MDNews - Long Island

2 0 | Long Island MD NEWS ■ M D N E W S . CO M Johnny Kao, MD, received a three-year appointment as Cancer Liaison Physician for the Cancer Center at Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center. Since 2012, Dr. Kao has served as Chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology. He has extensive expertise in intensity modulated radiation therapy, image-guided radiation therapy, stereotactic radiosurgery and brachytherapy to treat cancer patients more effectively with fewer complications than in the past. Cancer liaison physicians are responsible for evaluating, interpreting and reporting their fa - cilities' performance data through the National Cancer Data Base, and they also spearhead quality-improvement initiatives based on data findings. Dr. Kao is among more than 1,500 volunteer physicians nationally who are respon - sible for providing leadership and direction to establish, maintain and support their facilities' cancer programs. Dr. Kao led several pioneering clinical trials combining high-precision radiation therapy with novel chemotherapy regimens that suc - cessfully treated patients with advanced, recur- rent or metastatic cancers. He has published more than 60 journal articles and textbook chapters on breast, prostate, head and neck, lung, and gynecologic cancers. Dr. Kao lives with his wife and two children in Jericho. Good Samaritan's Cancer Center has been nationally recognized, having earned the Outstanding Achievement Award and three- year accreditation with commendation in eight areas from the American College of Surgeons' Commission on Cancer on three consecutive surveys, nine years in a row. Winthrop-University Hospital is pleased to announce that Miriam R. Robbins, DDS, MS, has been appointed Chair of the Department of Dental Medicine. Dr. Robbins was most recently the associate chair of the Department of Oral-Maxillofacial Pathology, Radiology and Medicine and the director of the Special Needs Dental Clinic at the New York University (NYU) College of Dentistry. Dr. Robbins earned a dental degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine and a master of science in Management and Health Policy from the Robert Wagner School of Public Policy at NYU. She completed a residency at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center and an American Cancer Fellowship at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Dr. Robbins is a Diplomate of the American Board of Special Care Dentistry and holds fellowships from the American College of Dentists, the American Academy of Oral Medicine and the American Association of Hospital Dentists. NuHealth/Nassau University Medical Center (NUMC) announced the appointment of John Riggs, MD, as Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB/GYN) at NUMC. In his new role, Dr. Riggs will apply his skills for the over - sight, guidance and performance-improvement support to NUMC's women's services programs and activities. His specialties include urogy- necology, pelvic reconstructive surgery and minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery. Dr. Riggs joined NUMC in August 2015. He is originally from Haddonfield, New Jersey. He attended Georgetown University for under - graduate and medical school and completed a residency in OB/GYN at St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, New Jersey. From 1989–1999, he worked in private practice with his father, Joseph, in Haddon Heights, New Jersey, where they specialized in advanced gynecologic surgery. After his father/partner retired, Dr. Riggs moved to New York City and joined the staff of Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in Brooklyn. In the next 15 years, he held multiple positions at Wyckoff, including: director of gynecology and urogynecology, director of the women's health People in the NEWS Johnny Kao, MD Miriam R. Robbins, DDS, MS John Riggs, MD

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