Heather Yeo, M.D., M.H.S., M.B.A., MS
Colon and Rectal Surgery
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Heather Yeo, M.D., M.H.S., M.B.A., MS

Colon and Rectal Surgery

Profile Photo of Heather Yeo, M.D., M.H.S., M.B.A., MS
Accepts New Patients
Gender: Female
Language: English

About

Personal Statement

♦ Virtual Visit: Delivering the same level of world-class care, with exceptional convenience. 

My goal, as a colon and rectal surgeon and as a surgical oncologist is to help my patients make informed decisions in their care and understand their disease process and treatment options, both surgical and non-surgical.  I hope to help my patients find a better quality of life and to help them through their surgical experience (when necessary).  I am lucky to work with a world renowned group of multidisciplinary specialists to help promote a multifaceted treatment plan for my patients, including radiation oncologists, medical oncologists,  radiologists,  pathologists, gastroenterologists, pelvic floor specialists, urologists, and interventional radiologists. 

For Dr. Heather Yeo, medicine is synonymous with family (click for more info).

Dr. Yeo is a Damon Runyon Clinical Investigator and focuses on improving the quality of life of cancer patients using mobile tech (click for more info).

Specialties and Expertise

Specialties

  • Colon-Rectal Surgery
  • Colon and Rectal Surgery
  • Surgery, Colon and Rectal
  • Surgical Oncology

Expertise

  • Rectal Surgery
  • Colon/Rectal Cancer Surgery
  • Cancer of Colon With Rectum
  • Cancer of Colon
  • Laparoscopic Colon and Rectal Surgery
  • Colon Cancer and Polyps
  • Diverticular Disease
  • Bowel Dysfunction
  • Rectal Prolapse
  • Rectal Cancer
  • FH: Bowel Obstruction
  • Obstruction of Bowel
  • Complex Anal Fistula Disease
  • Anal Sphincter Incontinence
  • Anal Incontinence
  • Laparoscopic Surgery
  • Minimally Invasive Surgery
  • Anal Fistula
  • Hemorrhoids
  • Gastrointestinal Malignancy
  • Sphincter Sparing Surgery
  • Laparoscopic Gastrointestinal Surgery
  • Anal Cancer
  • Colorectal Cancer
  • Cancer of Appendix
  • HIPEC (Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy)
  • Cytoreductive Surgery, Without HIPEC, For Neoplasm Debulking
  • Major Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC)
  • Cytoreductive Surgery Without Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) For Debulking of Neoplasm

Biography

Heather Yeo, MD, MHS, is Associate Professor of Surgery and Associate Professor of Population Health Sciences at Weill Cornell Medical College and Associate Attending Surgeon at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. She is board-certified in general surgery, colon and rectal surgery, and complex general surgical oncology. Dr. Yeo specializes in the comprehensive care of colorectal cancer patients as well as those patients with benign colorectal disease.

Click here to see Dr. Yeo's CBS-TV interview on new studying showing aspirin can reduce risk of GI and colon cancer.

Click here to see Dr. Yeo talk about colorectal cancer in older adults.

Click here to hear Dr. Yeo talk about health services research.

Because of her specialized training as a surgical oncologist, Dr. Yeo, is involved with her cancer patients throughout the course of their therapy and will help them to understand all of their treatment options. She works with a world renowned group of multidisciplinary specialists to help promote a multifaceted treatment plan for her patients, including radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, radiologists, pathologists, gastroenterologists, and interventional radiologists. 

Dr. Yeo has expertise in minimal access techniques, including laparoscopic, needlescopic, colonoscopic-assisted and robotic surgery. In addition, she has special interests in sphincter preserving surgery (helping rectal cancer patients avoid a permanent ostomy), maintaining fertility in cancer patients, and improving quality of life and bowel function after rectal surgery. Most recently, Dr. Yeo has adopted use of the endoluminal surgical platform, commonly known as the DiLumen, allowing some complex procedures to be accomplished using an endoscope and without external incisions.

Dr. Yeo’s clinical research focuses on the whole patient and improving the surgical experience. She has studied patient quality of life and outcome measures and believes incorporating those factors into her treatment decisions is very important.

