A member of our Ear, Nose and Throat team, Robert Fischer, MD, is an otolaryngologist, dedicated to providing high-quality, up-to-date care to adults and children with ear, nose and throat conditions. Dr. Fischer is board-certified in Otolaryngology with three decades of ENT experience. He is well-equipped to provide medical and surgical care for the full range of disorders, from ear and sinus problems, to head & neck surgery and facial plastic surgery. A magna cum laude graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Dr. Fischer earned his medical doctorate from the Medical College of Wisconsin and completed his Otolaryngology residency at Portsmouth Naval Hospital in Virginia as part of a 10-year association with the U.S. Navy Medical Corps. After discharge, he practiced at Duluth Clinic in Minnesota and Wind River ENT in Lander, WY, before joining Trinity Health in 2015. He practiced four years with Sanford Health in Bemidji, MN, before returning to Trinity.
Trinty Health West
Nancy Longfors, MD
Dr. Longfors is a board-certified general surgeon, dedicated to providing advanced, high-quality surgical care to patients of all ages. Her experience covers a broad range of minimally invasive and traditional surgical techniques, including laparoscopic procedures and Trinity Health’s da Vinci Xi robotic surgery system. Areas of specialty include surgeries of the breast, colon, gallbladder, appendix, hernia, and gastrointestinal system. Born and reared in Minnesota, Dr. Longfors graduated with high honors from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN. She earned her Doctor of Medicine from the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences and completed her general surgery residency at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk. She practiced general surgery at hospitals in Arizona, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Prior to joining Trinity Health, Dr. Longfors provided general surgery services at CentraCare Health in St. Cloud, MN. In addition to being recognized for academic achievement, Dr. Longfors has been an advocate for improving patient access to surgical care, serving international medical missions in Kenya and other short-term trips in Africa. A member of the American College of Surgeons, Dr. Longfors enjoys travel, hiking, biking, and spending time with family and friends.
Paul DiGregorio, CCP
A key member of our heart team, Paul DiGregorio, CCP, is a certified cardiovascular perfusionist with 40 years of experience providing clinical perfusion and other services to patients. His role during heart surgery is operating the heart-lung machine that assumes the functions of a patient’s heart and lung while the surgeon performs surgery on the heart. A Long Island native, Paul completed his perfusion training in 1980 at State University of New York (SUNY) in Syracuse. He was chief perfusionist at Mt. Sinai Medical Center in Cleveland for many years. He has practiced in various clinical settings in Ohio, Indiana, and Florida. Most recently he was senior staff perfusionist at IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie, IN. His experience also includes serving as a clinical instructor and faculty member for the American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion (ABCP). Paul is married with two children. He enjoys golf, dining out, and movies.
Michael Savitt, MD, MSE
A member of our heart and lung team, Dr. Savitt is a cardiothoracic surgeon with over 20 years of surgical experience. His expertise covers a broad range of innovative and minimally invasive techniques for coronary bypass and valve surgery, including transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). He is also an expert in lung resection and surgical treatment of lung and esophageal cancers. A Milwaukee native, Dr. Savitt earned his medical degree and Master of Science in Engineering from Duke University. He completed his surgical residency at the University of California at San Francisco, where he served as chief surgical resident. He accomplished his cardiothoracic surgery fellowship at the University of Minnesota and later returned to Duke for a clinical lung transplant sabbatical. Dr. Savitt has maintained a dynamic practice at heart and lung centers in the Midwest. Most recently he served as a cardiothoracic surgeon and associate clinical professor at IU Ball Memorial Hospital in association with Indiana University School of Medicine. He is board certified by the American Board of Thoracic Surgery. A member of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons and the Western Thoracic Surgical Association, Dr. Savitt has been a frequent lecturer on cardiothoracic topics and has authored numerous manuscripts for various medical journals.
Robert Guttormson, MD
Robert Guttormson, MD, MHA, FACS, is a board-certified general surgeon and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. With a special interest in advanced laparoscopic and robotic surgery, Dr. Guttormson is dedicated to providing excellent surgical care to patients, with innovative approaches that involve less pain, less blood loss, and quicker recovery. A Minot native, he earned his Doctorate of Medicine from the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences and completed his general surgery residency in Saginaw, Michigan, at an affiliate campus of Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. Following residency, he practiced at Altru Health System in Grand Forks for over nine years and served as Assistant Professor of Surgery for the UND Surgical Residency. His volunteer service includes medical missions work in Niger, Africa. His wife and their four children enjoy outdoor activities and travel. He also has an interest in photography. He is looking forward to helping serve his home community as a member of Trinity’s Surgical Associates Group.
