Leonidas Koniaris, MD, FACS, is the newly appointed Chief of Surgery at Methodist Hospital in South Philadelphia, an affiliate of Jefferson that now has the strongest presence of full-time Jefferson faculty surgeons to date. One of the oldest hospitals in the Philadelphia region, Methodist has been treating patients continuously since 1892. Professor of Surgery and Vice Chair of the Department of Surgery at Jefferson Medical College, Dr. Koniaris is leading the effort to help what he describes as “an already great local hospital become an even more essential and integral partof this vibrant community.” Dr. Koniaris replaces Melvin Moses, MD, FACS (see Those Who Give) who was Chief of Surgery for more than two decades.
Author of more than 140 scientific papers, Dr. Koniaris came to Jefferson following six years as an Associate Professor of Surgery at the University of Miami School of Medicine. He graduated from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where he remained for surgical residency training and clinical and research fellowships. He is joined by two additional full-time Jefferson faculty members, both graduates of the Jefferson Surgical Residency Program: Robert McCairns, MD, FACS, and Francesco Palazzo, MD, FACS (see News in Brief.)
Dr. Koniaris’ mission is to continue the ongoing improvements to the clinical and academic programs at Methodist. Thanks to the assistance of the hospital leadership at Methodist, a new outpatient office will open at 1300 Wolf Street this December, right on the hospital grounds. This office will replace the office in the St. Agnes facility and expedite physician and patient flow between our outpatient and inpatient areas.
“We will complement the work at the Kimmel Cancer Care Center and expand our capabilities by opening a multidisciplinary breast cancer clinic this fall,” says Dr. Koniaris. This clinic will provide patients access to all of Jefferson’s services – surgery, medical oncology, radiation therapy, and patient advocates – in one convenient location. “The end result will be optimal personalized therapies for patients,” says Koniaris.
With a newly renovated endovascular suite, Methodist now has state-of-the-art capabilities to treat a variety of vascular disorders, including major aortic disease, renal stenosis (a narrowing of the blood supply to the kidneys), and advanced wound care with hyperbaric oxygen therapy treatment. Dr. Koniaris hopes to add colorectal and lung cancer capabilities in the spring of 2012.
“All the pieces are here for an integrated, multi-disciplinary surgical care program,” he says. “We are putting on the final touches and are excited about the improvements. It’s rewarding to provide this higher level of care to our patients in South Philadelphia.”
Recommended Citation
(2011)
"Koniaris Heads Expanding Multi-disciplinary Surgical Program at Methodist Hospital,"
Jefferson Surgical Solutions: Vol. 6:
Iss.
2, Article 3.
Available at:
https://jdc.jefferson.edu/jss/vol6/iss2/3