Geisinger names Denise M. Torres, M.D., chair of the Surgery Institute
Dr. Torres joined Geisinger 12 years ago and has distinguished herself as a trauma surgeon, a critical care physician and an effective leader. For the past 10 months Dr. Torres has served as the interim chair of the Surgery Institute and she’s been division chief of acute care surgery for the Department of General Surgery the past four years. Dr. Torres is credited with establishing trauma centers throughout the Geisinger system and, through a partnership with critical care medicine, created a surgical intensive care unit.
“Dr. Torres brings over a decade of experience to her new role,” said Dr. Casale. “Our Surgery Institute is lucky to have an experienced leader who will drive change in making better health easier in our communities. I look forward to working with Dr. Torres and congratulate her on this well-deserved recognition.”
Besides serving on many hospital and systemwide committees, Dr. Torres is a prominent member of regional and national professional organizations, including the PA Trauma Quality Improvement Program Collaborative. She is also the chair of the Pennsylvania Committee on Trauma.
“Since taking over on an interim basis, I’ve been pleased at our ability to offer our patients the best surgical services,” said Dr. Torres. “After serving the Geisinger community for the last 12 years, I’ll redouble my efforts to put patients first and contribute to supporting healthier, more vibrant communities in my new role. To achieve this goal, we will work toward bringing cutting-edge technology closer to home while expanding our robotic surgery program across the system and adding new urological technologies to the region. We’ll also establish new surgical teams in Muncy and CenterPoint, and we will continue to grow our educational and research programs across the institute.”
After earning her doctorate at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, Dr. Torres completed her general surgery residency at Temple University Hospital and her surgical critical care fellowship at Shock Trauma Center, University of Maryland.
Dr. Torres will continue to serve as the chair of the Department of General Surgery and division chief of acute care surgery.
About Geisinger
Geisinger is among the nation’s leading providers of value-based care, serving 1.2 million people in urban and rural communities across Pennsylvania. Founded in 1915 by philanthropist Abigail Geisinger, the non-profit system generates $10 billion in annual revenues across 134 care sites - including 10 hospital campuses, and Geisinger Health Plan, with 600,000 members in commercial and government plans. The Geisinger College of Health Sciences educates more than 5,000 medical professionals annually and conducts more than 1,400 clinical research studies. With 26,000 employees, including 1,600 employed physicians, Geisinger is among Pennsylvania’s largest employers with an estimated economic impact of $14 billion to the state’s economy. On March 31, 2024, Geisinger became the first member of Risant Health, a new nonprofit charitable organization created to expand and accelerate value-based care across the country. Learn more at geisinger.org or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.
