GFH Honors Richard N. Dimick, M.D.
with Physician Award of Excellence 2001

In 1998, the hospital’s Board of Governors established the Physician Award of Excellence to honor deserving candidates based on the following criteria: demonstrates expertise in their medical discipline; distinguishes themselves by helping to grow and develop a hospital program or service; exemplifies the values of Glens Falls Hospital; shows leadership to their peers and hospital staff members; has been noted by patients, families and/or other clients for their excellence, and has helped to advance and improve the hospital’s reputation for excellence.

Recipients are nominated by Glens Falls Hospital medical/dental staff officers, previous awardees and hospital senior management. "This year, as in years past, one name was prominently heard over all others: Dr. Richard Dimick, Director, Interventional Radiology," noted David G. Kruczlnicki, GFH President and CEO.

Since arriving in Glens Falls in November of 1995, Dr. Dimick has led the expansion of the Glens Falls Hospital Special Procedures Unit of Imaging Services and has cultivated an interventional angiography program. Prior to his arrival, the department performed mostly diagnostic and angiographic studies. The technology used to perform the procedures was slow and cumbersome, but under Dr. Dimick’s guidance, a new suite with digital subtraction angiography, which yields instant computer-generated images, was added in 1996. This enabled us to do a variety of procedures that previously hadn’t been performed at GFH. Today the department is a diagnostic and therapeutic specialty, frequently saving patients invasive surgery and responding to emergency conditions. Under Dr. Dimick’s leadership, the number of procedures has increased from 340 procedures in his first year, to an anticipated 2,350 in 2001. "I’m quite honored by this award and I’d like to thank Glens Falls Hospital and the medical staff for both the honor and the support they’ve given me in establishing this new service," said Dr. Dimick. "The Special Procedures team, including my partner, Dr. Marc Meacham and all the technologists and nurses, really deserve alot of the credit that this honor carries with it. Also, my radiology group, Adirondack Radiology Associates, deserves credit for supporting all of the efforts dedicated to interventional services here at Glens Falls Hospital." 

Before coming to GFH, Dr. Dimick was assistant professor, division of angiography and interventional radiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine. He graduated from Duke University School of Medicine and conducted his residency in diagnostic radiology at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. While at Emory he also completed a one-year fellowship in angiography and interventional radiology. Dr. Dimick is board certified in diagnostic, vascular and interventional radiology and is a member of the Society of Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology, Radiological Society of North American, Roentgen Ray Society, and the American Medical Association.

According to Dr. Dimick, "Interventional radiology remains one of the most rapidly evolving fields in medicine and newer procedures are being introduced every year. Our service anticipates introducing Vertebroplasty, which is a procedure of injecting cement into spinal compression fractures for symptomatic relief. The procedures of Endograft placement for aortic aneurysm and Carotid Stent Placement for carotid stenosis are also on the horizon.

The capacity of our service is already stretched to its limits. The introduction of new procedures and growth of existing services will demand a new Interventional Suite within the very near future. In addition, the technical staff has increased from 2.5 full-time employees in 1995 to 4.5 full time employees currently. Full and part-time nursing positions have been added and two of the technologists and one of the nurses now have their registry in cadiovascular imaging."