We are excited to announce that urology is coming back to Perham Health. Dr. Ted Sawchuk is our new urologist who will be seeing patients in Perham. We sat down with Dr. Sawchuk to learn more about him and what urology is.

About Dr. Sawchuk

I grew up in North Dakota and graduated from UND. After graduating, I went to Vanderbilt University for medical school, and did my urology residency at the University of Virginia.

After medical school, my wife and I moved back to Fargo. I’ve worked in both Fargo and Detroit Lakes for the last 25 years and my wife is a pastor. We have three grown children.

We’ve had a cabin on Big Floyd Lake for 25 years, and we love lake country. Our family spends as much time as possible at the cabin. Our kids grew up spending every summer fishing and boating. In my free time, I love to be fishing or boating on the lake or hunting.

When the opportunity came to work in Perham, I jumped at it. Starting in April/May, I’ll be seeing patients in Perham and continue seeing patients in Detroit Lakes.

What is a urologist?

A urologist is a medical doctor and surgeon who treats problems of the urinary tract which includes:

• Bladder
• Kidneys
• Ureters
• Urethra
• Reproductive organs
• Adrenal glands

The urinary system is really important because it keeps the body clean by filtering wastes and toxins and taking them out of the body.

Problems with the urinary tract can include things like:

• Incontinence/urine problems
• Overactive bladder
• Kidney stones
• Enlarged prostate
• Infertility
• Sexual dysfunction
• Cancers of the bladder, kidneys, ureters, urethra, prostate

A lot of urinary tract problems can affect people’s ability to socialize and fulfill their roles as significant others. Many issues are treatable and can greatly improve the quality of people’s lives.

What kinds of services will be offered?

We offer a variety of options starting with non-surgical treatments. When we first meet, we will talk about what your issues are and I’ll find out a bit about you. Depending on your issues, we may run lab tests or order diagnostic imaging.

Once we know what is wrong, we have a variety of services we can offer from minimally invasive treatments to surgery. Treatments such as:

• Botox injections for bladders
• Lasering kidney stones
• Bladder repairs and slings for women dealing with incontinence problems due to pregnancy or other causes.
• Cystoscopy which helps us look into the bladder
• Prostate biopsies
• Laser therapy for prostates
• Kidney stone surgery
• Cancer surgery

What types of patients will you see?

I will be seeing both adults and kids who are one year or older.

How would a patient get referred to see you?

Patients should start with their primary care provider or urgent care clinic if their need is urgent. Family medicine providers can treat many minor urinary problems such as kidney or bladder infections. If they feel you need to be seen by a specialist, they will refer you to me.

What do I want people to know about me as a doctor?

I like to get to know my patients, what their personal needs and wants are. Some of my patients are with me for years and we develop great relationships. It’s satisfying to me to be able to identify a problem and help my patients toward a solution. I like to give my patients options when I can.

Some people get embarrassed by their problem and are too afraid to come in, or they think there is no solution. I want people to know that many issues are treatable and they can get their quality of life back. No problem or question is too awkward.

What if you need to refer someone?

There is a lot we can do right here in Perham and we will do as much of the testing and diagnostic imaging that we can locally. If a patient would need a higher level of care, we can refer them to Fargo, the University of Minnesota or Mayo.

I’ve been working in Fargo for 25 years so I can collaborate with my colleagues up there. They have a fully staffed 24/7 urology department.

If a patient needed to have surgery somewhere else, we could still see them here for their follow up care so they wouldn’t need to travel.

What are you looking forward to in working for Perham Health?

I grew up in a small town in North Dakota where my dad was a family medicine doctor. I’ve always wanted to work in a rural setting. I love this area and the people who live here.

I love lakes country, so I’ve always wanted to live and work where I play. That’s the best of both worlds.

Find out more about urology

Learn more about Dr. Ted Sawchuk, MD

About Perham Health 

Perham Health is a 25-bed Critical Access Hospital with three primary care clinics, a 96-bed nursing home, home health care agency, adult day services, memory care assisted living, and senior housing.  The medical staff consists of 24 physicians, a nurse midwife, 14 advance practice clinicians, and three chiropractors. Visit perhamhealth.org to learn more.