By Deepak A. Kapoor, M.D.

The debate over health care has been divisive and rancorous, with legitimate issues of access, cost and quality sometimes overshadowed by agendas on both sides of the political aisle. Unfortunately, this divide has spilled over into medical arena, with battles over turf breaking out among different interest groups over market share.

Amid this discussion is an appropriate time to reflect on one of the most unheralded accomplishments in medicine, the interdisciplinary efforts that have revolutionized the treatment of testicular cancer.

April is Testicular Cancer Awareness Month. Testicular cancer is the most common solid tumor in men under 40; nearly 1 in 250 men will be diagnosed with testicular cancer during their lifetime.

Historically, the treatment of testicular cancer was largely based on luck: if the tumor was detected when still organ confined, there was a high chance of cure, if not, the prognosis was very grim.

In fact, in the not too distant past, the discovery of a suspicious testicular mass was a virtual surgical emergency; urologists would often operate the same day as seeing the patient the first time to not allow any time for even a single cell to escape.

The heart-breaking course this disease all too often took was depicted in the movie “Brian’s Song,” memorializing the friendship between Gale Sayers and testicular cancer victim Brian Piccolo (who succumbed to his illness in 1970 at the age of 26).

Although urologists are the typical physicians of first contact, and generally “quarterback” the treatment of the disease, the advances made in testicular cancer therapy cannot be credited to a single specialty.

From the pathologists who worked to improve and standardize classification of the disease, to radiation oncologists who developed improved methods to target and treat tumors while simultaneously substantially reducing radiation dose and side effects, to medical oncologists who refined chemotherapeutic protocols that substantially improved survival and minimized toxicity, and finally to urological surgeons who integrated these approaches with state-of-the-art minimally invasive surgical techniques, research in this field was truly multi-disciplinary.

Critically, these efforts could not have happened without funding from both government agencies and pharmaceutical companies as well. Although not every cancer survivor can enjoy the success of Lance Armstrong, who won an astonishing seven Tour de France races after his 1996 battle with his disease, today, more than 95 percent of those diagnosed with testicular cancer will not only survive, but go on to live full, healthy and productive lives.

Although we have made great strides, no physician who has ever witnessed the untimely death of a victim of this disease can be satisfied until all those stricken can be cured.

Early detection still is critical, and young men and boys should be encouraged to perform testicular self-examination in the same way women are taught breast self-exams. Any change in the character of the testicle, any nodules or masses within the scrotum (whether painful or not), or even a feeling of achiness or fullness in the genital area may be important warning signs, and indicate that an evaluation by a physician is necessary.

While most of the time these issues are completely benign, only a trained health care professional, after performing a careful history and physical examination, can determine if further lab or diagnostic tests are necessary.

The cooperative effort to improve treatment of testicular cancer is but one example of how committed professionals who put aside issues irrelevant to the care of patients can produce near miraculous results. Collaboration between physicians, industry, the government and patient groups were all essential to this success. While we celebrate our accomplishments with testicular cancer this month, and work to further improve education on early diagnosis and treatment, it would be wise for all of us to remember these lessons as we seek to shape how health care is to be delivered in the future.

Deepak A. Kapoor, M.D. is president of the Large Urology Group Practice Association, representing more than 1,800 urologists nationwide, as well as Chairman and CEO of Integrated Medical Professionals, PLLC, the largest independent urology group practice in the United States.

Chesapeake Urology Associates is pleased to announce the creation of the Vasectomy Reversal Center of America, the first dedicated program in the mid-Atlantic region to offer the expertise of fellowship-trained male infertility specialists who are dedicated to helping couples conceive children naturally.

More and more couples are seeking reversals for a variety of reasons: men who remarry and want to father a child with a new wife, couples who lose a child, or couples who thought they had finished having children and have a change of heart.

More than 50,000 vasectomy reversals are performed in the U.S. annually, but there are only 600 fellowship-trained male infertility microsurgeons nationwide.

Dr. Karen Elizabeth Boyle, Dr. David M. Fenig and Dr. Brad D. Lerner are co-directors of the Vasectomy Reversal Center of America and are among the top vasectomy reversal specialists in the United States. Their high success rate of 92 percent is nearly triple that of physicians without specific male infertility microsurgery training and ranks among the best in the country. General urologists without microsurgical training realize only a 30-to-40-percent success rate with vasectomy reversal.

