UAB Department of Surgery Assistant Professor Kimberly Kopecky, M.D., MSCI, has been featured in the “What's Brewing with Berman” video series from the Society of Surgical Oncology's president, Russell Berman, M.D., to further discuss her project on eliciting patient values.

Discussing her latest research project, Dr. Kopecky shared that she distributed a survey to assess when and how frequently cancer surgeons elicit, document, and share patients' values with the broader oncology team.

In the discussion, she noted that she usually discusses patients' values during their first visit and often records this information in the patient's chart for future reference.

"Surgical oncologists often help patients make difficult decisions, and understanding patients’ core values is crucial when proposing treatment options that might be high-risk. It’s my view that it’s the responsibility of the surgical oncologist to develop a recommendation that aligns with the patient's goals and is designed to enhance their quality of life," says Kopecky.

Kopecky joined UAB as a faculty member in 2024 and specializes in peritoneal surface malignancies. She is dedicated to providing a patient-centered, multidisciplinary approach to healthcare, including both surgical and non-surgical therapies.

About What’s Brewing with Berman

What’s Brewing with Berman is a video series from the Society of Surgical Oncology. It is hosted by Russell Berman, M.D., president of the Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO). Berman is a professor of surgery at Weill Cornell Medicine. The video series aims to foster informal discussions on important topics, ranging from SSO initiatives to new challenges in surgical oncology.