This week, I’d like to recognize our Weight Loss Surgery and Endocrine Surgery Programs. The teams who care for these patients are changing lives and helping their patients to stick with their goals, even when it seems like a long road.
William Inabnet, MD, FACS, began the Weight Loss Surgery Program just over three years ago at Union Square and Petrie and recruited Paul Thodiyil, MD, shortly after to serve as Section Chief of Bariatric Surgery. I am so thankful for their guidance and dedication in building such a strong team. Our other excellent physicians in this specialty include Yulia Zak, MD, Jerome Taylor, MD, and Hunysuk Suh, MD. Richard Friedman, MD, and Michael Leitman, MD, also practice with this team. Dr. Friedman has been with MSBI for more than 20 years and Dr. Leitman is the Chief of General Surgery for MSBI Dean for Graduate Medical Education.
It’s clear to see this team of nurses, physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, medical and administrative assistants, and others, care deeply about each other and their patients.
Many bariatric team members: Tram B. Trau, PA; Virginia Pena; Dejanira Torrez; Coraly Perez; Carmen Suarez; Maurice Carper; Dajon Greene; Audrey Arcuri, MSN, APN, FNP-BC.
William Inabnet, MD, and Emily Then, medical assistant and Wilmarie Romero, administrative assistant.
Our patients in this program visit with us numerous times. Insurance authorization requires an abundance of documentation and often requires six months of preparation and pre-operative medical optimization. The team works hard to coordinate these appointments and make it easy for patients to stay on track. Communication is vital, and the entire group meets weekly to discuss cases and ensure that everyone is on the same page.
Furthermore, the transformation patients go through takes courage and persistence, and our team helps inspire them.
Dr. Inabnet says, “I’m thankful our team takes a deep dive into the psychosocial wellness of our patients while they are on a life-long journey.”
Because of this, our program has experienced exponential growth and has an exceptional record of safety and quality, based on national standards.
Photos of the rest of the team can be seen by clicking below.
Dr. Hyunsuk Suh and administrative assistant, Nicole Fuentes.
Physician assistant Tram B. Trau, PA-C and nurse practitioner Audrey Arcuri, MSN, APN, FNP-BC.
Paul Thodiyil, MD
Michael Leitman, MD
Yulia Zak, MD, and Coraly Perez, administrative assistant.
Clinical nutrition coordinator Rebecca Rudel.
Richard Friedman, MD
Dr. Jerome Taylor and Assistant Dejanira Torres at the Department Of Surgery BBQ 2018 in Central Park.
This team is also an integral part of our larger Endocrine Surgery Program, and Dr. Suh and Dr. Inabnet use some of the most sophisticated surgery techniques in the country. In fact, our program has had many “firsts” in the area of robotic and remote access “scarless” thyroid surgery. They have been instrumental in introducing these techniques to the United States and have received surgeons from around the world who travel to Mount Sinai Beth Israel to learn.
These programs are wonderful assets to our MSBI and Downtown network, and I’m so grateful for their care and encouragement for our patients.