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	What's New at DeKalb Surgical Associates Welcome to the redesigned DeKalb Surgical Associates web site. As new information is added to the site, it will be listed here so that returning visitors can go there quickly. Be sure to check here often. 12/7/2012 For those of you who are already patients at DeKalb Surgical, please explore our new Patient Portal.  The DeKalb Surgical Patient Portal is a convenient and secure health-management tool you can use anywhere you have access to the Internet. Through the portal, you can: •  Receive and send secure messages. •  Request a prescription refill •  Obtain a copy of your office visit records •  Obtain lab results •   Request an appointment Of course, the Patient Portal should NOT be used for any urgent or emergent communication.  For such matters, please use our main office phone number 404-508-4320.     •   Our Patient Satisfaction Scores are something we want to share with our patients and referring physicians regularly.  We are pleased to report that in almost all categories, our scores were in the 95th percentile or higher over the past year, both for inpatients and outpatients.  Read more on our Patient Satisfaction page!   12/6/2012   New Survival Data for Breast and Colon Cancer  11/19/2012 Look on our Outcomes page for updated information on survival rates for the most commonly treated cancers in our practice.  Separate pages have been designed, specific for both breast and colon cancer patients.   For patients who typically receive their care at Northside or St. Joseph's Hospitals, we are participating physicians for Blue Cross, as well as almost all other major health insurance plans.  Your primary care physician can refer you to us either of our two office locations, as shown on our home page.   Dr. Kennedy has been certified by the American College of Breast Surgeons in stereotactic breast biopsy.  Certification requires meeting several prerequisites for training, experience, and quality metrics, passing a rigorous written examination, and the submission of cases for central review.  There are only about 300 surgeons across the US who have met all the requirements for certification, and currently one of only 7 in the Metro Atlanta area.   New Survival Data for Breast and Colon Cancer  2/29/2012 Look on our Outcomes page for updated information on survival rates for the most commonly treated cancers in our practice.   It's All About the Margins    2/4/2012 The New York Times reported on a recently published article from JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) focusing on the variability of re-excision rates for women undergoing breast conserving surgery for cancer in the US.  Among all surgeons, the need for a second surgery (which is sometimes a mastectomy) ranges as high as 70%, with the average being about 25%.  The authors note that there is no standardized method for surgical removal of breast cancers, and no agreed upon safe distance between the cancer edge and the tissue edge, and hence the marked variation in frequency of second surgeries among hospitals and surgeons. Dr. Kennedy at DeKalb Surgical has been using a customized surgical instrument over the past 6 years as a method for standardizing the excision of breast cancers.  He has recently been granted a US patent for a disposable version of this instrument.  Using his instrument, he has consistently had a low re-excision rate, under 10%.   Here's a link for more information about the treatment of breast cancer on our website. (Recommended iPhone app- QR Reader) Dietary fiber for diverticulosis???  2/4/2012 Do you have diverticulosis, or have you had diverticulitis? Most likely, you've been told NOT to eat popcorn or peanuts, and to stay on a high fiber diet. Well, there is a new study just reported which is questioning those longstanding recommendations. This study from the University of North Carolina and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine prospectively followed more than 2,000 volunteers over 12 years with regular colonoscopies, in order to document the development of diverticulosis. Surprisingly, those with the lowest amount of fiber in their diet were the LEAST likely to develop diverticuli. Furthermore, those with constipation were LESS likely to develop diverticuli, turning conventional dogma on its head. Previous studies have also refuted the bad reputation of popcorn, nuts, and seeds in causing diverticulitis. We likely have not heard the last of these recommendations, but for now, feel free to enjoy a bag of Redenbacher's!! Here's a link to more info on our website about diverticulosis. (Recommended iPhone app- QR Reader) The Colon Cancer Home Page has been updated 2/4/2012 Dr. Kennedy has been certified by the American College of Breast Surgeons in breast ultrasound.  Certification requires meeting several prerequisites for training, experience, and quality metrics, passing a rigorous written examination, and the submission of cases for central review.  There are only about 400 surgeons across the US who have met all the requirements for certification. Outcomes for hernia repairs has been updated with the most recent survey results. 8/12/2010 The diverticulitis information has been updated. 8/12/2010 The information regarding treatment of pilonidal cyst has been updated. 8/12/2010 Our new Patient Forms have been updated with the medical questionnaires made easier to read and fill out on your computer. 6/11/2010 Our breast problems and breast cancer pages have been thoroughly updated, with an emphasis on helping you find the most relevant information for your specific questions, whether it has to do with a breast lump, or other symptom, or a recent diagnosis of cancer.  6/1/2010 Dr. John Kennedy has been named one of Atlanta's "Top Docs" in the June 2010 issue of Atlanta Magazine. 5/24/2010 Staff page update with phone numbers to make it easier for you to reach the person you need when you call. 03/03/2010 John S. Kennedy, M.D.  - has been named a Distinguished Cancer Scholar by the Georgia Cancer Coalition (GCC). The award recognizes Dr. Kennedy’s quest for cutting-edge cancer treatment and commitment to patients diagnosed with breast, colon and other cancers. A physician at DeKalb Medical for the past 22 years, Dr. Kennedy holds patents for medical instruments used in the treatment and control of breast cancer. Dr. Kennedy, who is Chief of Staff at DeKalb Medical at North Decatur, also chairs the Committee for Quality Integration for the Commission on Cancer. Dr. Kennedy’s award is accompanied by a 5-year grant from the GCC that will support his clinical research efforts at DeKalb Medical.  - 03/01/2010 Liver Q & A - Your questions about the liver answered - 02/28/2010 Pancreas Q & A - Your questions about the pancreas answered - 02/28/2010 Dr. Kennedy is proud to be the Medical Director again this year for Atlanta’s 3-Day Walk. "Join the 3-Day Walk and help me and others involved in treating breast cancer reach for the goal – a world without breast cancer". Single incision gallbladder removal provides improved cosmetic outcome See our new information regarding partial breast irradiation (MammoSite) See our web page on minimally invasive parathyroid surgery Dr. Andrei Stieber joins DeKalb Surgical LaMar McGinnis elected as President of the American College of Surgeons
	DeKalb Surgical Associates ©2012 DeKalb Surgical Associates 2665 North Decatur Road Suite 730 Decatur, Georgia 30033 (a suburb of Atlanta) 980 Building, Suite 430 980 Johnson Ferry Road, NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30342 Phone: (404) 508-4320 XFax: (404) 508-4112

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