Brown bag luncheon for pancreatic cancer education
Join Dr. Mike Nosler and Caryn McMullen for a brown bag lunch while they discuss anatomy, physiology, diagnostics and treatment options for patients with pancreatic cancer. The event, noon to 1 p.m. Dec. 4 in Café F at PVH, is part of “Wage Hope” pancreatic cancer education campaign. (One CEU is given for participating.) All providers, employees and community welcome to attend.
Foundation event showcases docs who were first in their professions
UCHealth Chief Executive Officer Liz Concordia recently talked to a group of retired physicians from Poudre Valley Hospital. The physicians in the room had decades of medical experience; and many of the doctors were among the first in Fort Collins in their respective professions.
“We wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for your leadership and knowledge in providing exceptional service to grow this system,” Concordia said to the group of more than 30 retired doctors.
Among them was Dr. Stanley Henson, who just turned 99 years old at the end of November. In 1956, Henson started the first general surgeons’ practice in Fort Collins. Dr. James Wise, also in the crowd, joined in 1961. Then in 1964, Dr. Merlin Otteman joined the practice.
Otteman, who become the first to perform bariatric surgery at Poudre Valley Hospital, also was in attendance.
“No one else was doing it here, and the hospital was very supportive, providing the special equipment and tools necessary,” he said. “It was an unusual thing to do — surgical treatment for morbid obesity.”
It was only about 15 years ago that bariatric surgery became an acceptable treatment, Otteman said, adding that it was a very rewarding profession.
“As far as a surgeon goes, they (bariatric patients) are the most gratifying patients to have,” he said, opening a retirement scrapbook filled with thank-you letters from patients over the years.
Other event attendees had different stories to tell. Event speakers included Dr. Don Beard, one of the first pediatricians in Fort Collins, and Dr. Lee Jeffrey, an OB/Gyn. Both discussed the area’s history regarding their specialties.
“We’ve come a long way from what you’ve started and from what you grew,” Concordia said to the room, and she concluded by commending the strength of the physicians who practiced in northern Colorado with Poudre Valley Health System, now UCHealth.
The annual Retired Physicians event was hosted by the PVH & MCR Foundation in partnership with Columbine Health Systems.
Greeley physician joins growing UCHealth internal medicine team
Dr. Danielle Doro has joined the team of providers at UCHealth Internal Medicine, 1106 E. Prospect Road in Fort Collins.
As an internal medicine physician, she is trained specifically to care for adults 18 and older – both healthy patients as well as those with complex medical issues. She is especially interested in helping patients practice a healthy lifestyle to prevent disease. She also enjoys helping patients with diabetes or hypertension to learn to better manage their conditions.
In recent years, she has been caring for patients at an internal medicine clinic in Greeley.
She earned a medical degree from the University of Minnesota Medical School and completed a residency in internal medicine through the three-hospital program affiliated with the University of Minnesota.
To schedule an appointment or for more information about UCHealth Internal Medicine, call 970.495.7410.
Pain medicine specialist loves helping patients get back to daily life
Physician assistant Kimberly Roberts-Mitchell is the newest addition at UCHealth Pain Medicine at Medical Clinic at Centerra, 2500 Rocky Mountain Ave. in Loveland.
The multidisciplinary clinic was established for patients who suffer from acute or chronic pain.
In recent years, Roberts-Mitchell has used a multidisciplinary approach that has included exercise, weight loss, physical therapy, trigger point and large joint injections and medication to care for patients with acute or chronic pain syndromes. She also evaluates patients to determine if they are candidates for interventional therapies such as transforaminal injections, spinal cord stimulators and intrathecal pain pumps.
“I feel privileged to care for patients and blessed to get to know them as people. I also love helping patients get back to functioning in daily life,” she said.
She is particularly interested in research of the genetics of pain management.
Roberts-Mitchell earned a master’s degree in physician assistant studies and internal medicine from the University of Nebraska Medical School. She also is a retired captain of the U.S. Air Force.
To schedule an appointment or for more information about the services offered at UCHealth Pain Medicine, call 970.203.7000.
New gastroenterology provider will care for patients in Fort Collins
Family nurse practitioner Paula Shellenbarger has joined the team at UCHealth Gastroenterology and Therapeutic Endoscopy, 1107 S. Lemay Ave. in Fort Collins.
She comes to the clinic with experience working with patients with acute and chronic gastrointestinal problems. Her background also includes primary care, bariatrics and long-term and rehabilitation care.
As a provider, she takes pride in being a problem-solver and someone who can give patients options regarding their care in language they can understand.
“I want patients to know that they are not alone, they have found a person they can trust and can talk to and that I will always have their best interests at heart,” she said.
Shellenbarger is especially interested in research of the physical and psychological impact of gastroenterology on patients. She earned a doctor of nursing practice degree from University of Colorado Health Sciences in Denver and a master’s of science degree in the family nurse practitioner program at Clarkson College in Omaha, Neb.
To schedule an appointment or for more information about services offered at UCHealth Gastroenterology and Therapeutic Endoscopy, call 970.495.7420.