“In creating the Vasectomy Reversal Center of America, we wanted to offer couples in this region the best chance for success,” says Dr. Sanford Siegel, president and CEO of Chesapeake Urology Associates. “We provide fellowship-trained microsurgeons, specially trained nurses and support staff, and dedicated surgical equipment, which demonstrates our commitment to the needs of couples in this area.”

A vasectomy reversal is a microscopic operation that restores the connection of the vas deferens, previously severed during a vasectomy. The vas deferens is the tube that carries sperm from the testes to the ejaculate. Vasectomy reversal is one of two options for couples. Others may choose a more complicated and expensive alternative which involves surgical extraction of the sperm and then invitro fertilization in the hopes of developing a successful pregnancy. Most couples prefer vasectomy reversal which enables the more natural and joyful way to conceive a child, Siegel says.

With their combined years of experience, Drs. Boyle, Fenig and Lerner have performed almost 2,000 successful vasectomy reversals. All three trained at the country’s leading program for Male Reproductive Medicine and Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine in Texas. Their expertise provides patients with accessibility to the highest quality of vasectomy reversal. The physicians also have expertise with the more complex microsurgery called epididymovasostomy, which is required during some vasectomy reversal cases when a blockage in the epididymis is discovered.

A successful vasectomy reversal is not dependent on the time that has elapsed since the vasectomy or based on a man’s age, but is more dependent on the surgeon’s training and expertise. Men continue to produce healthy sperm well into their 70s. The physicians at Vasectomy Reversal Center of America routinely succeed in reversing vasectomies that were performed more than 15 to 20 years ago – and have one patient whose vasectomy was successfully reversed after 42 years. They also perform many successful “re-dos” for patients who have had failed vasectomy reversals at other practices.

Vasectomy reversals take place in a fully-equipped microsurgical suite, certified by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care. The experienced operating room team includes microsurgery-trained nurses and board-certified anesthesiologists. The channel of the vas deferens through which the sperm swim is only .2 to .3 millimeters in diameter. Therefore, microsurgical vasectomy reversal is performed with a microscope that provides 16 times magnification of the operating image.

Patients come to the Vasectomy Reversal Center of America from all over Maryland, the U.S. and even outside the country. The Vasectomy Reversal Center of America considers itself a boutique practice dedicated to the comfort and return to fertility of its patients. The goal is to help couples have a baby naturally. The doctors often receive news of pregnancies, birth announcements and baby photos.

The Vasectomy Reversal Center of America recently launched its new website at: www.vasectomyreversalcenterofamerica.com.

Urologist Dr. Brad D. Lerner, a member of Chesapeake Urology Associates and chief of urology at Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore, was honored on Thursday, April 19, 2012 with a citation from Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley in recognition of more than 22 years of outstanding service to Union Memorial Hospital and the surrounding community.

The citation was presented at a ceremony at Dr. Lerner’s Union Memorial office. Those in attendance included Dr. Stuart B. Bell, vice president of medical affairs at Union Memorial Hospital, patient John Scharf who nominated Dr. Lerner for the citation, and many hospital and Chesapeake Urology staff members.

Mr. Scharf was treated for an enlarged prostate by Dr. Lerner, who performed successful laser prostate surgery at Union Memorial Hospital. Mr. Scharf was greatly impressed with the high quality of care he received. “I felt that Dr. Lerner deserved some type of high recognition,” he explains. “I’ve been a patient of his for five years. Through the course of my treatment, the care that I received from him, the Union Memorial staff and the whole Chesapeake Urology group and nurses was just incredible.”

The Governor’s Citation reads: “In recognition of a well-deserved tribute to congratulate you on being honored by Union Memorial Hospital for your more than 22 years of outstanding service on behalf of Union Memorial Hospital and the surrounding community, and as the people of Maryland join together in expressing our deep appreciation and highest regard for your ongoing work as a respected urologist and the important contributions you have made in the field of medicine, we are pleased to confer upon you this Governor’s Citation.”

Dr. Lerner is a urologist with a broad range of special interests including prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction and enlarged prostate (BPH). He is one of the leading male fertility and microsurgical vasectomy reversal specialists in the mid-Atlantic region and is co-director of the new Vasectomy Reversal Center of America, a division of Chesapeake Urology Associates. Dr. Lerner has been named one of Baltimore’s “Top Doctors” by Baltimore magazine six times, has been selected by his peers as a “Super Doctor” for urology in the Washington Post Magazine, and has been recognized nationally in “The Guide to Top Doctors.” In addition, Dr. Lerner is the urologic consultant to the NFL Baltimore Ravens.

