We understand that a cancer diagnosis can be a difficult and overwhelming experience. It is with this in mind that we developed our patient-centered treatment approach and comprehensive cancer care program. From initial consult, through surgery and follow-up care, our team will provide you with a care plan that you feel comfortable with and help you navigate the treatment process. The providers and staff of Alaska Colorectal Surgery are a family, and our goal is to help patients feel that they are a part of us as well. We welcome patients into our family and encourage them to actively participate in their care.
In-House Resources:
Cancer Care Coordination
Your cancer care coordinator will serve as your point of contact and guide during the treatment process. This person will serve as your personal liaison, facilitating all scheduling and necessary referrals to medical oncology, radiation oncology, enterostomal specialists, and others as deemed appropriate by your surgeon. Our coordinators are equipped to make travel arrangements for patients living in rural Alaska and will work with remote providers to make sure you are receiving comprehensive and appropriate care. Additionally, your coordinator will handle insurance authorizations for our providers’ services. The cancer care team at AKCRS is also well-versed in colorectal cancer surgeries and treatment types, which makes them an excellent information resource for patients. Our staff also has a great deal of experience in patient stoma education and troubleshooting, which makes them a valuable asset to our ostomy patients. Your cancer care coordinator will also contact you periodically to touch base, and is available to take your calls at any point that you have questions or concerns.
Provider Collaboration
Our surgeons believe in the value of collaborating with their peers to make the best possible decisions for their patients. In that spirit, our providers routinely seek each other’s counsel when determining long-term treatment plans and options for their patients. This is an obvious benefit to our patients because it results in a treatment plan which has been carefully weighed by multiple specialists with different perspectives. In addition to practicing this philosophy, the surgeons of Alaska Colorectal Surgery are the only board-certified colon and rectal surgeons in the State of Alaska, which means you are truly in the hands of specialists. Our surgeons work together in the operating room to perform the most specialized colorectal surgical treatment available in Alaska.
Robotic Surgery
Alaska Colorectal Surgery proudly offers the option of robotic-assisted surgery to our cancer patients. Our surgeons are trained to utilize the newest daVinci robotic technology available in Alaska to perform minimally invasive surgery. This technology routinely reduces required hospital stays and promotes faster recovery, making it an appealing option for our patients.
Outside Resources:
City-Wide Cancer Care Committee Meetings/Tumor Boards
Alaska Regional Hospital and Providence Alaska Medical Center hold city-wide cancer care committee and tumor board meetings weekly in which our physicians can present their current cancer cases to the community of cancer specialists. Our providers may elect to take their cases to these meetings for an outside perspective on treatment options. This provides yet another reason for our patients to feel confident that their treatment plan has been well-designed and is in their best interest.