Dustin Evans, MD
A member of our General Surgery team, Dustin Evans, MD, provides safe and effective surgical care to patients, with advanced treatment options and minimally invasive techniques for a wide range of surgical procedures. He is originally from Colorado and grew up on a dairy farm in Northeast Colorado. He earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Colorado School of Medicine. He remained at UC for his general surgery internship, and completed his general surgery residency training at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Dr. Evans’ experience is broad and includes things from working at a gold mine to volunteering as an EMT with Highland Rescue Team Ambulance Service in Golden, CO. In his spare time, he enjoys shooting sports, 4-wheeling, and spending time with his wife and four children.
Kelsey Artz, AuD
Trinity Health is pleased to welcome Kelsey Artz, AuD, to our team of hearing specialists. Kelsey is a Doctor of Audiology trained in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of hearing and balance disorders in adults and children. Her goal is helping people optimize hearing to enhance relationships and stay involved in the activities they enjoy. A Bottineau native, Kelsey earned her Bachelor of Science in Speech Language Hearing Science from Minnesota State University-Moorhead. She received her Doctor of Audiology degree at A.T. Still University, Mesa, AZ, and completed her doctoral training at Wake Forest Baptist Health in Winston-Salem, NC. Among her areas of expertise are hearing aids and assistive technology, testing for vertigo and other balance disorders, and support for cochlear implant and bone-anchored hearing devices.
Earl Brewley, Jr., MD
Dr. Brewley is a board-eligible, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon who specializes in treating complex diseases of the upper extremity. His expertise includes advanced shoulder and elbow arthroscopy as well as primary and revision joint replacement surgery of the upper extremity. He earned his medical doctorate from Howard University College of Medicine in Washington, DC, and completed his orthopedic residency at Albany Medical Center in New York, where he served as chief resident. He completed a highly coveted shoulder and elbow fellowship in Tampa, FL, with Drs. Mark Frankle and Mark Mighell at the Florida Orthopaedic Institute. Under their supervision, Dr. Brewley performed over 150 shoulder replacements and over 100 arthroscopic shoulder procedures. Upon graduation, he completed additional training in Japan under Hiroyuki Sugaya, MD, and Teruhisa Mihata, MD, PHD, to learn additional arthroscopic techniques, including superior capsular reconstruction for irreparable rotator cuff tears. Dr. Brewley’s research interests include age-related outcomes in shoulder arthroplasty, alternative treatments for post traumatic elbow arthritis, and biomechanics stability in revision shoulder arthroplasty. He is a fellow member of the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons and an editorial reviewer for the Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery. In his leisure he enjoys reading, hiking, writing poetry, and cheering for the New York Yankees.
Emily Stevens, FNP-BC
Emily Stevens, FNP-BC, is a board certified nurse practitioner specializing in Orthopedic Medicine. She works with physicians and other members of the orthopedic team to manage the care of patients affected by a broad range of musculoskeletal conditions, including sports-related injuries. A longtime Minot-area resident, Emily earned an Associate of Science in Nursing from Dakota College at Bottineau, where she received the “Excellence in Nursing” award and was selected for membership in the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Concordia University Wisconsin and completed her Master of Science in Nursing as a Family Nurse Practitioner through the University of Cincinnati. Emily’s clinical experience includes seven years working as an RN in Trinity Hospital’s Surgery Department. She and her husband, Ryan, have two daughters. They enjoy spending time together at her husband’s family ranch. She’s a member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and North Dakota Nurses Association.
Brent Knudson, DO
Dr. Knudson is an orthopedic surgeon who brings advanced expertise to the care of people with bone, joint, and muscle disorders. His areas of focus include joint replacement surgery of the knee, hip, and shoulder. He is also passionate about sports and taking care of sport-related injuries, as well as routine fracture care.
Originally from Mandan, he earned a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry/Nutrition from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, and received his medical degree at Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences. His residency training was completed through Michigan State University at McLaren Oakland, known for its advanced orthopedic program. During his residency, Dr. Knudson trained in all aspects of orthopedic surgery, with special emphasis on joint replacement, direct anterior hip replacement, sports medicine, and trauma care.
His experience also includes five years as a flight surgeon with the US Air Force and Air Force National Guard, two and a half years of which were spent with the 5th Medical Group at Minot AFB. The remaining time was spent in Japan, Afghanistan, and Michigan.
Dr. Knudson and his wife, Kelly, have three children. Whether fishing or hunting, they enjoy spending their free time in the beautiful North Dakota outdoors.