Surgical Associates of Traverse City — Making a Difference in So Many Ways

About

History

Surgical Associates of Traverse City was established during the early 1970’s.  During the early years of the practice it was comprised of three surgeons, T. N. Cline, M.D., G. Edward Stokes, M.D. and Carl G. Benner, M.D.  The last of the early pioneers retired from surgery during the early 1990’s.

Today, Surgical Associates of Traverse City is comprised of six surgeons.  In 1979, Dr. Thomas J. Quinn was the first of the current group to join the practice.  New surgeons joined the group about every five years, Dr. Michael H. VanderKolk in 1984, Dr. Walter Noble in 1989, and Dr. Richard N. Tooley in 1995.  The last surgeons to join the group were Dr. William R. Ranger and Dr. William P. Potthoff in 2000.

During the early years the surgeons held clinics in Bellaire, Houghton Lake, Kalkaska, and Mancelona in an effort to serve a need in those areas.  Today, Dr. Michael H. VanderKolk continues to provide service in the Kalkaska area by offering clinic and endoscopy appointments every other Tuesday at the new outpatient clinic in Kalkaska.

In more recent history, Surgical Associates of Traverse City expanded its practice by opening an on-site vascular laboratory in order to better serve the vascular needs of our patients.  The vascular laboratory offers patients the convenience of noninvasive vascular testing in the office and the flexibility of meeting with their surgeon on the same day to discuss the test results.

Philosophy

Our business philosophy focuses on meeting the needs of our patients and their families, while providing unequaled surgical expertise.  Successfully resolving medical concerns in a professional and compassionate manner that exceeds our patients’ expectations is our primary concern.  We strive to be exceptional in our responsiveness to the needs and concerns of our patients and their families.

Surgical Associates of Traverse City has recognized the evident value of cooperative interaction among physicians when caring for patients.  We have made it an essential part of our practice to keep the physicians that refer patients to our care informed of our recommendations for treatment.  In addition, we value the collaborative effort and support of our team at Surgical Associates of Traverse City.

Future

As Surgical Associates of Traverse City moves into the future, we look forward to growing our practice, transitioning to electronic medical records, and exploiting new technology in surgery in order to continue to provide the quality care and services that sets us apart from the rest.