McLaren Lapeer Region Opens Outpatient Thoracic Surgery Clinic to Bring Care for Lungs and Chest Closer to Home

New clinic part of continued expansion of services in new medical office building

 

Patients in Lapeer County and the thumb region will no longer have to travel for advanced care for lung cancer, procedures on the esophagus, and other surgeries on the chest and lungs with the opening of the new McLaren Lapeer Region Thoracic Surgery Clinic in the hospital’s new medical office building.

“McLaren made a commitment to bring more specialty care to Lapeer when we opened our new medical office building,” said Tim Vargas, president and chief executive officer, McLaren Lapeer Region. “The new thoracic surgery clinic is the latest example of bringing more services closer to home for residents of Lapeer County and the surrounding communities.”

McLaren partnered with the Michigan Heart Valve Institute to bring talented thoracic surgeons to establish an outpatient office in the Lapeer community to make care more convenient for patients. Experienced thoracic surgeons Shrey Patel, MD, Anup Sud, MD, and James Martin, MD, will see patients in the McLaren Lapeer Region Thoracic Surgery Clinic located at 1200 Barry Drive in Lapeer. A referral from a primary care physician is usually required to see a thoracic surgeon. Patients and referring providers with questions can contact the clinic at (810) 667-7324.

Surgical procedures are performed at McLaren Lapeer Region using some of the latest minimally invasive technology and techniques to shorten recovery times for many patients. Pre-surgical and follow-up appointments will now be available in the new thoracic surgery clinic, keeping more care local and easy to access.

The new thoracic surgery clinic builds upon McLaren’s strong history of diagnosing and treating lung cancer within the community through surgical, medical, and radiation therapy available at the Karmanos Cancer Institute at McLaren Lapeer Region. The hospital also offers a specialized lung cancer screening program to answer questions and help those who are eligible to receive a simple, painless chest CT scan. The screening is covered 100 percent by most insurances and is accredited by the American College of Radiology (ACR). Those eligible for the lung cancer screening program include current and former smokers who are asymptomatic adults between the ages of 55 and 77 with a tobacco smoking history of at least 20 pack-years. Physicians or patients with a physician’s order for the screening can call (810) 667-5990 to schedule an appointment.

“Like most cancers, early detection of lung cancer is crucial to fighting the disease,” Vargas said. “I would encourage anyone who is eligible to get screened.”

Vargas also noted additional services are likely to be added to the medical office building and hospital in the coming months.

“McLaren Lapeer Region is actively working with physician partners in and outside of our community to expand services in the hospital and in the outpatient setting,” Vargas said. “We hope to make additional announcements about bringing new services to Lapeer and the surrounding communities soon.”

Learn more about the care and services offered at McLaren Lapeer Region at mclaren.org/lapeerregion.

About McLaren Lapeer Region
McLaren Lapeer Region is a 222-bed acute care facility located in Lapeer, Michigan, and is the primary provider of health care services to Lapeer County and the surrounding area. McLaren Lapeer Region has received national recognition from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid for clinical excellence in orthopedics, pneumonia, congestive heart failure and surgical care. The facility maintains a verified Level II trauma designation and provides comprehensive care in a 29-bed Emergency Center along with specialized services for heart, cancer, orthopedic and general surgery services, physical medicine and rehabilitation, women’s services, wound care services and sleep disorders. To learn more, visit mclaren.org/lapeerregion.