Dr. Elzinga Hans graduated from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and did his residency in family medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine, Rural Training Track- Baraboo where he was trained in GI endoscopy and operative obstetrics including c-sections. He was the recipient of a National Health Service Corps Scholarship and started his service obligation in San Saba, Texas. He completed his service obligation in Longmont, Colorado at Salud Family Health, a Federally Qualified Health Center, where he has now practiced for over 25 years.
Dr. Elzinga's focus has been providing procedural care for underserved patient populations, especially cancer screening. He has delivered over 1,000 babies, performed over 400 c-sections, and performed over 20,000 colonoscopies and upper GI endoscopies. He has trained residents and fellows in GI endoscopy. He is an Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. He is the Director of the Special Procedures Clinic at Salud Family Health. This in an in-clinic endoscopy suite that was created entirely through donations and was the recipient of a $500,000 HRSA grant as part of the Biden administration's Cancer Moonshot. The suite provides discounted colonoscopies and upper GI endoscopies for low-income, uninsured patients through its Butt Savers Program. This is a program whose foundation is staff giving through payroll deductions. The suite has already performed over 1,000 procedures for underserved patients since it opened in December of 2022.
"I believe that underserved patients deserve access to colorectal cancer screening that is of the same quality, or better, than the rest of us. The epidemic of early-onset colorectal cancer has hit this patient population even more profoundly than others. We have to do everything possible to address these very significant inequities."