Ozarks Healthcare Surgeon Earns Prestigious Fellowship with the American College of Surgeons

Ozarks Healthcare is proud to announce that Dr. David Benalcazar, general surgeon, has been initiated as a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS).

This prestigious designation recognizes Benalcazar’s dedication to the highest standards of surgical excellence, integrity, and professional growth. Fellowship in the American College of Surgeons is earned by surgeons whose education, training, professional qualifications, and ethical conduct meet rigorous criteria consistent with the organization’s mission and values.

“Dr. Benalcazar’s achievement reflects his commitment to providing exceptional, compassionate care to our patients and our community,” Jacob Petrus, Ozarks Healthcare Vice President of Physician Services and Operations, said. “We are proud to have him as part of our surgical team.”

Membership as a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS) is a mark of distinction, demonstrating that a surgeon’s education, training, professional qualifications, surgical competence, and ethical conduct have passed a rigorous evaluation consistent with ACS standards.

At Ozarks Healthcare General Surgery, patients receive care from a team of highly trained surgeons and staff who work together to manage every step of the process - from pre-surgical planning, through the procedure itself, to post-care and follow-up - all in Ozarks Healthcare’s region.

Their services include treatment of breast disorders and diseases; laparoscopic procedures; gallbladder, hernia, and colon surgery; EGD and colonoscopy; gastrointestinal and foregut disorders; dialysis and chemotherapy access; skin cancers and soft tissue tumor surgery; amputations and hyperbaric oxygen therapy; and temporal-artery biopsy.

Ozarks Healthcare is committed to delivering advanced, high‐quality health services to our community across a broad spectrum of specialties. Patients can depend on compassionate care, experienced providers, and coordinated support every step of the way.

For more information about Ozarks Healthcare’s surgical services, visit www.ozarkshealthcare.com.

Ozarks Healthcare is a not-for-profit health system that serves more than 160,000 residents across south-central Missouri and northern Arkansas. With its main campus residing in West Plains, Missouri, the health system offers a full spectrum of healthcare for all ages through its 114-bed hospital, behavioral health, therapies, pharmacies, rehabilitation, and home care services, along with specialty and family medicine clinics. Ozarks Healthcare has rural locations across an eight-county service area and is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations.

Dr. David Benalcazar, general surgeon at Ozarks Healthcare, is pictured with his family after being initiated as a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS).