- Primary CareWe participate with several managed care plans and federal insurance programs and will file medical claims for you. It is the patient's responsibility to check whether our surgeons are on your insurance panel. Patient information and signature are required annually and when insurance changes. Referrals for surgical consult or care may be required by your insurance plan, please check with your primary care physician. Copayment and co-insurance amounts are contractual agreements and must be paid at the time of the office visit or service. If your insurance plan contracts with designated laboratory and imaging facilities, please remind us so that we may schedule accordingly. If you have questions regarding our fees and billing policies, you may contact us. While this list is not complete, it does represent the majority of insurance plans with which we participate: Aetna. Anthem BCBS/Federal BCBS. Ameriben. Choicenet. Cigna. Cofinity. Great West. GEHA. Humana. Kaiser Permanente. Medical Network. Medicare. Pacificare. Rocky Mountain Health Plan. Secure Horizons. State Farm Health. Tricare. UMR. United Healthcare.
- EndoscopyWilliam G. Lechuga Jr., M.D., F.A.C.S. Dr. Lechuga was born and raised in Denver, Colorado. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology and Biochemistry from the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado. He attended medical school at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Denver, Colorado. After medical school, he completed his general surgery residency at Exempla Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver, Colorado where he was chief resident in 2004-2005. Upon completing residency he served as LCDR in the United States Navy at Naval Hospital Jacksonville in Jacksonville, Florida where he was Department Head of General Surgery and Endoscopy from 2005-2009. In 2009, he separated from Active Duty and returned to Colorado to be near family. Dr. Lechuga is an active member of the American College of Surgeons and the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons. He is the Trauma Medical Director at St. Francis Medical Center and is certified by the American Board of Surgery. He is a Clinical Instructor for the University Of Colorado School of Medicine. He has received extensive additional training in laparoscopic and robotic surgical techniques. His interests include colon and gallbladder surgery, hernia repair, parathyroid and thyroid surgery, skin and soft tissue disorders, anorectal disorders including hemorrhoid surgery, and trauma surgery. Dr. Lechuga and his wife have two children. They enjoy spending time with family and outdoor activities including hiking, camping, and fishing.
- Diabetes Care
- Thyroid
- General SurgeryThe surgeons of North Springs Surgical Associates are dedicated to providing the highest quality surgical care for our patients. A warm and compassionate approach, excellent surgical results, and extremely low complication rates define our practice. Our surgeons take the time to explain surgical options and answer all patient questions. We attempt to return patients to their active lifestyles as quickly and safely as possible. Each physician in our practice has completed extensive training in surgery. All of our surgeons are board certified by the American Board of Surgery. We practice the full range of general surgery. For the convenience of our patients, all of our surgeons perform procedures at multiple local facilities including St. Francis Medical Center, Audubon Surgery Center at St. Francis, and Memorial Hospital North. Our practice is conveniently located in the NorthCare building adjacent to St. Francis Medical Center in northeast Colorado Springs. We accept Medicare and participate in most major insurance plans. We are delighted to see patients who are referred by other physicians or those who are self-referred. Although we do offer same-day appointments when available, we encourage making appointments as far in advance as possible. Our friendly staff will be happy to answer any questions you have regarding scheduling and payment arrangements. We guarantee all medical records are kept completely confidential.
- Minimally Invasive SurgeryNorth Springs Surgical Associates offers patients a full range of general surgery. Some of the specific services we provide include robotic and laparoscopic surgery, GI surgery (including gallbladder, colon, spleen, and anti-reflux surgery), hernia repair, oncologic surgery (for malignancies), and endocrine surgery. Minimally Invasive Surgery The term "minimally invasive surgery" covers a wide range of techniques designed to minimize scarring, pain, and recovery time. Laparoscopic and robotic abdominal surgery and minimal access surgery are common in our practice. Minimally invasive surgical approaches can potentially be used for a variety of disease processes such as the following: Gallbladder surgery. Colon and rectal surgery for benign and malignant processes. Stomach surgery, including surgery for reflux/GERD. Surgery for treatment of breast cancer (sentinel lymph node biopsy and breast conservation therapy). Treatment of thyroid and parathyroid disorders. Treatment of appendicitis & diverticulitis.
- Robotic SurgeryPeter W. Zimmer, M.D., F.A.C.S. Dr. Zimmer was born and raised in Colorado Springs and graduated from Air Academy High School in 1985. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Creighton University in Omaha and returned to Denver for medical school, graduating from the University of Colorado with honors in 1993. He then completed a five year general surgery residency at Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle where he was chief resident from 1997-98. Dr. Zimmer then served as a general surgeon in the United States Air Force with tours in Cheyenne, Wyoming and Montgomery, Alabama. Dr. Zimmer then returned to his hometown in 2002 and has been a busy surgeon in this practice ever since. He is an active member of numerous surgical professional societies, is certified by the American Board of Surgery, and has had several articles published in professional journals as recently as 2010. He is a Clinical Instructor for the University of Colorado School of Medicine. He has completed additional training in advanced hernia repair, laparoscopic colon surgery, and advanced hemorrhoid surgery (PPH). He has also completed training in robotic surgery and is able to offer appropriate patients single-site cholecystectomy and other robotic procedures. Professional interests include hernia repair, laparoscopic colon and gallbladder surgery, and thyroid/parathyroid surgery. Dr. Zimmer is married and has four children. He and his wife are fortunate to have their parents and extended family in Colorado and are active in their local church. He and his family enjoy skiing, camping and playing soccer.
- Breast SurgeryDaniela Botolin, M.D. Dr. Botolin was born an raised in Chisinau, Moldova. She received her medical degree from State Medical & Pharmaceutical University "Nicolae Testemitanu", Chisinau, Moldova in 2000. Upon moving to the United States, she did a postdoctoral fellowship at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan, where she studied fatty acid metabolism in relation to diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Afterwards, she joined the division of cardiology at the University of Colorado in Denver and studied molecular mechanisms of heart failure. She completed a general surgery internship at the University of Colorado in 2012, followed by residency in general surgery at George Washington University in Washington, DC. During her residency, she received the prestigious AOA membership award and presented clinical research at multiple conferences, including at the American College of Surgeons. Dr. Botolin's clinical interests include gallbladder surgery, breast surgery, abdominal wall reconstruction, complex hernia repair, thyroid and parathyroid surgeries, and colorectal procedures. Dr. Botolin and her husband have a son in college. She loves outdoor activities such as hiking, fishing, and running. She is a great cook and enjoys playing piano. She is also fluent in Romanian and Russian. She is looking forward to spending the next part of her life in beautiful Colorado, dedicated to excellent patient care.
- Laparoscopic Surgery