Alex Frank, M.D., Radiation Oncologist, Cancer Center

I recently had the pleasure of sitting down to interview Dr. Frank regarding his recent recognition as the recipient of the 2nd Annual Physician Award of Excellence. I hope you enjoy the dialogue as much as I did and join everyone at GFH in congratulating him.

Q. What did receiving this award mean to you?
A. I am truly honored. Receiving an award that comes from your peers is the greatest compliment. I am grateful I’ve been given tremendous resources to work with. It’s easy to succeed when you have the support of the hospital, your colleagues and the community. The greater lesson is to learn to work together building trust with your peers that gets stronger. These relationships not only make you personally successful, but the greatest accomplishment is seeing that the patients we serve come to trust our mission and commitment to each of them personally.

Q. I understand that you are originally from the New York City 
area. What brought you to upstate New York?
A. I formed a relationship with the Adirondack region when I was a college student. I hiked the high peaks with a friend whose parents owned a camp in Keene Valley. Through the years I would hear of Lake George and the Adirondacks and remembered fondly the peace and serenity of the area. A little over nine years ago, I had a chance meeting with a colleague I had known at Yale, (Dan Larson, MD) and although I had almost committed to entering the world of academia, I casually asked him if any-one upstate was looking for a radiation oncologist. Much to my surprise he told me about the plans for the Cancer Center at Glens Falls Hospital. That one simple question altered the direction of my career and opened up a whole new avenue of opportunities and decisions.

Q. What challenges did you encounter and how have they changed you?
A. One of the biggest attractions and challenges in coming to Glens Falls was the chance to help build something from scratch. The opportunity to help develop not only the physical building but more importantly, the programs and services, was an exciting challenge for me. As I watched the Cancer Center rise from plans on paper to a real working organization, I felt a great satisfaction. I’ve learned that you’ll always have challenges ahead and that these challenges make you strive for excellence and give you purpose throughout your life.

Q. What are your future plans at GFH?
A. One of the most important parts of healthcare today is to make the entire process of care to the patient virtually seamless. Our commitment to our patients continues along that line and to achieve that goal we must embrace change. Specifically, we plan to freshen our technological commitment. We invested in state-of-the-art equipment five or six years ago that continues to provide patient care competitive to almost anywhere. One area of focus is the computer/software area, which will enable us to provide care faster and more accurately, thereby increasing patient satisfaction and improving treatment outcomes. Another area to enhance is regional relationships with other physicians and hospitals. We must seek partnerships that are based on the needs of our patients.

A little bit more about Alex Frank, M.D.  . . .
Dr. Frank and his wife, Stacey Mandelbaum, have four children and live in Queensbury. In addition to their professional commitments, Dr. Frank and his wife enjoy spending time with their children. They love the water and in addition to swimming, water-skiing and boating, they enjoy hiking and alpine skiing. They also have a great love of music. In addition to his instrumental role in the establishment of the radiation therapy program at GFH, he has also been responsible for ensuring that the newest and latest techniques in radiation oncology have been implemented at the Cancer Center, including three-dimensional computerized treatment planning and the prostate seed program. Dr. Frank has also served as a board member and officer of Adirondack Medicine, Inc. (AMI) and was appointed by Gov. Mario Cuomo to serve as a member of the Breast Cancer Treatment Advisory Panel from 1993 to 1996.

"Working at GFH and developing programs has been a pleasure. I work with a great medical staff and a really first-rate oncology team. This award could not have been achieved without the collaboration of a great many people. The people that work at GFH are truly dedicated and our patients are wonderful. I look forward to many years at GFH, ready to face whatever challenges arise."

I have been very impressed with the Cancer Center. Dr. Frank and his staff have been excellent. Keep up the good work.

Dr. Frank should leave his brain to science! Great doctor!