Our Team

Meet the Bariatric Surgery team

Back row, from left: Donald Colacchio, MD, Thomas Streeter, MD, Rayford Kruger, MD. Middle row, from left: Michelle Croft, RN, BSN, CBN, Sara Metro, RD, Colleen Berg, MSN, FNP-C, CBN, Alan Johnson, LICSW, Suzanne Gokavi, LICSW, Marjorie Borden, RN, CBN, Anne Harris, PhD, Suzanne Kokkins, RD, LDN. Front row, from left: Alexandra Carlin, RD, Maria Cruz, LICSW, Natia Corsi, RD, Maureen Fletcher, RD, Stacy Medeiros, RD, LDN, Jodie Plouffe, PA.

All of your care before, during and after gastric bypass surgery is coordinated by a team of health professionals. This assures that you receive the most comprehensive and complete care that will promote your long-term good health.

Our team first performs a preoperative evaluation that helps select those patients who are both medically and psychologically suited for our surgical program. At this time, all of the purposes, implications risks and benefits of bypass surgery are carefully explained.

All of our patients undergo a complete medical screening by the surgeon and an internist as well as an evaluation by one of the team's psychologists. Patients are also required to participate in four preoperative support group sessions to learn more about the physical and psychological implications of gastric bypass surgery.

Each patient also attends counseling with the team dietitian to discuss their present dietary habits and how to best prepare for their changed nutritional needs following surgery.

Patients will periodically meet with the surgeon throughout the preoperative period to monitor progress and have detailed discussions about the surgical procedure.

Bariatric Surgery Team

Ray Kruger, MD, FACS
Director of Bariatric Surgery & Bariatric Surgeon
Center of Excellence Surgeon

A graduate of Dartmouth Medical School in New Hampshire, Dr. Kruger completed his residency training at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Hanover, N.H. He is board certified in general surgery and is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He has practiced general surgery at Tobey Hospital since 1990 and has led the Bariatric Surgery program since 2004.

In addition to bariatric surgery, Dr. Kruger's areas of interest include endoscopies, general surgery, and minimally invasive surgery including anti-reflux surgery and other procedures.

Thomas Streeter, MD, FACS
Bariatric Surgeon
Center of Excellence Surgeon

Dr. Streeter is a board certified surgeon who has practiced as a general surgeon at Tobey Hospital since 1992. A graduate of the Bowman Gray School of Medicine in North Carolina, Dr. Streeter completed residencies at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio and at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and has received advanced training in bariatric surgery. He has worked with Dr. Kruger to develop the bariatric surgery program at Tobey Hospital.

Donald Colacchio, MD
Bariatric Surgeon

A graduate of Dartmouth Medical School, Dr. Colacchio completed a residency in General Surgery at Millard Filmore Hospital in Buffalo, N.Y., where he served as chief resident. He also did a fellowship in Surgical Research at Roswell Park Memorial Institute in Buffalo. He has served as a staff surgeon at a number of military hospitals in the Army and most recently was a staff surgeon at Parkland Medical Center in New Hampshire. He has extensive training and expertise in laparoscopic general surgery and is board certified in general surgery. He has practiced at Tobey Hospital since 2009.

Clinical Team

Our team of professional nurses helps coordinate your care and serves as an important resource for patients.

Our nursing team includes a bariatric nurse coordinator, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and registered nurses who provide personalized guidance and education on your weight loss journey, coordinate follow-up care and insure you remain on track.

Our team helps coordinate your care and serves as an important resource for patients. Our nursing team includes a bariatric nurse coordinator, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and registered nurses, who provide personalized guidance and education on your weight loss journey, coordinate follow-up care and insure you remain on track.

Nutrition Team

Our team of registered dietitians have specialized training in weight loss and serve as a vital resource before and after surgery.

Good nutrition is vital to your successful weight loss and your long-term health.

Our dietitians provide individualized counseling for patients along with monthly support groups.

Psychology Team

Patients undergo psychological and social challenges as part of weight loss and our team of social workers and psychologists have extensive experience in helping our patients identify and cope with these issues.

For our patients' convenience, team members conduct regular support groups in several communities on the South Coast.

The program includes a social worker who speaks Portuguese.