Chesapeake Urology Associates is the largest urology practice in Maryland and the mid-Atlantic region. Composed of more than 45 of the mid-Atlantic region’s top urologists, 4 radiation oncologists, and a urologic pathologist, Chesapeake Urology provides the convenience of 16 urology centers and 15 surgical centers throughout the greater Baltimore, Maryland area. Our experienced, board-certified urologists use advanced treatments to manage all types of urological problems for adults and children including prostate cancer, enlarged prostate, kidney stones, urinary incontinence, urinary tract infections, hematuria, erectile dysfunction, male infertility and sexual health, vasectomy and vasectomy reversal, pelvic pain and clinical trials for urologic conditions.

http://www.ChesapeakeUrology.com.

By Barrett Neale

The New York Giants weren’t the only ones to feel the thrill of victory during Super Bowl XLVI. The winners of PressBox’s second-annual 100 Block Charity Pool collectively received $14,000 for their selected charities.

Each participant in the block pool received two numbers for the Super Bowl, one for the New England Patriots’ score and one for the New York Giants’ score. At the end of each quarter, the member of the 100-block grid whose numbers corresponded to the last digits of the teams’ scores received $3,500 for its charity of choice.

Glen Burnie Transmissions
Numbers: 9 (Giants) and 0 (Patriots)
Quarters won: first (Giants 9, Patriots 0) and second (Patriots 10, Giants 9)
Total winnings: $7,000
Charity: Esophageal Cancer Action Network

Mark Schwartzman, president of Glen Burnie Transmissions, said he had selected the Esophageal Cancer Action Network because his father, Alfred, died of the disease in 2006, just seven months after his diagnosis.

“My dad never had any symptoms,” Schwartzman said. “He came home from vacation from a cruise, and he said on the cruise he would eat a meal and just vomit it back up, the whole meal. By the time he got it checked when he came home, his esophagus had almost closed up from the cancer, and it was stage IV, so he had no chance.”

Mindy Mintz Mordecai founded ECAN almost three years ago, after her husband died of esophageal cancer. She said Glen Burnie Transmissions’ donation would help efforts to raise awareness about this disease. Following a national ECAN campaign, April became Esophageal Cancer Awareness Month.

“Esophageal cancer is one of the fastest-increasing cancer diagnoses in the country,” Mordecai said, “and the reason why we think awareness is so important is because this is a disease that is caused by reflux, or heartburn, and most people have no idea that they’re at risk until it’s too late. … We were able to convince the National Cancer Institute to include esophageal cancer in their genome atlas project, which is mapping the genome of cancers.”

Chesapeake Urology Associates
Numbers: 5 (Giants) and 7 (Patriots)
Quarter won: third (Patriots 17, Giants 15)
Total winnings: $3,500
Charity: Great Prostate Cancer Challenge

Dr. Sandy Siegel, president and CEO of Chesapeake Urology Associates, said the Great Prostate Cancer Challenge began in 2006, when one of his young associates suggested the practice start a run to raise money for prostate cancer education, awareness, screening opportunities and research.

More than 1,100 people took part in the inaugural Great Strides Against Prostate Cancer 5K Run and 1 Mile Fun Walk, held in 2007, and they raised more than $135,000, according to gpccbaltimore.com.

“We started here in Baltimore as a single run,” Siegel said. “In 2012, it’ll be in 34 cities across the country, and it’s fast becoming one of the premier men’s health events in the country.”

Siegel said his winnings from the block pool would go to ZERO, the project to end prostate cancer, and to Chesapeake Urology Associates’ scholarship foundation, which funds a prostate cancer researcher.

“We pledged to raise $750,000 for the [American Urological Association] Foundation,” Siegel said, “and every little bit brings us closer and closer.”

Bond Distributing
Numbers: 1 (Giants) and 7 (Patriots)
Quarter won: fourth (Giants 21, Patriots 17)
Total winnings: $3,500
Charity: LifeBridge Health

Leslie Schaller, Bond Distributing’s director of media and marketing, said she had a long-standing relationship with LifeBridge Health, which includes Sinai Hospital, Northwest Hospital, Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital, and Courtland Gardens Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, and LifeBridge Health & Fitness. Schaller is a member of Sinai Hospital’s board of directors, and her mother, Ronnie Footlick, used to be chairwoman of LifeBridge Health. Schaller said the $3,500 gift was going to the Herman & Walter Samuelson Children’s Hospital, which opened March 1.

