Robert Krouse, MD, MS is Professor of Surgery with tenure at the University of Pennsylvania, Chief of Surgical Services and Associate Chief of Staff for Surgery at the Corporal Michael J. Crescenz Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and Associate Chief of Staff for Surgery for the Wilmington Veterans Affairs Medical Center. As a Surgical Oncologist, Dr. Krouse’s clinical interests include skin cancers, GI cancers, soft tissue sarcomas, and endocrine cancers. His research interests have predominantly focused on cancer survivorship issues, including palliative and end-of-life care. Dr. Krouse’s interest in issues for patients with advanced cancer began as an Immunotherapy Fellow at the National Cancer Institute (1993-1994). This interest broadened as a Surgical Oncology Fellow at the City of Hope National Medical Center (1997-2000), where he was mentored in techniques related to surgical oncology and cancer survivorship research. Dr. Krouse expanded his research program at the University of Arizona Cancer Center and the Tucson VA, and in 2016 moved to his new roles in Philadelphia.
Dr. Krouse participates in many research projects. He was the Principal Investigator of a Department of Veterans Affairs Health Services Research and Development Award related to the quality of life for veterans with intestinal stomas and of a quality of life study for long-term cancer survivors with intestinal stomas in a general population setting. A renewal of this grant focused on rectal cancer survivors and functional outcomes. He was also Principal Investigator of a pilot intervention study for new ostomates to test the feasibility, efficacy, and comprehensibility of a self-management care curriculum based on the Chronic Care Model. He is recognized internationally as an expert in the palliative surgical treatment of patients with advanced cancer. This notably includes invasive procedures for symptom control. In 2004, Dr. Krouse organized and moderated for an international conference on malignant bowel obstruction, with the goal of advancing palliative care research through development of a trial protocol using malignant bowel obstruction as a model. Dr. Krouse is Principal Investigator for a trial protocol for malignant bowel obstruction funded by AHRQ in partnership with SWOG, as well as a funded study using telehealth to empower ostomates in self-management of their ostomy care and improve their quality of life in urban settings.
Currently, he is Principal Investigator of a similar study focusing on rural populations.
