Update on Bariatric Surgery

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Update on Bariatric Surgery

Presented by: Bradley Gordan, DO – General Surgery, Beacon Health System

Dr. Bradley C. Gordan knew from an early age that he wanted to become a physician. “I always liked to take things apart, fix them and put them back together,” he explains. “Surgery is very much like that.” His passion for medicine was solidified when he worked as a brain injury and spinal cord injury rehabilitation tech after graduating college. “Working with those patients was not only a very rewarding experience, but I also saw how their physicians integrated a team approach — from therapists, to nurses, to the techs — to help them through some of the most devastating injuries humans can endure.”

He chose to practice at Beacon because of his shared passion for providing excellent care to South Bend and surrounding areas. After completing a Bariatric Surgery Fellowship at URMC Highland Hospital, he is looking forward to the opportunity to develop a bariatric program and hopefully bring a Bariatric Center of Excellence to the area. “Obesity and its associated chronic health conditions, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, and high cholesterol, have become an epidemic in this country. Bariatric surgery provides patients the ability to have most of these diseases improve, if not completely resolve.”

Dr. Gordan strongly believes in the team approach as critical to enabling the best care possible for his patients and their families. “Whether you are a general surgery patient or a bariatric patient, you will have a team guiding you through your care and recovery,” Dr. Gordan says, “we’re here to help you through the whole process, from myself, to nurses, therapists and care coordinators.”

He also understands the importance of compassion and humility. “Communication is so critical,” he says. “I know from experience: surgery is scary. I want to make my patients as comfortable as possible about their procedure. I spend a great deal of time explaining a patient’s diagnosis and what needs to be done to fix their problem, including hand-drawn pictures for them. I always say pictures are worth a thousand words.”

Dr. Gordan wants his patients to know that he will always provide the same care for them that he would want for himself and his own family. “I hope they understand that I’m no different from them. I’m human, I have a family and a child. I’m here to help them — to improve their condition and their quality of life.”