CANTON – Physician assistant S. Michael Ditta has joined Brian Kerrigan, DO, and T. Nick Knowles, DO, at Canton-Potsdam Hospital’s primary care practice in the E. J. Noble Professional Building, 80 E. Main Street. Ditta began seeing patients earlier this month.

A medical, surgical, and orthopedic services specialist and rescue medic with the Flight Surgeon’s Office of the U.S. Air Force during the war in Vietnam, Ditta received his physician assistant training from the Albany-Hudson Valley Physician’s Associate Program at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, and his physician’s associate certificate from Albany Medical College of Union University in Albany.

A fellow of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants, and the New York State Society of Physician Assistants, Ditta is also the founder of the Thousand Islands Regional Physician Assistants’ Group.

Before coming to CPH, Ditta founded and operated Seaway Health Care for more than 20 years with his wife Lisa Ditta, LPN, who also served as his office manager and nurse.

Earlier in his career, he worked with the Ogdensburg Medical Group and the Susquehanna Medical Affiliates in Endicott. He has extensive experience in emergency medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, and orthopedic medicine.

“I’ve seen a lot of changes in my 37 years of practice,” said Ditta. “One thing that doesn’t change is the need to listen and befriend patients. To get to the root of their problems—what’s really going on with the patient—you have to be alert to all the signs and symptoms,” he said.

Ditta said he was looking forward to working with Dr. Kerrigan and Dr. Knowles. “Physician assistants are partners in the care process,” he said. “We share a goal to help the patient, and to understand when and where to refer a patient for specialist care. It’s comforting for patients to know they have a network of support, and that the primary care they receive is of the highest quality,” he said. “It’s also convenient to have ancillary and specialty services in the same building.”

In addition to the Canton primary care practice, the E. J. Noble Professional Building houses the pediatrics practice of Dr. Patti Rissacher and Dr. Kathleen Terrence, and the CPH-affiliated practice of Dr. Florence Bero and Dr. Daniel Palmateer, as well as the internal medicine practice of Dr. Syed Ali. Specialty allergy/immunology, urology, orthopedics, and general surgery practices as well as laboratory, physical therapy, and imaging services are also located at E.J. Noble.

For more information, or to make an appointment with Dr. Kerrigan, Dr. Knowles, or Mr. Ditta, call 261-5870.