“[The Super Bowl] was two weeks, three weeks before they opened the children’s hospital,” Schaller said, “and every little bit helps. They were really excited that the partnership with PressBox ended up resulting in such a wonderful, charitable gift.”

Schaller said her children donated the money to The Magic of Life Gala, which LifeBridge Health held March 31. Julie Cox, the vice president of development for LifeBridge Health, said the gala provided system-wide support for patient and family needs.

“We spend quite a bit of money on medical technology,” Cox said, “just to make sure that we’re able to provide the most advanced treatment,” Cox said. “In a time where profit margins are very low for hospitals, philanthropy — meaning community support like this — is really more vital than ever before.”

For information about participating in the 2012-2013 100 Block Charity Pool, e-mail stan@pressboxonline.com.

Source: http://www.pressboxonline.com/story.cfm?id=8861

Diabetes Health Staff
Feb 23, 2012

A study of medical claims data from more than 136,000 men shows that men with diabetes are much more likely to require invasive therapies for erectile dysfunction than men without diabetes. The therapies, which are the next steps beyond oral treatments, are second-line suppositories or injections and third-line surgeries to implant prostheses.

The study, from the Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, found that men with diabetes were 1.6 times more likely to advance to second-line treatments within five years of being diagnosed with ED than their non-diabetic peers. They also were 2.1 times more likely to advance to third-line therapies within the same time.

The study showed that first-line therapies—pills such as Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra—are often not as effective in men with diabetes as they are in men who don’t have the disease. Thus, the progression of diabetic men to more intensive and intrusive therapies is faster.

The researchers think that tight blood sugar control may be one key to delaying the need for secondary and tertiary therapies among men with diabetes. High blood sugar levels often create peripheral nerve damage in the penis and decreased blood flow to it. Even then, the researchers indicate, physicians may have to move more quickly to second- and third-line therapies once they diagnose ED in a patient with diabetes.

Data for the study were collected from the Innovus i3 database, which has claims data for more than 30 million individuals in the United States who subscribe to United Health Care Insurance. Of the 136,206 men whose data were used in the study, 19,236 had been diagnosed with diabetes before they were diagnosed with ED.

The study results were delivered at the recent American Urological Association 2011 Annual Scientific Meeting in Washington, DC.

Washington D.C. – The Great Prostate Cancer Challenge®, the premier men’s health event series in America, managed by ZERO – The Project to End Prostate Cancer, hosted events in 27 cities and raised nearly $2 million in 2011 for prostate cancer research, advocacy and awareness.

“This year, more than 240,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and more than 34,000 will die from the disease,” said Skip Lockwood, CEO of ZERO – The Project to End Prostate Cancer. “In partnership with urology groups across the country and our sponsors, ZERO works to reduce these numbers through the GPCC events, which raise funds for critical research, advocacy and awareness efforts.”

The goal of the GPCC is to end prostate cancer by building a network of local race partners across the country with a massive amount of participants in the same way that organizations like The Susan G. Komen Foundation have brought attention to breast cancer and women’s health issues.

In 2007, Chesapeake Urology Associates (CUA), one of the largest urology practice groups in the nation and located in the greater Baltimore area, created an event solely focused on prostate cancer. The first GPCC 5K Race/1 Mile Fun Walk was held in September during National Prostate Cancer Health Month. It was the most successful first-time event of its kind in Maryland, with more than 1,100 participants and over $135,000 raised.

After the success of the Baltimore event, other urology groups across the country joined the GPCC to create awareness and raise funds for prostate cancer research through highly successful 5K run events. In 2009, ZERO took on the GPCC as its signature awareness and fundraising program in its efforts to save lives through research and testing.

The GPCC series exploded in 2011 by hosting more than 12,000 athletes in 27 cities across the nation including Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, Detroit and a celebrity golf tournament Myrtle Beach, SC. In 2012, the event series will expand to 35 cities including new events in Fort Lauderdale, Cleveland, Los Angeles and Shreveport.

Funds from the event series go to national and local efforts to save lives from prostate cancer. National funds help ZERO increase prostate cancer research funding from the federal government and provide free testing for high-risk men and local funds provide education and free testing in event communities.

Premier Partner Abbott and many other national and local sponsors dedicated to ending prostate cancer support the GPCC.

To learn more about the GPCC, visit www.greatprostatecancerchallenge.com.

