FREEHOLD, NJ – Bringing excellence in endocrine care to the community level, CentraState Healthcare System and Atlantic Medical Group recently opened Endocrine Surgical Associates & Surgical Oncology at 55 Willow Lane in Englishtown. This modern facility provides care for conditions ranging from thyroid, parathyroid and adrenal disorders to endocrine cancers and hereditary syndromes.

As CentraState’s first standalone endocrine specialty location, the practice will decrease wait times for endocrine surgery appointments from months to weeks. It’s one of many steps CentraState is taking to become the regional leader in endocrine services.

“Having a standalone endocrine practice of this caliber in a community setting is unique for New Jersey and even the country,” says Alexander L. Shifrin, MD, a nationally recognized, fellowship-trained endocrine surgeon and surgical director of CentraState’s Endocrine Program.  “We’re proud to offer academic-level services in an extremely accessible setting.”

The facility features convenient parking and eight newly renovated patient exam rooms, including rooms for on-site procedures such as ultrasounds and biopsies.

In the past, patients would need to travel significant distances for this level of focused expertise,” says fellowship-trained endocrine surgeon Sarina Bains, MD, who recently joined CentraState’s medical staff and will see patients at the practice as well as at the CentraState Health Pavilion at East Windsor.

“We’re here to provide patients with a prompt diagnosis, a clear understanding of their condition and treatment options to meet their needs,” adds Dr. Bains. “This means factoring in lifestyle, culture and the safest, most appropriate recommendations so that we can deliver the best intervention for each patient.”

Expanded endocrine care at CentraState provides patients with:

• The latest minimally invasive and robotic procedures for a shorter recovery time.
• One of the only practices in the Northeast to offer every approach to adrenal gland surgery to best fit individual needs.
• Thyroid and parathyroid procedures performed as same day outpatient surgeries using the smallest possible incision and surgical glue rather than stitches, meaning no drains, tubes, bandages or dressing changes.
• Advanced surgical technology, including nerve monitoring to protect delicate vocal cords and voice function.

Dr. Shifrin was fellowship-trained in endocrine surgery at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and New York Presbyterian Hospital; trauma and surgical critical care at Penn State Milton Hershey Medical Center; and general surgery at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Penn State Milton Hershey Medical Center.

Dr. Bains completed her surgical residency at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center and was fellowship trained in endocrine surgery at Weill Cornell Medicine New York – Presbyterian Hospital and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.