INTERVIEWS
Chief of Colorectal and Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery at Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Richard Wood, MD “Nationwide Children’s Hospital is no stranger to patients traveling to Columbus (Ohio) for colorectal and pelvic reconstruction”
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ationwide Children’s Hospital, located in Columbus, Ohio, is one of the largest pediatric hospitals and research institutes in the United States. It is consistently ranked as one of America’s top 10 children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report, the recognized authority in United States hospital rankings. Richard Wood, MD, is Chief of Pediatric Colorectal and Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and associate professor of Surgery at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. Dr. Wood’s areas of clinical interest are complex pelvic reconstructive surgery including anorectal malformations, cloacal malformations, Hirschsprung disease and the surgical management of severe constipation. He is also widely published in these areas, with numerous peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters. Hospitals magazine recently interviewed Dr. Wood about pediatric colorectal and pelvic reconstruction at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
What are the components of a pediatric colorectal and pelvic reconstruction center? The Center for Colorectal and Pelvic Reconstruction (CCPR) at Nationwide Children’s Hospital comprises a comprehensive team of pediatric surgeons and physicians with special expertise in colorectal surgery, reconstructive urology and gynecology, as well as pediatric gastroenterologists with a specific interest and advanced training in motility disorders. All work collaboratively in a patient- and family-centered care model. Advanced practice providers, nurses and administrative staff also complete a team that meets patient needs and organizes and oversees their care.
What are the most commonly treated conditions? Most commonly we treat children with an
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PATIENTS FROM 12 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES HAVE BEEN REFERRED TO OUR CENTER AND HAVE BEEN EVALUATED BY OUR TEAM.
anorectal malformation, cloacal malformations, cloacal exstrophy, Hirschsprung disease, and severe functional constipation. Because we specialize in the most complex reconstructive problems and have extensive experience in re-operative surgery, we serve as a large referral center and see children of all ages at various stages in their care continuum.
How is the program at Nationwide Children’s Hospital different? Our program is uniquely qualified to care for patients across their life span. We have an extensive team to take care of all aspects of patient needs. We have published outcomes on all aspects of care and integrated quality improvement and patient reported outcomes measures into our care model. In addition, we have instituted a transitional care program, spearheaded by renowned colorectal surgeon, Dr. Alessandra