About ZERO – The Project to End Prostate Cancer (zerocancer.org)

At ZERO, we commit ourselves not only to reduce prostate cancer or alleviate the pain from the disease, but also to end it. We see a future where all men who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer will be cured or manage their illness with good quality of life; with the support they need to minimize physical and emotional suffering, and to cope effectively throughout their cancer journey. To accomplish our goal, we provide comprehensive treatment information to patients, education to those at risk and conduct free prostate cancer testing throughout the country. We increase research funds from the federal government to find new treatments and we fund local grants to end the disease.

Chesapeake Urology Associates, is pleased to announce that Dr. Lisa N. Hawes has joined the practice’s Maple Lawn/Howard County office. She is certified by the American Board of Urology.

Dr. Hawes treats all aspects of adult urology and specializes in female urologic conditions including incontinence, pelvic prolapse, urinary tract infections and interstitial cystitis. She also focuses on kidney stone conditions and disease.

She began practicing urology in 2004. Prior to joining Chesapeake Urology she was in private practice in Howard County, MD from 2004 through 2011.

Dr. Hawes graduated magna cum laude from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service with a B.S. degree in International Law, Politics and Economics. She received her medical degree from the University of Maryland School of Medicine where she also completed her general surgery internship and urology residency.

Dr. Hawes is accepting new patients. She is located at Chesapeake Urology’s Howard County office at the Midtown Medical Building, 7625 Maple Lawn Blvd., Fulton, MD 20759 and may be reached at 410-715-2090 or 301-725-0134. Same and next day appointments are available for urgent conditions as needed.

Chesapeake Urology Associates, one of the nations’ largest urology practices, has announced that it has acquired the practice of Dr. Richard Kurnot, M.D., located in Montgomery County, Maryland.  Dr. Kurnot will join Chesapeake and continue to serve his patients from his existing facility located on the campus of Montgomery General Hospital.

“This is the beginning of the Company’s planned expansion in Maryland and we look forward to bringing Chesapeake’s integrated model of urologic care to Montgomery County,” stated Dr. Sanford Siegel, Chesapeake’s President and Chief Executive Officer.   “Dr. Kurnot has provided exemplary care to patients in Montgomery County for many years and we are proud to have him continue to do so as a part of Chesapeake Urology.”

Dr. Kurnot has been practicing urology in Maryland since 1994 and treats all aspects of adult urology.  His areas of focus include prostate cancer, advanced kidney stone disease and no scalpel vasectomy.  He is certified by the American Board of Urology and the National Board of Medical Examiners.

Dr. Kurnot’s office is located on the Montgomery General Hospital Campus at 18109 Prince Philip Drive, Suite 270, Olney, MD 20832. The office can be reached at (301)774-2525.

The Monumental City Medical Society (MCMS) presented Sanford J. Siegel, M.D., with the 2011 Pioneers in Medicine Award during its annual Pioneers in Medicine and Medical Scholarships for Minority Students Awards Banquet on June 26, 2011. During the ceremony, Dr. Siegel was also recognized by the Baltimore City Council for his leading work in prostate cancer prevention. Dr. Siegel is president and CEO of Baltimore-based Chesapeake Urology Associates, PA, one of the leading large urology group practices in the nation.

The mission of the Monumental City Medical Society is to improve healthcare in the Africa-American community, reduce health care disparities between he community and the population at large, support and promote practices of the African-American physicians, and help younger physicians coming into the field of medicine. The Society awarded Dr. Siegel the Pioneer in Medicine award for his community outreach program, the Great Prostate Cancer Challenge® that has significantly and positively impacted Baltimore’s African-American male patient population.

In 2007, under the direction of Dr. Sigel, Chesapeake Urology Associates created a program to increase awareness, raise money for prostate cancer research, and provide free screenings for men in need. Since the first 5K race in 2007, and now in its fifth year, the Great Prostate Cancer Challenge Baltimore has raised more than $850,000 for prostate cancer research, awareness and free screenings. The GPCC is the only physician-based prostate cancer awareness and fund-raising program in the country. To date, the GPCC Baltimore has raised over $850,000 for research and awareness, and more than 3,500 men have been provided with free prostate cancer screenings. Typically, eight percent to ten percent of men screened require further testing and treatment.

In conjunction with African American Churches in Baltimore and their Pastors, Chesapeake Urology Associates has provided more than 35 free prostate cancer screenings to those in need since 2007. The GPCC is the only Free Prostate Cancer Screening program in the nation delivered through, and in conjunction with, African American Churches to:

• Promote preventive care.
• Create awareness in underserved populations.
• Bring physicians into the communities.

