Meet Gastroenterologist Dr Nick Kontorinis

Q. How long have you been working as a gastroenterologist?

I have been working as a gastroenterologist since 2000. I graduated from The University of Western Australia in 1993 and commenced my internship and then residency at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. I did my fellowship training through the WA Gastroenterology Advanced Training Program, which operates across Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Fremantle Hospital, Royal Perth Hospital, and Hollywood Private Hospital at the time. I then did my fellowship in New York City studying Hepatology and Liver Transplantation and returned to Perth in 2004 to work as a consultant at Royal Perth Hospital.

Q. What attracted you to gastroenterology?

It is a challenging specialty that takes several years of training and hard work in order to achieve competence especially with endoscopic training. It involves procedures (endoscopy and colonoscopy) and it is often diagnostically challenging. It incorporates a number of different aspects of medicine including oncology, immunology (inflammatory bowel disease or autoimmune liver diseases), transplantation medicine, addiction medicine and more. It is a very broad and general type specialty and not too specific, which is what I like.

Q. What are your special areas of interest?

I have a special interest in gastroscopy and colonoscopy, liver diseases, such as viral Hepatitis C and B, fatty liver, cirrhosis and liver transplantation. I am also interested in inflammatory bowel diseases, coeliac, and the management of colonic polyps and bowel cancer.

Q. What would you say is your point of difference?

I try to offer a holistic approach. I work at having a good bedside manner and communicate well with my patients. It is important that people feel comfortable to confide in you and trust you when working in the fields of viral hepatitis, drugs and alcohol and addiction medicine. I hope that my patients feel comfortable communicating to me when they have problems and concerns. I hope they feel comfortable that they will not be judged. 

I also have a good amount of experience, having been practising since 1999.

Q. Have you learnt anything from your patients?

I have learnt that there is a real need for continuing medical education as there are so many new developments that occur ever more frequently. Examples include the new treatments for Hepatitis C virus that one needs to keep up to date with.

I have also learnt to keep an open mind and try not to be judgemental when dealing with patients. An example is alternative medicines, which are frequently used by many gastroenterology and liver patients. I think it is important that we do not ridicule or rubbish their beliefs, but work with them, keep an open mind but at the same time educate and warn them on the risks of taking or participating in alternative therapies.

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