Dr. Robert Beart receives pair of honors as he retires after 40 years in the medical field
One of the founders of the Colorectal Surgery Institute at Dignity Health Glendale Memorial Hospital recently retired, but not before earning two more honors in his field.
Dr. Robert Beart dedicated four decades to the advancement of treatment for colorectal disease, and he is internationally renowned for his contributions, including 300 journal articles on topics ranging from cancers to surgical procedures.
In 2010, he joined Dignity Health Glendale Memorial and helped establish the colorectal institute, which elevated the hospital to provide not only treatment but also research and education in the field.
“[The institute] upgrades the quality of the doctors and increases the diagnostic and therapeutic options that are available to the community,” Beart said. “It’s a win-win situation when you do that.”
For his many efforts, the Annual Education Symposia at the hospital was renamed “The Robert W. Beart, M.D. Symposia for the Advancement of Colorectal Care.” Last month, the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons conferred onto him the 2016 Master of Surgery Award.
The institute provided improvements in bowel control and hemorrhoid treatment as well as the ability to help patients avoid having to undergo colostomies, Beart said.
Offering that level of specialized care is something that’s good not just for Glendale, but for the surrounding communities as well, he said. The number of people who utilize colorectal care at the hospital validates the need for the institute, Beart said.
“The number of new patients grew dramatically, so that, in and of itself, is proof that the facility was needed. The community has benefited from this facility,” he said. “If you look in the region, it’s really become the go-to place for colorectal cancer [care].”
Jack Ivie, president of Dignity Health Glendale Memorial, called Beart the pillar and founding father of the colorectal institute and said he appreciated all his hard work over the years.
“It is somewhat unusual for a regular community hospital to have this individual who has all of these teaching roots, to have someone with this reputation that helps grow a program at a community hospital,” he said. “It’s really not the norm.”
Beart graduated from Harvard Medical School in 1971 and had a fellowship at the Mayo Clinic. He’s also taught at USC University Hospital and USC/Norris Cancer Center.
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Arin Mikailian, arin.mikailian@latimes.com
Twitter: @ArinMikailian
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