Meet Dr. Adam Goldstein, a general surgeon offering expert care, close to home

"As a surgeon, my philosophy is to treat patients as if they were my family. My patients appreciate that I give them the same advice I would give my parents or siblings," says Adam S. Goldstein, D.O., a general surgeon at Sentara Surgery Specialists who treats patients at Sentara CarePlex Hospital in Hampton, Virginia.

Fixing problems with his hands

Dr. Goldstein grew up just outside of New York City. In school, he excelled at math and science—a knack he says he may have gotten from his father, who worked as an engineer. After college at Cornell University in upstate New York, medical school was a natural next step. Once he got there, it didn’t take long for him to fall in love with surgery.

"I love identifying a problem and fixing it with my own two hands," Dr. Goldstein says. "I enjoy seeing that immediate effect on my patients’ health."

For two decades, he practiced general surgery at a large urban hospital system in New Jersey. He handled a wide range of complex cases, he says. "I’ve seen my share of complicated medical problems and gained a lot of experience addressing them."

Minimally-invasive and robotic surgery

Dr. Goldstein treats emergency illnesses and injuries and also performs scheduled procedures. As a general surgeon, he specializes in abdominal procedures, including hernia repair and problems related to:

• Appendix
• Bowel
• Gallbladder
• Spleen

Dr. Goldstein is fellowship-trained in minimally-invasive surgery techniques, which use smaller incisions, leading to reduced pain and a faster recovery compared with traditional surgery. He is experienced in laparoscopic surgery, using long, narrow instruments inserted through very small incisions.

He also has many years of experience using a robotic surgery system. During minimally-invasive robotic surgery, the surgeon operates the robot from a nearby console. The system can improve visualization of the surgical site and improve outcomes for patients, he adds. "The robotic system uses a camera and instruments with very long arms. Often, we can visualize the area better through the camera than we could if we were doing a traditional surgery with a large incision," he says.

Sophisticated care in your community

After practicing as a general surgeon in New Jersey for much of his career, Dr. Goldstein relocated to Virginia in 2024 after he and his wife became empty nesters. He has enjoyed becoming part of the local community—and practicing at a community hospital where patients can get state-of-the-art care close to home.

Although Sentara CarePlex Hospital may be smaller than many academic medical centers, it offers a high level of advanced care using the latest technology.

"We have the expertise and technology to address common as well as complicated issues that our patients face. They don’t have to travel far from their homes and families to get excellent care," he says. "And patients should feel comfortable knowing that I always have their best interests in mind. If I think your surgery requires a more specialized center, I’ll make the appropriate recommendations, so you receive the care you need."

Background

Dr. Goldstein attended Cornell University as an undergraduate, then went to medical school at the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine. He did his medical residency at the University of Illinois, where he also completed a fellowship in minimally-invasive surgery.

He and his wife live in Yorktown, where he says he experiences the best of both worlds: plenty of great restaurants and cultural sights, with easy access to more rural attractions like pumpkin patches and community festivals. "Virginia has turned out to be a perfect fit for us, and we’ve discovered this community is a great place to live," he says.

In his free time, he enjoys going to the gym, fishing and sport shooting. He also enjoys spending time at the beach and hopes to take up boating.

Dr. Goldstein is board-certified in general surgery and treats patients at Sentara CarePlex Hospital in Hampton, Virginia. To schedule a consultation, call 757-736-7280.