Chesapeake Urology Associates, along with ZERO – The Project to End Prostate Cancer, a 501C3, together has grown the Great Prostate Cancer Challenge to include 25+ cities this year with an estimated 15,000 participants nationally.

Sanford J. Siegel, M.D, F.A.C.S., Dr. Siegel has been practicing urology in the Baltimore area for more than 25 years. As President and CEO of Chesapeake Urology Associates, he has built the practice into one of the country’s largest and highest quality urology practices, and the largest in the Mid-Atlantic Region.

In 2006, Dr. Siegel initiated the Chesapeake Urology Associates Scholarship Fund in conjunction with the Central Scholarship Bureau to provide scholarship assistance to full-time students pursuing degrees in medicine, nursing and ancillary health fields. He also established the Chesapeake Urology Associates/AUA Foundation Research Scholar program to fund urology research. In 2007, he led the formation of the Great Prostate Cancer Challenge (GPCC), to raise money and awareness for prostate cancer research and to provide prostate cancer screenings to those in need.

He is a member of the board of directors of the Large Urology Group Practice Association and serves as the chairman of its Advocacy Committee. In addition he is a member of the board of directors of ZERO — The Project to End Prostate Cancer, a director on the board of the Central Scholarship Bureau and a board member of the Park Heights Community Health Alliance (PHCHA). Dr. Siegel practices general urology and his specialties include erectile dysfunction, vasectomy and benign prostate disease.

Chesapeake Urology Associates is the largest urology practice in Maryland and the Mid-Atlantic Region, delivering the most innovative and compassionate urology care available. Composed of more than 45 of the mid-Atlantic region’s top urologists, including many who are fellowship trained, 4 radiation oncologists, and a urologic pathologist, Chesapeake Urology provides the convenience of 16 urology centers and 14 surgical centers throughout the greater Baltimore, Maryland area. Experienced, board-certified urologists use advanced treatments to manage all types of urological problems for adults and children including prostate cancer, enlarged prostate, kidney stones, urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction, male fertility and sexual health, vasectomy and vasectomy reversal, pelvic pain and clinical trials for urologic conditions.

The Monumental City Medical Society was founded in 1939 and is the first African-American physician association in Baltimore. Monumental is an affiliate of the National Medical Association.

You may have seen an opinion column recently in the Baltimore Sun that made several unfounded allegations about Chesapeake Urology and the physicians, nurses and staff who practice and work here.

We wanted to be sure you understand that we have only one mission: to provide excellent patient care.  Providing you with all of the information you need and all of the treatment options you have in order to make an informed decision is at the heart of that care.

Our method of treating prostate cancer is different than the traditional model because we utilize a fully-integrated approach to patient care.  It used to be that you would visit your urologist for an examination and potential diagnosis.  You would travel to a lab to have blood work done.   You might then travel to see a radiation oncologist at a different medical practice or at a hospital if you were going to be evaluated for radiation therapy for treatment of prostate cancer or to a surgeon for some other urologic procedure.

Today, we offer patients the opportunity to see all of those expert doctors and technicians under one roof.  It is a comprehensive team approach where your physicians and technician specialists in one medical practice provide you with all of the best available options for treatment.  We’ve created a center of excellence in treating prostate cancer, the second leading cause of cancer death in American men.  And we’ve found that, under our model, patients get better care, have better outcomes and are much happier.

But this model is under attack from those who want to go back to the old ways. And their trade associations and public relations firms are repeating falsehoods about Chesapeake Urology.  So we wanted to set the record straight.

• Patients at Chesapeake Urology learn about all available treatment options before they and their families decide which option is best for them; Physicians here – urologists, uro-pathologists, and radiation oncologists – offer the latest, most effective treatments to address your condition.  But we will only recommend treatment options.  You and your families make the choice;

• Chesapeake Urology is operating in full compliance with all state and federal laws and any suggestion to the contrary is false;

• The cost of treating patients at Chesapeake Urology is no higher – and in some cases significantly less – than in other settings, like hospitals.

We are very proud of the work we do.  We know we do what’s best – and only what’s best – for our patients every day.  And we want to be sure you know that, too.

If you have any questions about your care here or about Chesapeake Urology, please ask your doctor or feel free to contact me personally.

Be well.

Sanford J. Siegel, M.D.
President & CEO
Chesapeake Urology Associates
ssiegel@cua.md