Peter Cmorej, MD, has joined the medical staff at Baptist Health-Fort Smith as a general and bariatric surgeon.
Dr. Cmorej earned a medical degree from Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, Michigan and completed fellowships in bariatric, advanced minimally invasive, and robotic surgery at the University of California, Davis and in trauma and surgical critical care at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland.
Dr. Cmorej is passionate about obesity education and helping change the perception of the obese population. Because of this, he specializes in bariatric surgery, which can substantially reduce a patient’s risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer.
“A common misconception is that obesity is a choice and only occurs with poor dietary choices and not enough exercise,” said Dr. Cmorej. “This could not be further from the truth and it is my job to help patients and other providers understand that obesity is a complex disease process that is affected not only by one’s lifestyle choices but also by genetic, metabolic and hormonal factors. It is a disease that requires surgical and medical management.”
For patients seeking to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight, Dr. Cmorej provides the following services:
- Sleeve gastrectomy
- Gastric bypass
- Lap-Band removal
- Medical weight management and follow-up care
- Weight loss support groups
In addition to laparoscopic surgery and bariatric surgery, Dr. Cmorej is also able to perform minimally invasive robotic surgery.
“The robotic platform shines especially in hernia, colorectal, and foregut surgery in my practice,” he said. “The ability to perform complex operations through a few small incisions, with reduced pain and narcotic use, faster recovery, and quicker discharge home is of tremendous benefit and I am excited to be able to offer this type of surgery to my patients.”
Dr. Cmorej understands the thought of any surgery can be overwhelming for a patient, so he does his best to educate his patients on their health issues and treatment options.
“I encourage my patients to take an active role in their care,” he said. “My ultimate goal is to offer them the same high-quality, evidence-based, compassionate care that I would like my family members to receive.”
In his free time, Dr. Cmorej likes to stay active by biking, hiking and skiing. He also enjoys trying new food and cooking.
In addition to caring for patients in the hospital, Dr. Cmorej will see patients in his clinic, Baptist Health Surgical Clinic-Fort Smith, located at 1500 Dodson Ave., Suite 175.
To learn more about Dr. Cmorej, visit BaptistHealth.com or call 1-888-BAPTIST.
About Baptist Health
For more than a century, Baptist Health has delivered All Our Best in health care through Christian compassion and innovative services. Baptist Health is Arkansas’ most comprehensive health care organization with more than 250 points of access that include 11 hospitals; urgent care centers; a senior living community; over 100 primary and specialty care clinics; a college with studies in nursing and allied health; a graduate residency program; and access to virtual care anytime, anywhere. It is also the largest private not-for-profit health care organization based in Arkansas, providing care through the support of approximately 11,000 employees, groundbreaking treatments, renowned physicians and community outreach programs. For more information about Baptist Health, visit Baptist-Health.com, call Baptist Health HealthLine at 1-888-BAPTISTor download the myBaptistHealth app.
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