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In addition, all tumor board participants —physicians employed by Health Quest and those in private practice — bring unique experience to bear on the partnerships of care that serves to enhance these relationships and, by extension, patient care. John Choi, M.S., M.D., general, minimally invasive and colorectal surgeon with Health Quest Medical Practice, completed a minimally invasive fellowship with a focus on colorectal surgery and a clinical research fellowship in colorectal surgery. His colleague, Dr. Nitzkorski, completed a fellowship in surgical oncology — a subspecialty for which the Society of Surgical Oncology lists only 19 approved training programs in the United States. This type of training involves studying not only the surgical techniques, but also rotating through medical and radiation oncology rounds. The additional perspective enables the physicians to appreciate treatment beyond the operating room and relate to the biology of the disease. While Drs. Choi and Nitzkorski don't administer chemotherapy or stereotactic radio- surgery, their firsthand experience in the disciplines allows them to bet- ter manage complex cases involving multiple specialties. The Sensitivity of Expertise The specialists are also particularly Advanced technology is used for treatment planning at Health Quest, and several quality assurance checks are in place. The Health Quest Quality Assurance Program provides the backbone for delivering multilayer treatment plans with a low risk of injury to the patient. adept in an area that can be uncomfort- able and unfamiliar for most patients: colorectal conditions and diseases. In addition to Dr. Nitzkorski's advanced melanoma practice, Drs. Choi and Nitzkorski — who are located at the Health Quest Medical Practice Poughkeepsie general surgery office — offer care for anal fissures and fistulas, colon, colorectal, liver and pancreatic cancers, hemorrhoids and hernias, and inflammatory bowel disease and other gastrointestinal condit ions. Their surgical armamentarium includes robot- assisted, laparoscopic and minimally invasive techniques, which provide patients less painful, often scarless, treat- ment options with the added benefits of reduced risk of complications and a quicker recovery when compared to open surgery. "We have procedures for the concerns that nobody really wants to talk about, which included hemorrhoids, anal cancer and anal fistulas — those things that people are not too familiar with," says Dr. Choi. "I'm able to offer noninvasive techniques in an outpatient setting that address those concerns and help patients in a sensitive area both, physically and emotionally." In particular, Drs. Choi and Nitzkorski Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) treatment plan for a pelvic malignancy is shown. Advanced techniques, such as IMRT, are utilized to minimize dose to normal tissue, improving tolerance of therapy and minimizing long-term side effects. IMRT treatments of the pelvis can more effectively spare the small bowel and bladder from higher doses of radiation. 16 | Mid Hudson MD NEWS ■ MDNEWS.COM perform laparoscopic total proctocolec- tomy and ileal-anal pouch surgery, laparoscopic coloanal anastomosis, and transanal endoscopic mucosal (TEM) resection. The first is used to treat SPECIAL CLINICAL SECTION: ONCOLOGY