Restoring health through surgery

General Surgery

When a condition requires surgery, you will benefit from the knowledge, expertise and compassion of the entire Glen Rose Medical Center team.
General Surgery

When a condition, requires surgery.

The General Surgery department at GRMC is where skill and technology unite. You can be assured that your surgical experience will be delivered by knowledgeable professionals in a safe environment using the finest technology available.

General surgeons perform consultation and surgery on medical conditions involving the breast, endocrine system, gastrointestinal tract, colon, liver, pancreas and rectum. Operative surgery involves incision into the skin or other organs, inspection or removal of diseased tissue or organs, relief of obstruction, replacement of structures to their normal position, redirection of body channels, transplant of tissues or whole organs and implantation of mechanical or electronic devices.

Efficiency is pure fluid motion, in our  2900 sq. ft. surgical suite. And that means little waiting and much reassurance for our patients. Whether prepped for a total hip replacement or a laporoscopic gall bladder procedure, you’ll find security in the calm of our long-term team (most with over 20 years experience) who move in concert.

A concise description comes from surgery’s head nurse: “We make our patients feel like Queen for a Day.” Kings get the red carpet treatment, too. Perhaps that’s why GRMC attracts over 53% of its surgery patients from outside Glen Rose.

All of our outpatient surgeries and inpatient surgeries are performed in these state-of-the art, new operating rooms, including our specially designated endoscopy suite where both endoscopic surgery (using hollow, tube-like instruments to reach internal organs and tissue) and endoscopic testing is performed.

Six Things to Remember

  1. Choose a highly competent surgeon. More than 30 surgeons and specialists hold operating privileges at GRMC. Your primary care physician can make a recommendation, or you may wish to designate a surgeon of your choice.
  2. Your surgeon’s office will begin the insurance pre-certification process and will arrange for any pre-procedure lab or radiology tests required.
  3. Your surgeon’s office will also contact us for the appointed date and time of your surgery and provide you with “the rules of the road” — generally concerning food, drink and drug intake prior to surgery.
  4. On the day of your surgery, come to our Admissions office, even if you have pre-admitted. Bring your insurance card or papers with you.
  5. Following the brief paperwork, you will be shown to a pre-op room where you will be visited prior to surgery by your surgeon, our board certified Anesthesiologist or Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, and a surgery nurse assigned to you.
  6. Conveniently located, our surgery waiting area is just outside our Operating suite. Your family and friends will be comfortable there until they can see you in recovery.

Advances in less-invasive surgical techniques have brought a variety of surgeries into the Out-patient Surgery arena. If you are scheduled for an out-patient surgery procedure, you will arrive at Glen Rose Medical Center, usually in the morning, and go home to recuperate the same day. In an occasional circumstance, your physician may decide, following surgery, to admit you to the hospital as an in-patient. But, in most cases, you’ll be at home resting by late afternoon.

A recuperative hospital stay is just part of the plan for an In-patient Surgery procedure. Upon being moved to your assigned hospital room, our highly competent nurses provide excellent care around the clock — supported by the latest technology in monitoring systems (when they are needed).
Unless your doctor orders otherwise, visitors may come to see you at any time. And we’ll hand-deliver all encouragement messages sent to you by well wishers.



Surgeon

Stephen Erck, M.D.


Dr. Stephen Erck graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1978 with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. After working one year as an emergency medical technician, he returned to school at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree and certification as a Physician Assistant. For five years he was a Physician Assistant in the Department of Internal Medicine of MacGregor Medical Association in Houston.  In 1986, he returned to school at Texas Tech University Health Sciences where he earned his Doctor of Medicine degree. From 1990-1995, Dr. Erck served a general surgery residency at Scott and White Memorial Hospital in Temple, Texas.

Dr. Erck has received the American Medical Association’s Physicians Recognition Award and his special interests include laparoscopic surgery trauma and cancer surgery. He enjoys time with his three children, playing sports and bicycling.

Board Certification | American Board of Surgery

Medical Training



Surgeon

Hernan Patino, M.D


Following his residency in New York City, Dr. Patino completed his cardiothoracic and vascular surgery fellowship at Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas. Dr. Patino received his Doctor of Medicine and Surgery from The University of Cauca, Colombia. Dr. Patino practiced in Weimar, Texas and New Mexico prior to joining Glen Rose Healthcare, Incorporated. Dr. Patino utilizes the laparascopic surgery technique when appropriate, allowing many of his procedures to be minimally invasive.

Specialties

Endoscopy | Colonoscopy | Hemorrhoidectomy | Hernia Repair | Gallbladder Removal

Board Certification | American Board of Surgery, 1979-Current

Medical Training


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