Dr. Yeo has written extensively and published in many major journals, including the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), Annals of Surgery, and the Journal of the American College of Surgeons. 

Dr. Yeo completed her general surgical residency at Yale New Haven Hospital , and her Surgical Oncology fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and her fellowship in Colon and Rectal Surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. She has a Masters in Health Service Research from Yale University.

Dr. Yeo is actively involved in many national Surgical and Oncologic Societies, including the American College of Surgeons, Society of Surgical Oncologists, American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, Association of Women Surgeons, and Association of Academic Surgery. 

Research

Honors and Awards

Honors and Awards

Ira S. Goldenberg Award, Intern of the Year, 2005

Bridgeport Hospital Trauma Resident of the Year, 2009

Bridgeport Hospital John H. Palmer award for outstanding resident citizenship, 2010

OSHE Research Grant, 2006 and 2010

Association for Academic Surgery Travel Grant Recipient, 2012

AACR/ASCO Vail Clinical Trials Course Participant, 2013

Association of Women Surgeons Foundation and Ethicon Endo Surgery, Inc. Fellowship, 2013-2014

Empire Clinical Research Investigator Program Grant, 2014-2016

New York SuperDoctor: an Honor given to 5% of all New York physicians 

Top Doctors
Heather Yeo, M.D., M.H.S., M.B.A., MS has been named one of America's Top Doctors by Castle Connolly. Across 65 medical specialties, 404 Weill Cornell Medicine physicians have been awarded this designation.

Learn more

Credentials

Board Certifications

  • American Board of Colon & Rectal Surgery
  • American Board of Surgery
  • American Board of Surgery (Complex General Surgical Oncology)

Clinical and Academic Positions

  • Associate Attending Surgeon - NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
  • Frank Glenn Faculty Scholar in Surgery - Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University
  • Associate Professor of Population Health Sciences - Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University
  • Associate Professor of Surgery - Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University

Education and Training

  • M.B.A., Cornell University, 2019
  • M.S., Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Cornell University, 2019
  • M.H.S., Yale University, 2008
  • M.D., Georgetown University School of Medicine, 2004
  • B.S.F.S., Georgetown University, 1998

Insurance

Insurance Plans Accepted

The following represents most of the managed care plans accepted by this doctor. If your insurance carrier does not appear here please contact the doctor’s office as they may have individual contracts not included on this site.

* indicates this doctor is no longer accepting new patients with this insurance plan.

  • AETNA - HMO
  • AETNA - Medicare
  • AETNA - PPO
  • Aetna Weill Cornell Employee Managed Care Plan
  • Aetna Weill Cornell Employee PPO Plan
  • Aetna-NYP - EPO/POS
  • Affinity Access
  • Affinity Health Plan
  • AgeWell New York
  • Amida Care
  • CIGNA
  • Emblem Select Care
  • Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield - Blue Access
  • Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield - Blue Connection
  • Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield - EPO
  • Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield - HMO
  • Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield - Mediblue (Senior)
  • Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield - PPO
  • Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield HealthPlus
  • Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield HealthPlus - CHP
  • Fidelis Care
  • GHI - CBP
  • Health First
  • Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP)
  • Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP) - Medicaid
  • Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP) - Medicare
  • Medicaid
  • Medicare
  • Oxford Health Plans - Freedom
  • Oxford Health Plans - Liberty
  • Oxford Health Plans - Medicare Advantage
  • Oxford Health Plans - Metro/Core/Charter
  • Rockefeller University - Trustmark
  • United Empire
  • United Healthcare
  • United Healthcare - Community Plan
  • United Healthcare - Medicare
  • United Healthcare Compass
  • VNSNY CHOICE - HMO
  • VNSNY CHOICE - Medicare
  • WellCare of NY
  • WorldWide Medical

Locations and Appointments

External Relationships

External Relationships

Relationships and collaborations with for-profit and not-for profit organizations are of vital importance to our faculty because these exchanges of scientific information foster innovation. As experts in their fields, WCM physicians and scientists are sought after by many organizations to consult and educate. WCM and its faculty make this information available to the public, thus creating a transparent environment.

Advisory/Scientific Board Member:
SurvivorNet, Inc.