Fourteen of almost 20 Nebraska physicians listed in the fifth edition of the “America’s Top Doctors” book are UNMC faculty members. Castle Connolly Medical Ltd., publishes the book to help consumers find a good physician.
Many of the UNMC physicians listed see patients at UNMC’s hospital partner, The Nebraska Medical Center, and have made the list a number of times in the past.
The 14 UNMC physicians listed in “America’s Top Doctors” include 10 full-time faculty and four with adjunct or clinical appointments. The fulltime faculty and their specialties are: James Armitage, M.D., bone marrow transplant/lymphoma; Jim Edney, M.D., cancer surgery/thyroid & parathyroid cancer & surgery; Donald Leopold, M.D., olfactory disorders/sinus disorders/surgery; James Neff, M.D., (deceased), limb lengthening, musculoskeletal tumors-adult & pediatrics/reconstructive surgery; Stephen Rennard, M.D., chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema; Byers Shaw, Jr., M.D., liver transplantation; Michael Sorrell, M.D., hepatitis/transplant medicine-liver; Paul Tomich, M.D., pregnancy-high risk; Jon Vanderhoof, M.D., nutrition/probiotics, short bowel syndrome; and Dennis Weisenburger, M.D., hematopathology/lymphoma.
Adjunct or clinical faculty and their specialties are: Steven Denenberg, M.D., cosmetic surgery-face, rhinoplasty; Thomas Howard, M.D., aortic surgery, aneurysm-aortic, carotid artery surgery; Alan Thorson, M.D., colon & rectal cancer, incontinence-fecal, laparoscopic surgery; and Lee Krauth, M.D., aneurysm-cerebral.
Criteria for making the list includes education, board certification, reputation, experience and disciplinary history, as well as interpersonal skills such as empathy, being a good communicator, educator, and someone who can instill trust and confidence.
“We’re delighted to have our physicians continue to rank among the best in quality health care,” said John Gollan, M.D., Ph.D., dean of the UNMC College of Medicine. “They help make UNMC a place where people entrust us with their health and the health of their families.”
Physicians are nominated by their peers in a Castle Connolly survey process each year. Physicians then are screened by a Castle Connolly physician-led research team who rank among the best in their specialties and in their communities.
In addition to nominations from practicing physicians, Castle Connolly solicits nominations from hospital presidents, vice presidents of medical affairs, vice presidents of nursing, chiefs of service in anesthesiology, ob/gyn, medicine, emergency medicine, pediatrics, psychiatry, radiology and surgery.