Dr. Robert Guttormson

Dr. Robert Guttormson, a board-certified general surgeon and Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, has joined CHI St. Alexius Health General Surgery Clinic in Bismarck and CHI St. Alexius Health Minot Medical Plaza.

A Minot native, he completed his medical degree at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences before pursuing his general surgery residency at a Michigan State University College of Human Medicine affiliate, according to information from CHI St. Alexius.

With more than 15 years of experience, including a tenure as assistant professor of surgery, Guttormson’s surgical philosophy centers on offering his patients both clarity and autonomy.

His emphasis on patient autonomy reflects broader changes in the medical field over the past few decades. He wants patients to know that they have choices when it comes to health care.

“General medicine itself has changed significantly in the last 20 to 30 years,” Guttormson said. “It used to be extremely paternalistic and patients were told what they needed to do and the patients tended to go along with that. Now, patients are treated more like consumers and they’re given choices.”