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Dr. Thomas Bak, MD

(Dr. Thomas Bak, MD)

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Specializes in: General Surgery and Transplant Surgery

Tulane University School of Medicine (1992)

Professional interests include: pancreatic surgery, liver surgery, liver transplant, and more.

12605 E 16th Avenue
Aurora, CO 80045

(720) 848-0005

Dr. Thomas Bak, MD is a general surgeon in Aurora, CO specializing in general surgery and transplant surgery. He graduated from Tulane University School of Medicine in 1992 and has 34 years of experience. Dr. Thomas Bak, MD is affiliated with UCHealth, University of Colorado Medicine and UCHealth Transplant Center - Anschutz Medical Campus.

Office Locations

12605 E 16th Avenue
Aurora, CO 80045

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1635 Aurora Court 7th Floor
Aurora, CO 80045

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Some issues Dr. Thomas Bak, MD can help you with:

Gastrointestinal Problems (Digestive Disorders)

The gastrointestinal system, or GI tract, is the name given to a collection of organs that work together to digest food. These organs fit together in a long tube, running from the mouth to the anus, and include the esophagus, stomach, and intestines, among others. With so many parts working together, complicated by today's busy lifestyles and diets, digestive problems are common. As many as 1 in 3 Americans have a digestive or GI disorder. There are a huge variety of digestive problems, but the most common are IBS, constipation, GERD, hemorrhoids, and ulcers.

IBS, or irritable bowel syndrome, happens when the muscles surrounding the colon contract too easily or frequently. The result is abdominal pain, cramps, diarrhea or constipation, gas and bloating. IBS attacks can often be brought on by specific triggers, so a key part of treatment is learning which foods trigger IBS attacks and avoiding them. Treatment also includes exercise, avoiding stress, and medications if needed.

Constipation, or large, hard, or infrequent stools, happens to everyone at some point. It can be caused by a disruption in routine or food, or by eating a diet without many fresh fruits and vegetables. Although it is uncomfortable, constipation is common and usually not serious, but it can sometimes become chronic. Adding fiber to the diet, exercising, and taking medications may help.

GERD, or gastroesophageal reflux disease, is a severe form of chronic heartburn where stomach acid spills back up into the esophagus. Left untreated, the acid may even eat away at the esophagus and cause serious damage. Treatment includes changing the diet to avoid trigger foods, losing weight if needed, medications, or even surgery.

Hemorrhoids are blood vessels around the rectum that become irritated, swollen or torn while straining during a bowel movement. They are most often caused by constipation, but can also be caused by pregnancy, diarrhea, or simply a genetic predisposition towards hemorrhoids. Treatment involves first treating any constipation issues, then keeping the area clean and soothed until it has healed. If these measures are ineffective, surgery is sometimes used.

Peptic ulcers are sores or spots of inflammation in the lining of the stomach or close to the stomach in the small intestine. Usually this area is coated with a protective lining that shields the tissue from the strong stomach acid, but a break in the lining can let acid in, causing the sores. It used to be thought that stress caused ulcers, but now it is known that is not the case. Most often, they are caused by an infection by H. pylori bacteria, but ulcers can also be caused by alcohol abuse or overuse of aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, or other NSAIDS. The symptoms of an ulcer are pain, hunger, nausea, and fatigue.

Gastrointestinal problems, perhaps more than any other area, are markedly affected by lifestyle. Many disorders can be prevented or treated at least in part by eating a healthy diet high in fiber, exercising regularly, drinking enough water, and limiting alcohol intake. Still, the frequency of digestive disorders means that even the healthiest person can be affected by them. Anyone who notices blood in their stool, experiences abdominal pain, unexplained weight loss, or any significant change in bowel movements should see a doctor.

In The News

“The only problem is what would happen if Carpenter were to get hit on the side where she has her lone kidney, said Tom Bak, transplant surgeon at the University of Colorado Hospital in Denver.”—"Organ donor in service to kin, country", The Denver Post, July 2005

“The only problem is what happens if Carpenter gets hit on the side where she has her lone kidney, said Tom Bak, transplant surgeon at the University of Colorado Hospital in Denver.”—"Soldier donates kidney, then promptly goes to Iraq", Desert News, July 2005

“Dr. Thomas Bak, a Denver surgeon who cared for Glasgow, said he had no idea that she felt so negative about her experience.”—"Living Organ Donors Often Oblivious to Risks They Run", Los Angeles Times, August 2003

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2012 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Thomas Bak, MD treated as a general surgeon in Aurora, CO during 2012 were urologic procedures, transplant procedures, abdominal surgery and minimally invasive procedures.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Thomas Bak, MD for Medicare patients.

abdominal surgery	16
doctor visit	16
minimally invasive procedures	11
transplant procedures	16
urologic procedures	27

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2013 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Thomas Bak, MD treated as a general surgeon in Aurora, CO during 2013 were transplant procedures, abdominal surgery and urologic procedures.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Thomas Bak, MD for Medicare patients.

abdominal surgery	29
doctor visit	17
transplant procedures	29
urologic procedures	29

2013 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Thomas Bak, MD.

