To address the regional shortage of gastroenterologists, Rome Health will be establishing a gastroenterology practice at the Medical Center on the main campus of the hospital in early spring, under the leadership of Service Line Administrator Eileen Luley, MS, RRT, RPSGT.
The hospital has recruited two board certified gastroenterologists Aamer Mirza, M.D., and W. Asher Wolf, M.D. and an experienced G.I. nurse practitioner Melissa Kobito, FNP, to Rome. Dr. Mirza and Kobito are expected to begin seeing patients in late March/early April. Dr. Wolf is expected to join them in the summer.
Gastroenterologists specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of digestive and liver diseases. They are specially trained to perform endoscopy to visualize the inside of the digestive tract and perform advance endoscopic procedures to stop bleeding, remove polyps and stretch narrowed areas of the esophagus or intestine.
“At Rome Health, we are continuously building relationships with new physicians with specialized expertise to expand access to the best care out there, here,” said Chief Medical Officer Cristian Andrade, MD. “Our goal is to make it easy for providers to practice here and perform their procedures here so they can simply focus on delivering the best patient care.”
“Expanding access to G.I. services was a priority for Rome Health. Demand continues to increase with the aging of the population and the decrease in the recommended age for colon cancer screening from 50 to 45,” Dr Andrade said. “In the Central New York region, it can take months to get a G.I. appointment. In addition, the lack of G.I. coverage for the Emergency Department was the top reason why patients had to be transferred to another facility. Now, we will be able to care for the majority of them in Rome.”
Dr. Mirza has been practicing in the Mohawk Valley for more than 24 years. He completed his residency training in internal medicine at Bridgeport Hospital, Bridgeport, CT, and advanced his training with a gastroenterology fellowship at SUNY at Buffalo, NY. Dr. Mirza received his medical degree at Rawalpindi Medical College in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
Kobito worked with Dr. Mirza as a nurse practitioner at Slocum Dickson Medical Group. She earned her bachelor of science degree in nursing from Utica University and her master of science in nursing as a family nurse practitioner at SUNY Polytechnic Institute.
Dr. Wolf has 14 years of experience in gastroenterology and has been practicing in Grand Forks, N.D., for the last five years. He is experienced in performing specialized procedures including endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography or ERCP and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) with fine needle sampling. Dr. Wolf earned his medical degree from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill where he also completed his residency in internal medicine and his fellowship in gastroenterology.
Rome Health Gastroenterology will be located on the upper level of the Medical Center on the hospital’s main campus. Parking is conveniently located off of Oak Street. Enter through the Bartlett Entrance when coming for a visit. According to Luley, the practice will soon be accepting appointments at the Medical Center at 315.338.7040.
About Rome Health
Rome Health is a non-profit health care system based in Rome, N.Y., providing services to patients throughout Central New York. From primary and specialty care to long-term care, Rome Health delivers quality, compassionate medical care for every stage of life. We are a comprehensive health care system that connects you to the best clinicians and the latest technologies so they are easily accessible to you and your family. Rome Health is an affiliate of St. Joseph’s Health and an affiliated clinical site of New York Medical College.