About Us

Dr. Edward Mezerhane "The doctor of your dreams" is a bilingual (English and Spanish), board-certified adult and pediatric Sleep Medicine and Obesity Medicine specialist. He is dedicated to raising awareness about how sleep disorders can affect one's health, metabolism and overall quality of life. He believes that proper diagnosis is essential to appropriately treating each disorder and improving a patient's lifestyle.

Born in Venezuela, he moved to Miami, FL when he was 7 years old. While attending the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Dr. Mezerhane graduated with Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honors in 2009. He completed his Internal Medicine residency training at the University of Miami/Jackson Health System in 2012. In 2013, he completed a fellowship in Sleep Medicine at the University of Miami/Jackson Health System. During his Sleep Medicine fellowship training he was involved in several research projects including the study of sleep apnea, insomnia and narcolepsy. His colleagues recognized him as the Sleep Medicine Fellow of the Year upon graduating in 2013.

Since founding Sleep Medicine Specialists of South Florida in 2013, he has grown the practice to 2 locations in South Florida with 2 AASM-accredited sleep lab locations. He currently serves as Medical Director. He remains an active fellow member of the AASM and previously has served as a committee member of the Quality Metric Task Force and Accreditation Committees.

In 2017, he began a career in clinical research, and currently serves as principal investigator for PharmaDev Clinical Research Institute, the affiliated clinical research entity of the medical practice. In 2020, he co-founded and became CEO of MonitAir®, a digital health platform for remote patient monitoring (RPM) for sleep and respiratory conditions.

In 2023, he became a Certified Principal Investigator (CPI) through the ACRP. In 2025 he became board certified in Obesity Medicine. His background allows him to examine patients based on their overall needs to help them achieve optimal health. Aside from his clinical and research roles, Dr. Mezerhane consults as a speaker, key opinion leader, subject matter expert, and advisory board member for multiple companies within the pharmaceutical and medical device industry within his area of expertise – sleep and obesity medicine.

Dr. Mezerhane is affiliated with Baptist Hospital of Miami and South Miami Hospital, and he is currently a fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) and the American College of Physicians (FACP).

Dr. Veronica Palmero is a bilingual (English and Spanish), board-certified internist and pulmonologist based in Miami, Florida, with over 20 years of clinical experience. Originally from Venezuela, Dr. Palmero earned her medical degree from La Universidad Central de Venezuela in 2002.

She later relocated to Boston, Massachusetts, where she completed her internal medicine residency at Saint Elizabeth Medical Center in 2008. She went on to complete a fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York, New York in 2011.

In 2015, Dr. Palmero moved to Miami. She joined our practice in 2024 and specializes in the diagnosis and management of pulmonary conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchitis, interstitial lung disease, and lung nodules, as well as sleep-related disorders, including obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). She is affiliated with Baptist Health, including South Miami Hospital.

In addition to her clinical practice, Dr. Palmero serves as a voluntary Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine at the FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, where she oversees clinical rotations for third- and fourth-year medical students.

Dr. Palmero is deeply committed to providing compassionate, evidence-based care. She believes in building strong, trusting relationships with her patients and takes a patient-centered approach focused on developing personalized treatment plans that address both physical and emotional well-being.

Dr. Idriz Kovacevic is a bilingual (English and Croatian), board-certified psychiatrist with more than two decades of clinical practice. He is quadruple board certified in Psychiatry, Neurology, and Sleep Medicine through the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and holds board certification in Addiction Medicine from the American Board of Preventive Medicine. He earned his medical degree from the University of Zagreb in Croatia in 1998, completed his Neurology residency at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in 2007, and went on to complete both his Psychiatry residency and Sleep Medicine fellowship at Jackson Memorial Hospital/University of Miami in 2010 and 2011, respectively. Dr. Kovacevic's clinical expertise focuses on the comprehensive management of sleep disorders in patients with psychiatric and neurological comorbidities. He joined our practice in 2017. His focus is treating insomnia syndromes and providing cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I). He manages the complex intersection between psychiatric and sleep disorders.

He is also dedicated to medical education, regularly providing didactic instruction to psychiatry residents and sleep medicine fellows during their clinical rotations at the Miami VA Medical Center.

Dr. Kovacevic recognizes the close relationship between healthy sleep and mental health and strives to provide the most appropriate, comprehensive care for each patient.

Mrs. Fanella is a board-certified Nurse Practitioner based in Miami, Florida, with over three years of clinical experience. She earned her nursing license from Florida Keys College and went on to complete her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Miami Dade College in 2015 while maintaining full-time employment at Baptist Hospital.

After graduating with her BSN, she began her career at West Kendall Baptist Hospital, where she worked in the Medical-Surgical Unit for two years. In 2017, she transitioned into the Emergency Room Residency Program. She practiced in the Emergency Department for nearly six years, achieving an Advanced RN role within her department. During this time, she also played an active role in educating and training newly graduated registered nurses. While working full time, she attended graduate school at Barry University, where she earned her Master of Science in Nursing in Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner in 2021. She is board certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

Raquel joined our practice in 2023, and approaches patient care with compassion, empathy, and a strong commitment to evidence-based practice. As a bilingual (English and Spanish) provider, she values building meaningful connections with her patients and is deeply passionate about her role as a nurse practitioner, finding fulfillment in caring for others and making a positive impact on their health and well-being.

Mrs. Qyyum is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner born and raised in Miami, Florida. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Florida International University in 2014 and began her career as a registered nurse at Mercy Hospital's long-term acute care facility, Sister Emmanuel Hospital, where she built a strong foundation in bedside nursing. She later joined South Miami Hospital, where she worked for five years on the observation unit known as the Clinical Decision Unit (CDU). During this time, Soraya earned her Medical-Surgical Nursing certification and played an active role in training and mentoring new nurses. She returned to Florida International University and earned her Master of Science in Nursing as a Family Nurse Practitioner in 2019. She is board certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

Soraya joined our practice in 2021 as a Sleep Medicine Nurse Practitioner, where she brings years of diverse clinical experience into her patient care. She is known for her compassionate, patient-centered approach, taking time to listen, educate, and partner with patients to improve their overall health and quality of life. As a bilingual (English and Spanish) provider, Soraya values clear communication and culturally sensitive care, allowing her to build trusting relationships with patients from diverse backgrounds. She is committed to delivering thoughtful, evidence-based care with empathy, respect, and professionalism.

Stephanie Mezerhane is a Registered Dietitian with more than five years of clinical experience. She earned her master's degree in Dietetics and Nutrition from Florida International University in 2019. Stephanie began her career in the acute care setting, where she provided medical nutrition therapy to a diverse and medically complex patient population. She has extensive experience collaborating within multidisciplinary healthcare teams to deliver evidence-based nutrition care, including comprehensive nutrition assessment, intervention, and ongoing monitoring.

In addition to her acute care background, Stephanie has experience in outpatient weight management counseling, supporting patients through individualized, behavior-focused nutrition interventions, including care for individuals using weight-management therapies. She is a bilingual (English and Spanish) provider who is passionate about nutrition education and has a strong professional interest in obesity management, metabolic health, and integrating nutrition strategies to support sustainable, long-term lifestyle change.