**Gender**
Male	52
Female	19

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	35
Black	0
Hispanic	19
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	0
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	53

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Thomas Bak, MD in 2013

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	52
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	39
Depression	30
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	23
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	0
Diabetes	52
Dementia	0
Cancer	0

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2014 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Thomas Bak, MD treated as a general surgeon in Aurora, CO during 2014 were urologic procedures, transplant procedures, abdominal surgery and minimally invasive procedures.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Thomas Bak, MD for Medicare patients.

abdominal surgery	19
doctor visit	11
minimally invasive procedures	12
transplant procedures	19
urologic procedures	31

2014 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Thomas Bak, MD.

**Gender**
Male	42
Female	25

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	35
Black	0
Hispanic	17
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	0
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	43

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Thomas Bak, MD in 2014

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	43
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	31
Depression	21
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	19
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	0
Diabetes	51
Dementia	0
Cancer	0

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2015 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Thomas Bak, MD treated as a general surgeon in Aurora, CO during 2015 were urologic procedures, transplant procedures, abdominal surgery and minimally invasive procedures.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Thomas Bak, MD for Medicare patients.

abdominal surgery	19
doctor visit	11
minimally invasive procedures	14
transplant procedures	19
urologic procedures	33

2015 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Thomas Bak, MD.

**Gender**
Male	76
Female	64

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	80
Black	0
Hispanic	38
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	0
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	94

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Thomas Bak, MD in 2015

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	54
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	30
Depression	30
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	24
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	0
Diabetes	47
Dementia	0
Cancer	0

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2016 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Thomas Bak, MD treated as a general surgeon in Aurora, CO during 2016 were hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Thomas Bak, MD for Medicare patients.

hospital care	36
inpatient care	36

2016 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Thomas Bak, MD.

**Gender**
Male	31
Female	32

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	49
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	0
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	37

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Thomas Bak, MD in 2016

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	49
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	37
Depression	30
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	22
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	24
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	0
Diabetes	37
Dementia	0
Cancer	0

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2017 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Thomas Bak, MD treated as a general surgeon in Aurora, CO during 2017 were hospital care, inpatient care, urologic procedures and minimally invasive procedures.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Thomas Bak, MD for Medicare patients.

abdominal surgery	11
doctor visit	35
hospital care	122
inpatient care	122
minimally invasive procedures	21
open surgery	11
stent placement (stenting)	11
transplant procedures	11
urologic procedures	43

2017 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Thomas Bak, MD.

**Gender**
Male	54
Female	49

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	64
Black	0
Hispanic	26
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	0
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	70

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Thomas Bak, MD in 2017

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	50
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	40
Depression	31
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	14
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	29
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	0
Diabetes	43
Dementia	0
Cancer	0

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2018 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Thomas Bak, MD treated as a general surgeon in Aurora, CO during 2018 were hospital care, inpatient care, urologic procedures and transplant procedures.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Thomas Bak, MD for Medicare patients.

abdominal surgery	22
doctor visit	43
hospital care	138
inpatient care	138
minimally invasive procedures	15
open surgery	22
stent placement (stenting)	22
transplant procedures	22
urologic procedures	59

2018 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Thomas Bak, MD.

**Gender**
Male	78
Female	52

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	60
Black	0
Hispanic	47
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	0
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	85

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Thomas Bak, MD in 2018

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	68
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	39
Depression	25
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	9
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	31
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	16
Diabetes	48
Dementia	0
Cancer	0

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2019 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Thomas Bak, MD treated as a general surgeon in Aurora, CO during 2019 were hospital care, inpatient care, urologic procedures and transplant procedures.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Thomas Bak, MD for Medicare patients.

abdominal surgery	21
doctor visit	49
hospital care	119
inpatient care	119
minimally invasive procedures	14
open surgery	20
stent placement (stenting)	20
transplant procedures	21
urologic procedures	55

2019 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Thomas Bak, MD.

**Gender**
Male	74
Female	42

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	64
Black	0
Hispanic	31
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	0
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	88

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Thomas Bak, MD in 2019

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	65
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	35
Depression	20
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	11
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	35
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	0
Diabetes	55
Dementia	0
Cancer	0

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2020 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Thomas Bak, MD treated as a general surgeon in Aurora, CO during 2020 were hospital care, inpatient care, urologic procedures and transplant procedures.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Thomas Bak, MD for Medicare patients.

abdominal surgery	19
doctor visit	51
hospital care	79
inpatient care	79
minimally invasive procedures	16
open surgery	19
stent placement (stenting)	19
transplant procedures	19
urologic procedures	54

2020 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Thomas Bak, MD.

