Long-time colon and rectal care practice joins St. Francis Medical Group

INDIANAPOLIS – Kendrick Regional Center for Colon and Rectal Care has joined St. Francis Medical Group. It will now be known as the Kendrick Colon and Rectal Center.

The acquisition, effective June 1, 2011, harnesses the talents of six surgeons with premier educational backgrounds and over 60 years of cumulative clinical experience. These physicians and their supporting clinical staff are renowned for their emphasis on screening and diagnostic colonoscopy and management of benign and malignant conditions of the colon, rectum and anus.

Kendrick Colon and Rectal Center has a commitment to education and research. It has the only accredited colorectal surgery residency training program in the State of Indiana and its physicians are investigators in several clinical trials in areas covering colon cancer, rectal cancer, and anastomotic healing. The group also has a commitment to innovation as shown by its advances in robotic surgery and single incision laparoscopic surgery.

The practice will continue to operate at its three St. Francis locations in Indianapolis, Mooresville and Beech Grove. The physicians also practice at other area hospitals.

The physicians are all board-certified by the American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgery and the American Board of Surgery.

Olaf B. Johansen, M.D., is an honors graduate of the University of Massachusetts School of Medicine. He went on to complete a general surgery residency at Harvard Massachusetts General Hospital and a colon and rectal fellowship at Cleveland Clinic Florida. Johansen joined Kendrick in1992 and is primarily located at Franciscan St. Francis Health – Mooresville.

R. Barry Melbert, M.D., received his medical degree from IUSM He completed general surgery residency training at Methodist Hospital and a fellowship in surgery at Northwest Colon and Rectal Clinic in Seattle. He established a practice at Kendrick in 1999 and sees patients at all three St. Francis Health hospitals.

Frederick R. Lane, M.D., earned his medical degree at IUSM and completed general surgery residency training at Blodgett Hospital, Grand Rapids, Mich. He later completed a fellowship in colon and rectal surgery at Ferguson Clinic in Michigan. He joined Kendrick in 2003 and is primarily located at Indianapolis and Beech Grove campuses.

Bridget M. Sanders, M.D., received her undergraduate degrees in nursing from Marian University and biology from Purdue University; she earned a master’s degree in physiology at IU. Sanders received her medical degree from IUSM, where she completed also completed a general surgery residency. She later finished a fellowship in colon and rectal surgery at Cleveland Clinic Florida and joined Kendrick in 2005. She sees patients primarily at Indianapolis and Beech Grove campuses.

Dipen Maun, M.D., is an honors graduate of Northwestern University Medical School. He completed a residency in general surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City and a colon and rectal surgery fellowship at Cleveland Clinic Florida. He joined Kendrick in 2007 and works at all three St. Francis locations.

Ben Tsai, M.D., received his medical degree from The Ohio State University. He completed his general surgery residency training at IUSM, where he spent two years as a research fellow. He also received specialty training in colon and rectal surgery at the University of Minnesota He joined Kendrick in 2009 and sees patients at all three St. Francis Health hospitals.

To learn more about Kendrick Colon and Rectal Center, its physicians and services, visit its website at www.kendrickcenter.com.

Led by President Isaac J. Myers II, St. Francis Medical Group is a multidisciplinary group of more than 150 physicians practicing throughout central Indiana. These physicians offer a variety of primary care and specialty care services and all practice at Franciscan St. Francis Health.

To learn more about St. Francis Medical Group, go to www.stfrancisdoctors.org.