January is our annual Top Doctors issue, where we recognize local physicians who have been nominated by their peers and screened by our partners at a top New York-based research firm.

We know readers count on that list when making important care decisions and picking specialists, and it’s always an honor to publish the results.

This year, we supplement that list with a look at how eight Kansas City doctors have gone above and beyond in the coronavirus crisis. These physicians have all acted heroically in the face of the global pandemic, finding ways to go above and beyond in service to the city.

MAYANK GUPTA, M.D.

The opioid crisis has led to strict rules about how to prescribe the powerful, addictive painkillers to treat patients with chronic pain. The pandemic forced the closure of non-emergency medical offices, putting a lot of pressure on the system. Dr. Mayank Gupta at Kansas Pain Management went to great lengths to develop a system that meets government requirements while also serving patients who rely on prescriptions to battle debilitating chronic pain. His system involves a combination of telehealth check-ins, outdoor checkpoints and the hyper-efficient use of in-person appointments to keep patients safe but properly served, and he’s been active in sharing it with others in his field through webinars.