Tallwood Urology & Kidney Institute: A System-wide Resource

In 2013, an anonymous donor endowed Hartford Hospital with a gift to launch the Tallwood Urology & Kidney Institute, created to improve the coordination of care and consistently excellent clinical outcomes for patients with urologic and kidney diseases.

In 2015, the Tallwood Institute became a system-wide resource, coordinating expert care for patients from throughout the Hartford HealthCare system. Many patients for whom other treatments have failed come here for the best solutions to even the most frustrating urology problems.

Tallwood’s urologists and nephrologists (kidney doctors) are recognized local and national leaders in their fields. Patients get the very highest standard of urology and kidney care at every level of treatment – from the hospital to continuing care at home.

 

Steven Shichman, MD

Medical Director,
Tallwood Urology & Kidney Institute

Through the Tallwood Institute, providers come together in six disease management teams treating urologic and kidney diseases:

  • Urologic Cancer: Tallwood’s Urology Oncology team is part of the Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute. A collaborative team of oncologists, pathologists, radiologists and research nurses offers the most comprehensive treatment programs for adrenal, bladder, kidney, penile, prostate and testicular cancers.
  • Kidney Stones: Over the last decade, there has been an 85% increase in the number of emergency room visits for kidney stones. Our interdisciplinary team often tackles larger, more complicated stones with procedures such as percutaneous nephrostomy, whereby a tube is precisely inserted into the kidney to remove the stone; and lithotripsy, which breaks up the stones with shockwaves.
  • Men’s Health and Sexual Function: As they age, many men are affected by urologic problems and diseases such as erectile dysfunction, Peyronie’s Disease or enlarged prostate. The Tallwood team makes certain that each man’s care plan is comprehensive, using medication and/or surgery to return him to optimum sexual function and urologic health.
  • Chronic Kidney Disease: Kidneys normally filter blood to remove waste products, but if they not been working right, patients can experience life-threatening heart, bone and brain problems. The Tallwood team of urologists and nephrologists (kidney specialists) provide state-of-the-art care for chronic kidney disease patients, focused on early treatment for better outcomes.
  • Pelvic Health and Incontinence: With fellowship training in pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery, neurourology, urodynamics and female pelvic medicine, the Tallwood team leads the region in minimally invasive procedures for treating pelvic organ prolapse and urinary incontinence.
  • General Urology: Tallwood’s urologists assess and treat a number of common urology problems, from urinary tract infections to congenital urologic conditions requiring consistent monitoring and sometimes surgical intervention. The team cares for men and women with urinary tract problems, as well as issues of the male reproductive organs.