Thoracic Surgeon in Upstate NY

Survivor~Not familiar w/docs N Albany but sending U web links

Hello “Survivor2017”

I hope this means you are a “survivor” in the year 2017.   Since you didn’t write anything “about you” on your “about me” page, I’m left to wonder if you have been diagnosed with Esophageal Cancer, or if you have had any kind of surgery, and are looking for a “follow-up” thoracic surgeon, so I’m a bit “in the dark” as to how to help best.  I do NOT know of a thoracic surgeon in Albany, NY.  That is why I’ve given you what might be called “leads.”  And I do hope that you will be able to find a well-qualified thoracic surgeon that will meet your needs. 

Nevertheless, I have given you some references below my name. 

The most I can offer are some USNews Health Reports that rank hospitals by specialties.  I have given you web links so that you might start your own search.  I did find one thoracic surgeon by the name of Thomas Fabian, who has a practice in Albany, NY.  I also found a report about him on “Healthgrades.com” so I’ve listed those two references first.  According to the information below, I do see that he has served a fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center for Minimally Invasive Esophagectomy.  I’m impressed with that.  He seems to be a younger surgeon.  If at all possible, it pays to seek out a thoracic surgeon that has been trained to perform the MIE.  However, he should be experienced enough to have performed at least 25 or so a year.  Frankly speaking, I wouldn’t want to be “any surgeon’s first patient” PERIOD! 

If a person has just been diagnosed with Esophageal Cancer, I would first of all seek a SECOND opinion.  Then I would choose a hospital that ranks highly in the field of Gastroenterolgy and GI surgeries, the category under which Esophageal Cancer is ranked by USNews Health Report. 

As a suggestion, you could always call UPMC directly, speak to someone in the Thoracic surgery department, and ask them for a recommendation.  You might ask if they have any “affiliates in the Albany, NY” area.  Sorry I couldn’t do more.  But I must say, we who have had experience with a cancer diagnosis here know that “finding a surgeon closest to a patient’s home” SHOULD NOT be the first criteria.  This is major, major surgery, however there are survivors!  That’s the good news!

Loretta (Wife of a 15-yr. survivor of Esophageal Cancer- DX Nov. 2002 - MIE @ UPMC May 17, 2003)

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1.  http://amc.edu/PhysicianDirectory/index.cfm?event=showPhysicianDetail&PRACT_ID=5289

Thomas Fabian MD - Chief, Section of Thoracic Surgery

Board Certification: American Board of Surgery, 2005

(Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery))

American Board of Surgery, 2003 (Surgery)

Contact Information:

 AMC Thoracic Surgery Group

50 New Scotland Ave. MC-192
3rd Floor
Albany, NY 12208 - Tel: (518) 262-5864 - Fax: (518)262-9933…” 

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 2. https://www.healthgrades.com/physician/dr-thomas-fabian-yrp4d

   EDUCATION

   1. Michigan State University - Undergraduate School | Graduated 1992

  2. St George's University - Medical School | Graduated 1996

  3. Hospital Of St Raphael - Internship Hospital | Completed 1998

   4. Bradley Memorial Hospital and Health Center - Residency Hospital | Completed 2002

   5. Albany Medical Center Hospital - Fellowship Hospital | Completed 2004

   6. University Of Pennsylvania Medical Center Presbyterian - Fellowship Hospital | Completed 2005

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 3. https://www.usnews.com

  “Rankings & Advice

   Life's Decisions Made Here…”

   ___________________________________________________________  

   4. https://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals

   “U.S. News Hospitals Rankings and Ratings

    The U.S. News Best Hospitals analysis reviews hospitals' performance in clinical specialties, procedures and conditions. Scores are based on several factors, including survival, patient safety, nurse staffing and more. Hospitals are ranked nationally in specialties from cancer to urology and rated in common procedures and conditions, such as heart bypass surgery, hip and knee replacement and COPD. Hospitals are also ranked regionally within states and major metro areas. The Honor Roll recognizes 20 hospitals with outstanding performance across multiple areas of care…”

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    5. https://health.usnews.com/health-care/best-hospitals/articles/best-hospitals-honor-roll-and-overview

   Health Care

• Best Hospitals

   “2017-18 Best Hospitals Honor Roll and Overview

  U.S. News ranks the top 20 hospitals in the nation, plus the best hospitals in each state and metro area. - By Avery Comarow and Ben Harder |Aug. 8, 2017, at 12:01 a.m.

    Somewhere in America, at a pace of about once per second, a patient checks into a hospital. With more than 33 million hospitalizations a year and so many patients on whom to sharpen their skills, hospitals could be expected to meet the most demanding standards for quality and safety.

   Yet too many hospitals fail even those whose medical needs are relatively straightforward – such as hip replacement, uncomplicated heart bypass surgery or removal of a cancerous section of colon. The hospital that makes treating patients like these its bread and butter is the very definition of a community hospital, and it should perform at a high standard.

  Even fewer hospitals excel at caring for patients with especially challenging or complex diagnoses, for whom the stakes may be a matter of life or death. For those patients, venturing beyond a trusted community hospital to seek care at a truly exceptional medical center, even one farther from home, may be the wisest option.

  To help readers narrow their search for hospitals that best match their needs, U.S. News ranks hospital performance in 16 areas of complex specialty care and also rates hospitals in nine bellwether procedures and conditions such as heart bypass, hip and knee replacement, heart failure and lung cancer surgery.

  [See: FAQ: How and Why We Rank and Rate Hospitals.]

 The Best Hospitals Honor Roll takes both the specialty rankings and the procedure and condition ratings into account. Hospitals received points if they were nationally ranked in one of the 16 specialties – the more specialties and the higher their rank, the more points they got – and also if they were rated "high performing"in the nine procedures and conditions. The top 20 point-getters made up the Honor Roll, which has a maximum total of 480 points.

  [See: The Honor Roll of Best Hospitals 2017-18.]

 U.S. News 2017-18 Best Hospitals Honor Roll…”

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  6. https://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/rankings/gastroenterology-and-gi-surgery

 “Best Hospitals for Gastroenterology & GI Surgery

 You can find information here about 1,566 hospitals in Gastroenterology & GI Surgery that see many challenging patients; listed hospitals had to treat at least 438 such Medicare inpatients in 2013, 2014 and 2015. The 50 top-scoring hospitals are ranked. The rest are listed alphabetically.

 How We Rank Hospitals…”

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 7.  https://health.usnews.com/doctors

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