Building Something Special
Dr. David Bowers, Dr. Graham Greene, Dr. Alosh Madala,
Dr. Rakesh Patel, Dr. Peter Hinds
Urology/Urologic Oncology, Lakeland Regional Health
With an aging population and increased prevalence of diseases, the demand for urology services has been escalating for decades.
Fortunately, Lakeland Regional Health has built, and continues to expand its team of experienced and empathetic professionals to help make gains in pivotal urology research and provide life-changing care that balances comprehensive care with efficiency.
When Dr. Graham Greene and his family moved here from Arkansas after he had spent more than a decade in the academic research side of the profession, then-CEO Elaine Thompson took him under her wing for a season and integrated him into an executive leadership role.
It was then, more than 15 years ago, that the Nova Scotia born Greene recognized the need to recruit and train physicians at LRH so that the urology department could really get back to being “more preventive health care and family medicine” versus most of the work being done in urgent care or emergency rooms.
With the vision that Greene credits initially being brought to life by longtime LRH urologist Dr. Matt Smith, LRH grew from around 40 physicians to more than 400 in less than 10 years, and with that a greater focus on specialty care doctors, such as urologists and urology oncologists, came to life.
During that time, Greene, alongside other leadership including CEO Danielle Drummond, created the blueprint for and ultimately received the support to build the third iteration of the Hollis Cancer Center. LRH now offers a bevy of cancer survivor resources and programs, an annual multidisciplinary symposium, and as of 2023, a Graduate Medical Education Program that is preparing future medical professionals for a lifetime of caring for patients and leading research.
“Our duty to the community is to take care of everybody and to train the health care team for the future,” Greene says. “We’re not just teaching them to be doctors and nurses, we are teaching them how to work together and understand that a nurse has a role, a doctor has a role, a resident has a role, a physical therapist has a role, etc. And we [work to figure out how to] integrate that efficiently, decrease costly things…and keep people home and healthy.”
As part of a veteran urology and urologic oncology team, Greene and his colleagues tackle everything from kidney stones and fertility planning to prostate, kidney and bladder cancer, to a wide variety of additional diseases and serious conditions.
Dr. Rakesh Patel, who grew up and trained in India, and was inspired by seeing the difference his father made as a urologist, says the team is keenly aware of the mental and physical challenges their patients are going through.
He recalls working with an 83-year old male who was crippled with the inability to urinate for months, despite multiple urological procedures at other providers. The patient and family were understandably exhausted.
“By providing not only medical care but also offering emotional support to the patient and family, I was able to make their journey a little easier,” Patel says. “He is now able to not only [urinate] on his own but also has made a significant turn around overall. It was a turning point for me, realizing how healthcare is not just about physical treatment but also about being a source of comfort and strength.”
Dr. Alosh Madala, who focuses on minimally invasive robotic surgery and urologic reconstructive surgery, says “compassion is the key to healing.”
“My main priority is providing individualized, compassionate care to each patient. I will treat every patient with the same time, dedication and commitment that I would invest in those closest to me.”
Greene says part of creating a legacy at LRH that includes improved outcomes and close-knit bonds between medical professionals and patients is getting more specialists to stay in Lakeland for the long haul and offering more holistic care options throughout a person’s life to reduce unnecessary visits.
Each member of the urology team brings his or her unique skills and perspective to the table. Dr. Peter Hinds helps patients who are fighting cancer of the genitourinary tract and he is also a bioengineer at heart who loves to help develop new medical devices.
An early childhood memory from the ER sticks with him still. “I had to go to the ER to have a fish bone removed from the back of my throat, and it was a very smooth experience.”
Dr. David Bowers has extensive experience in general urology and is highly trained as a robotic surgeon. He treats conditions such as kidney stones, erectile dysfunction and prostate disorders.
He started his medical journey as a Special Forces medic, and together with Dr. James Wilson, he was the first doctor in Florida to perform Robotic Radical Cystectomies.
“Becoming a physician was a lifelong goal for me,” he says. “I appreciate the challenge of treating different conditions.”
“Our duty to the community is to take care of everybody and to train the health care team for the future.”