Seven faculty members in the University of Colorado Anschutz Department of Surgery were honored on February 5 as part of the University of Colorado Hospital Medical Staff Awards. The awards are given annually by UCHealth, one of the surgery department’s partner hospitals.
Perfect partners
Receiving the Medical Staff Award: Partners in Care for Physicians and Advanced Practice Providers was the team of Thomas Robinson, MD, professor in the Division of GI, Trauma, and Endocrine Surgery (GITES), and Daniel Adams, PA, a senior instructor in GITES.
Dan Adams, PA |
Robinson and Adams lead the University of Colorado Hospital’s Aging Surgical Wellness Program, a pioneering initiative designed to address the unique vulnerabilities of patients aged 75 or older undergoing elective cardiac and complex orthopedic spine procedures.
Thomas Robinson, MD |
“The Aging Surgical Wellness Program is not only improving outcomes, it is reshaping the culture of surgical care for older adults,” Kristin Mekeel, MD, FACS, MS, chief quality officer at University of Colorado Hospital, wrote in her letter nominating Robinson and Adams for the award. “The team’s dedication to evidence-based practice, compassionate care, and continuous improvement reflects the highest ideals of health care leadership.”
Adams says he is proud of the process and workflow his team has created to make frailty assessment effective and efficient for providers and patients alike.
“By identifying older adult vulnerabilities early, we can deliver tailored, targeted support,” he says. “This approach builds genuine confidence in our older adults and their families as they head into surgery. This recognition celebrates the extraordinary care and thoughtful recommendations our entire team delivers to our older patients during one of the most vulnerable times in their lives.”
Robinson echoes the sentiment, adding, “The Aging Surgical Wellness team is proud of the outstanding working relationships our program has with interdisciplinary team members at the University of Colorado Hospital, allowing age-friendly care to our older adult surgical patients.”
Abdominal cancer pioneer
Steven Ahrendt, MD |
The hospital’s Pioneer/Clinical Innovation Award went to Steven Ahrendt, MD, professor in the Division of Surgical Oncology, for his use of cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) to treat patients with abdominal cancers including appendiceal and colon cancer.
“These are extremely challenging conditions in surgical oncology, requiring both exceptional technical mastery and deep multidisciplinary collaboration,” wrote Ahrendt’s nominators for the award.
Ahrendt says he is pleased to be recognized among other excellent providers in the CU Anschutz School of Medicine, particularly for the care he provides to patients.
“I have found that with experience and a lot of patience and stamina, one can often achieve a remarkable benefit for patients,” he says. “It is extremely rewarding to see patients who have been treated for stage 4 cancer reach the four-, five-, and six-year milestones after going through an extensive operation and chemotherapy course. I am grateful to share in the lives they have been able to enjoy.”
Offering new hope to women with pelvic organ prolapse
Surgeons in the hospital’s Pelvic Floor Disorders Multidisciplinary Group — Elisa Birnbaum, MD, Shane McNevin, MD, and , all of GITES — received the Clinical Innovation Team Award for their role in the group that treats conditions including anal fistula, pelvic organ prolapse, and urinary and bowel incontinence.
Elisa Birnbaum, MD |
Shane McNevin, MD |
Amber Moyer, MD |
“The concept of a truly multidisciplinary approach to pelvic organ prolapse started as a wish-list item in 2016,” Birnbaum says. “We have worked to create a unique program that exists in only a few sites in the U.S. Our team consists of colorectal surgery, urogynecology, urology, and physical therapy, with the support of nurses, PAs, and radiologists all engaged in providing a comprehensive treatment for a problem that many women suffer from but few people talk about.”
Moyer adds that “it feels incredible to be part of a team that is so dedicated to improving women’s pelvic health.”
Supporting patients
Gregory Gleckler, PA |
Gregory Gleckler, PA, a physician assistant in the surgical trauma intensive care unit at University of Colorado Hospital, was recognized with the hospital’s Bedside Manner Award.
“Greg exemplifies excellence in patient care and team collaboration. He consistently goes above and beyond in his interactions with patients and families, taking the time to explain complex care plans with clarity, compassion, and patience,” wrote nominator Lindsey Marx, RN, BSN, TNCC. “His bedside manner is truly exceptional — calm, respectful, and deeply empathetic. Greg has a natural ability to make patients feel seen, heard, and cared for, even in the most critical and vulnerable moments.”
Gleckler, also an instructor in GITES, says he is “deeply honored and genuinely humbled to receive this recognition,” adding that he takes “great pride in collaborating transparently and collegially with all members of our multidisciplinary team, while ensuring that patients and their families are treated with the utmost respect and compassion.”
“I wholeheartedly appreciate my STICU team, including our APPs, attending physicians, nurses, and supporting staff,” he says. “This designation would not be possible without their dedication and support. Together, they foster a critical care unit that is both highly respected and a genuinely welcoming work environment."
