazquez has participated in medical humanitarian missions to the Caribbean with the Navy in 2010, with Continuing Promise on board the Iwo Jima and has attended several trips to Myles of Hope Orphanage in Haiti, both sponsored by Baptist Health of South Florida.
Recently, the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), the leader in health care accreditation, recognized and honored Dr. Vazquez and the doctors in her practice with the prestigious, highest level three, Patient Centered Medical Home Certification for her team in consistently administering high standards of evidence-based medical care that puts the patient and their family first. Only one in six primary care physicians in America practices is an NCQA-Recognized practice
In addition, Dr. Vazquez actively promotes ongoing learning and community involvement. She participates in career day presentations and welcomes students in all fields and at all ages to do community service hours at her office. She is an advocate of healthy lifestyle choices and actively supports and sponsors the Baby Friendly Initiative that promotes breastfeeding, Healthy Start, the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program and the local YMCA that promotes improved nutrition, physical activity and overall wellness from an early age. She also supports the local Girl and Boy Scout troops that promote leadership, compassion, self-confidence and reliance.
Dr. Vazquez enjoys spending time with her two energetic teenage children, her lovely adult daughter and her feisty German Shepard and Siberian Husky. She has an interest in learning about other cultures and experiencing them firsthand in her travels. She loves biking, enjoying the outdoors and watching old TV series and movies.