By: Kathy Hubbard
I first heard about Hannah Robbins, MD, when she performed a friend’s colonoscopy. Recently her name came up during a discussion about the surgical upgrades that were the focus of this year’s Heart Ball, Bonner General Health Foundation’s annual fundraiser.
But then, I read a news release from Newport Community Hospital announcing that Dr. Robbins was added to their surgical staff which made it sound as if she had moved on. Did she? Nope. She still has privileges at BGH. She’s just added privileges at NCH where she practices a couple of days a month.
Here’s how it works. Dr. Robbins and her partners, Dr. Nathan Kanning and Dr. Chase Williams are in private practice.
“This means that I can do surgery at any facility that grants me the privileges as long as I abide by their stated bylaws. For example, I can do surgery at Bonner General Hospital, but I have to take a fair share of the emergency general surgery calls and fulfill various other regulatory requirements,” she explained.
Hopefully that clears up the confusion, because I really want to tell you more about Dr. Robbins and how her specialty benefits women’s health in our region. Besides being a general surgeon, she has a special interest in breast surgery and breast cancer treatment.
“We have been building our breast cancer program here in Sandpoint over the last several years. Now, most breast cancer surgery can be done locally. I perform oncoplastic breast surgery which involves removing the cancer in a way that also takes into account the cosmetic results. I have done additional training in oncoplastic surgery to develop this skill,” she explained.
Because we don’t have one, breast surgery that requires a plastic surgeon can’t be done here. However, she said that it affects only a minority of patients.
“Most patients with breast cancer these days keep their breasts. Furthermore, not all patients are candidates for a breast reconstruction due to age or medical comorbidities, and many women with mastectomy do not want a breast reconstruction. I am always happy to see a patient with breast cancer and get them to the right place if they need services we can’t provide here in Sandpoint,” she explained.
“A lot of general surgeons don’t like breast surgery because working with breast cancer patients can be emotionally intense. I enjoy bringing comfort, clarity and hope in a time of uncertainty. That being said, I don’t want to give up general surgery to be an exclusive breast surgeon. General surgeons can do so much and they are seriously needed!”
She does just about every type of surgery. From endoscopies, laparoscopy surgeries, skin cancer and hernia surgeries to surgeries for anorectal disease such as fissures, hemorrhoids, abscesses, fistulas and anal cancer.
Between the three surgeons, they take emergency surgery calls 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at BGH, NCH, and Boundary Community Hospital. “That means I’m on call a third of my life,” she said.
And what does she do with her spare time? “I have a group of girls I run with every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 5:30 am in Pine Street Woods year-round rain or shine!”
When she was fifteen, she met a female surgeon at a water aerobics class who inspired her to become a surgeon. This woman became her mentor and life-long friend. Her decision was confirmed when her mother suffered a traumatic bicycle accident and was diagnosed with breast cancer.
If she’s not performing emergency surgery, she and her husband, whom she met in high school, take their ’59 Thunderbird to Lost in the 50s. She’s run Race the Wolf half marathon twice. She has two children aged nine and seven, and when they moved to Sandpoint from Vancouver, WA her parents came along as well.
“Our practice is set up nicely to meet the needs of rural North Idaho and Northeastern Washington where the population is small, and a full-time surgeon is not needed. We travel to Newport and Bonners Ferry to help patients stay local for care and to establish relationships with the emergency medicine and primary care doctors in those communities.”
Kathy Hubbard was a charter member of Bonner General Health Foundation. She can be reached at [email protected]. This article was written for publication in the Bonner County Daily Bee on March 4, 2025.
