Surgeon feted by peers

Dr. Michael Bukstein is humbled by a national recognition.
But it’s the smiles of patients whose lives he has touched that make the job gratifying.
Bukstein is chief executive officer of the Hannibal Clinic and board president of the Northeast Missouri Ambulatory Surgery Center.
He will be among a select group of doctors from around the nation recognized for leadership at ambulatory surgery centers in the September/October issue of Becker’s ASC Review.
The bimonthly publication reaches an audience of more than 25,000 medical and business professionals. Surgery center staff honored Bukstein with a luncheon Thursday.
“It was a surprise to me,” Bukstein said between operations Thursday morning. “A patient said ‘Congratulations’ to me and I didn’t know what she was talking about. This is a nice national recognition.”
Bukstein has been a surgeon in Hannibal for 33 years. He briefly considered specializing in plastic surgery, but soon turned his focus to helping cancer patients.
“I decided I just didn’t want to deal with the cosmetics,” he said. “I realized cancer patients are the patients you help the most. You extend their life and rid them of a lot of misery. If I can have an impact, that would be my choice.”
Surgery centers are a growing alternative to traditional acute-care hospitals, and Bukstein is proud to be part of what he calls an “overwhelming success” at the Hannibal facility.
“We’re able to do quality surgery...for less expense to the patients,” he said.
The surgery center and clinic have 50 board-certified doctors. Bukstein said that’s rare for a city the size of Hannibal.
“We’ve been ahead of the curve,” Bukstein said. “That’s been nice. It’s really unusual. Communities much larger don’t have that.”
Bukstein said his colleagues and the community share in his success.
“It’s the community that keeps me here,” he said. “It’s very supportive. Hannibal has been such a great place for me and my family.”
And speaking of family, all are involved in medicine. Bukstein’s wife, Sherry, is a Registered Nurse. His daughter, Sabrina Bukstein-Solomon, is doing her family practice residency in San Antonio, Texas. His son, Jerome, is a pharmacist in Bloomington, Ill.
Bukstein, 64, has no plans to slow down.
“I would never consider doing anything else.” he said, just before leaving for the operating room.