A physician trained not only in traditional surgery but also robotic procedures is now seeing patients twice a month in Great Bend.
Dr. Paul Teget recently started an outreach clinic at Great Bend Healthcare Center, 1400 Polk. After the new St. Rose Health Center opens this spring, his office will be in the St. Rose Specialty Clinic.
Dr. Teget recently began traveling to Great Bend on the first and third Tuesdays of each month; his main office is at Southwind Surgical at Hays Medical Center. HaysMed and Centura Health co-own St. Rose.
“HaysMed has been providing exceptional care to this region for many years and we are now in the unique position to expand into Great Bend and its surrounding communities,” Dr. Teget said. “Patients with general surgical issues will benefit from our clinic, while HaysMed and its many resources are available for all types of conditions and diseases.”
Dr. Teget uses the da Vinci Surgical System for robotic procedures performed at HaysMed. “One of several advantages of robotics is improved pain control after the operation, which is minimally invasive,” the surgeon said. “By having pain controlled earlier, folks get back to feeling better more quickly.
“Therefore,” he continued, “they also get back to their normal, day-to-day activities sooner.”
Surgeons also benefit from the robotic system, Dr. Teget noted.
“We have improved visualization during the procedure,” he explained. “And the ‘wristed’ instrumentation allows the robot to perform maneuvers with the dexterity of the human wrist.
“Another big advantage,” he said, “is surgeon comfort while performing complex maneuvers. Anything that helps the surgeon also benefits the patient.”
If patients are apprehensive about robotics, Dr. Teget said concerns are alleviated when they learn more about it.
“We take time to explain how it actually works, which makes a big difference,” he said. “The robot doesn’t perform the operation. Instead, it transmits the surgeon’s movements to its instruments and moves them as the surgeon directs.
“In addition,” he commented, “there are a myriad of safety features and redundancies built into the system.”
Two common robotic procedures are hernia repairs and gallbladder surgery. However, there are many other general surgical applications for the machine, including splenectomy, gastroesophageal reflux disease and hiatal hernia.
“Moreover, my colleagues in urology, and obstetrics and gynecology also use the system on a regular basis for procedures in their fields,” Dr. Teget noted.
In the near future, Dr. Jerod Grove will join the HaysMed surgical team, and plans to see patients in Great Bend on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month.
“It will be great to provide coverage in Great Bend once a week,” Dr. Teget said. “We will be here for a wide variety of issues such as hernias, breast cancer, gallbladder problems, colon problems, reflux disease, hemorrhoidal disease, abdominal pain and other cancers.”
HaysMed is the only hospital in western Kansas that offers the da Vinci system.
“I have heard some really good things from our patients – particularly those who require inguinal hernia repair,” Dr. Teget said. “They seem to get better and feel better more quickly than those who undergo a traditional laparoscopic approach.
“I am excited for this opportunity to come to Great Bend,” he added. “It is truly an honor to care for people here.”
Dr. Teget earned his medical degree at Kirksville (Mo.) College of Osteopathic Medicine and performed his general-surgery residency at the University of Kansas Medical Center.
St. Rose specializes in primary care, prevention and wellness. Services include St. Rose Family Medicine & Urgent Care, Great Bend Internists, imaging, infusion clinic, WellnessWorks, one-day surgical procedures, Golden Belt Home Health & Hospice and a comprehensive Specialty Clinic. St. Rose is co-owned by Hays Medical Center and Centura Health.