**Gender**
Male	74
Female	57

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	78
Black	0
Hispanic	27
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	0
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	94

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Thomas Bak, MD in 2020

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	58
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	38
Depression	24
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	11
Osteoperosis	8
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	22
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	9
Diabetes	44
Dementia	0
Cancer	0

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2021 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Thomas Bak, MD treated as a general surgeon in Aurora, CO during 2021 were hospital care, inpatient care, urologic procedures and transplant procedures.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Thomas Bak, MD for Medicare patients.

abdominal surgery	18
doctor visit	35
hospital care	51
inpatient care	51
minimally invasive procedures	13
open surgery	18
stent placement (stenting)	18
transplant procedures	18
urologic procedures	49

2021 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Thomas Bak, MD.

**Gender**
Male	62
Female	39

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	57
Black	0
Hispanic	23
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	0
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	60

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Thomas Bak, MD in 2021

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	59
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	53
Depression	29
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	27
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	0
Diabetes	55
Dementia	0
Cancer	0

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2022 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Thomas Bak, MD treated as a general surgeon in Aurora, CO during 2022 were hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Thomas Bak, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	18
hospital care	29
inpatient care	29

2022 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Thomas Bak, MD.

**Gender**
Male	37
Female	24

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	28
Black	0
Hispanic	20
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	24
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	37

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Thomas Bak, MD in 2022

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	59
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	21
Depression	41
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	25
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	0
Diabetes	46
Dementia	0
Cancer	0

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2012 - 2022

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Thomas Bak, MD for Medicare patients.

The highest averages for the top procedures that Dr. Thomas Bak, MD treated as a general surgeon in Aurora, CO were hospital care, inpatient care, urologic procedures and transplant procedures.

abdominal surgery	19
doctor visit	28
hospital care	82
inpatient care	82
minimally invasive procedures	14
open surgery	18
stent placement (stenting)	18
transplant procedures	19
urologic procedures	42

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2012 - 2022

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Thomas Bak, MD.

**Gender**
Female	36
Male	52

**Ethnicity**
Black / African American	0
Asian / Pacific Islander	0
Non-Hispanic White	50
Native American / Alaskan Native	0
Hispanic	22
Other	0

**Age**
85 and over	0
75 to 84	0
Less than 65	60
65 to 74	2

Average of Total of Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Thomas Bak, MD From 2012 - 2022

The highest averages of the most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. Thomas Bak, MD treated were chronic kidney disease, hypertension, high cholesterol and diabetes.

Hypertension	68
High Cholesterol	50
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	33
Depression	25
Chronic Kidney Disease	68
Asthma	6
Osteoporosis	0
Heart Failure	23
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	2
Diabetes	43
Atrial Fibrillation	0
Dementia	0
Cancer	0

Education & Training

Dr. Thomas Bak, MD graduated from Tulane University School of Medicine in 1992. He completed residency at University of Colorado Denver Affiliated Hospitals. He has a state license in Colorado.

Medical School: Tulane University School of Medicine (1992)

Residency: University of Colorado Denver Affiliated Hospitals (1998)

Licensed In: Colorado

Affiliations & Hospitals

Dr. Thomas Bak, MD is associated with these hospitals and organizations:

UCHealth

University of Colorado Medicine

UCHealth Transplant Center - Anschutz Medical Campus

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General Payments

These charts describe general payments received by Dr. Thomas Bak, MD. Doctors may receive payments for a number of reasons, including meal compensation, travel compensation, and consulting.

**Payments by Company**
Intuitive Surgical, Inc.	$4,996 Da Vinci Surgical System $4,996
NeuWave Medical, Inc.	$767 CERTUS 140 MICROWAVE ABLATION SYSTEM $767
Veloxis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.	$296 Envarsus $296
Ethicon US, LLC	$251 Echelon Flex $236	HARMONIC Product Family $15
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation	$89 $89

**Types of Payments**
Education	$3,000
Travel and Lodging	$2,404
Food and Beverage	$996

Biography

Dr. Thomas Bak's medical specialty is general surgery and transplant surgery. These areas are among Dr. Bak's clinical interests: gastrointestinal problems (digestive disorders), pancreas transplant, and biliary disorders (gallbladder and bile ducts). His hospital/clinic affiliations include the University of Colorado Hospital and the University of Colorado Medicine. After completing medical school at Tulane University School of Medicine, he performed his residency at a hospital affiliated with the University of Colorado Denver.