Surgeons and Staff
Risks | Surgeons and Staff
Frequently asked Questions | What is Bariatric Surgery?
Standing behind each patient in Adirondack Medical Center's Program is a team of medical professionals from many different fields. Doctors, nurses, nutritionists, mental health professionals and discharge planners are all there for you from start to finish.
You won't have to go through this alone. There is a team of professionals standing behind every bariatric patient at AMC. Patients are carefully screened and a team of doctors, nurse practitioners, nutritionists, mental health professionals and discharge planners all work with each individual to make sure they are ready to make the lifelong changes necessary for a successful outcome.
Our team of professionals will not only perform the surgery, but will also help you with the other aspects of your life that have made it difficult to lose weight - abnormal eating patterns, eating disorders, exercise programs and a balanced diet all combine to make the program successful.
Patient education is the single most important factor in ensuring positive outcomes. All patients must participate in education and support groups with physicians, nurses and nutritionists. The patient education begins at the Weight Loss Surgery Information Session and continues for life as a patient follows-up annually after their surgery.
Three surgeons on the medical staff at AMC are active with the bariatric program.
Michael A. Hill, M.D., is a 1994 graduate of the Georgetown University School of Medicine, and completed his general residency at Albany Medical Center. He has been with AMC since 2001. Dr. Hill is board certified in general and thoracic surgery. Dr. Hill is Chief of Surgery.
Edward G. Hixson, M.D., graduated from the University of Vermont in 1967 and completed his residency at Medical Center Hospital of Vermont. Board certified in general surgery, Dr. Hixson has been on the AMC medical staff since 1974. Dr. Hixson is the Medical Director of the Bariatric Program.
C. David Merkel, M.D., has been with AMC since 1969. A 1963 graduate of McGill University, he completed his residency at Hartford Hospital, Connecticut. Dr. Merkel is board certified in general surgery.
Taesun Moon, D.O., is a graduate of the Weill Medical College of Cornell University, Wyckoff Heights Medical Center, and was appointed to the AMC Medical Staff in 2009. His special medical interests include Bariatric (Weight Loss) Surgery , Endoscopy and General Surgery.
Supporting our surgeons is a team of dedicated professionals.
Karen Hixson, RN, MS, ANP, is the Clinical Coordinator of our program. Patients will see Karen for their initial evaluation and throughout the program. She received her bachelor of nursing degree from Russell Sage and her master's degree from Boston University. She earned her nurse practitioner certification from University of Vermont. She is board certified as an adult nurse practitioner. Karen has years of experience with cardiac nursing as well as with bariatrics..
Deborah Zale, RPA-C, is a Physician Assistant in the office. She developed a weight management program in a medical office setting in Poughkeepsie, NY. Deborah sees patients in both pre- and post-surgical phases of our program.
Linda Finn, RN, works in the office with all of our patients. Linda has years of experience working on the surgical floor at AMC caring for the immediate post-surgical needs of weight-loss surgery patients. She has gone through our program herself and is a great resource for our patients due to her experience as a caregiver and as a patient.
Jessie Ano, LPN, works in the office with all of our patients. She has years of experience working in the AMC Health Centers.
Liz Delisle, RD, CDN sees all patients for pre-and post surgical nutrition education. Liz has been a dietician for 20 years working mainly in clinical settings and enjoys the one-on-one teaching that patients have as part of their preparation.
Rick Preston PT - Rick is the Director of the hospital's Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine Program. He has been providing pre- and post-operative assessments of our patients for several years.
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AMC is accredited by the Joint Commission. Click here to view the Joint Commission Public Notice. |
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AMC is accredited by the Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program. |
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Adirondack Medical Center's Bariatric Program and Dr. Michael Hill have been designated as a Center of Excellence by the American Society for Bariatric Surgery. |
