Central Peninsula General Hospital is recruiting a full-time, hospital-employed Otolaryngologist to establish and lead ENT services on the Kenai Peninsula. This is a rare founding role. The greater Kenai Peninsula has been served by a single ENT physician for nearly four decades, and that physician is now approaching retirement. Demand for ENT services across the region is significant and unmet. The incoming physician will not inherit a declining practice. They will build one from the ground up, with full institutional support and a patient population actively waiting for access.
For approximately 40 years, Dr. Zerl has been the near-sole practicing ENT serving the greater central Kenai Peninsula. Now in his early 70s, he is preparing to retire. South Peninsula Hospital in Homer faces a parallel situation with their own ENT, Dr. Fred Freeman, also 71. Recognizing the shared regional need, the two hospital systems have entered a partnership. South Peninsula has arranged for Dr. Freeman and an NP to hold temporary clinics in Soldotna while Central Peninsula completes its own ENT clinic build-out and recruits a permanent employed physician. Once Central Peninsula's ENT is in place, the partnership arrangement will transition accordingly. The incoming physician steps into a fully supported, hospital-backed practice with an established and growing patient base.
| Detail | Description |
|---|---|
| Employment Model | Hospital employed |
| Location | Soldotna, Alaska |
| Clinic | New ENT clinic space identified directly behind the hospital |
| Operating Room | Full OR access; 4 ORs plus a procedure room and day surgery suite |
| EMR | Epic |
| Practice Type | Outpatient clinic plus surgical |
The typical ENT schedule at Central Peninsula is expected to follow a standard mixed clinic and OR model.
| Schedule Component | Expectation |
|---|---|
| Clinic Days | Approximately 3 days per week |
| OR Days | Approximately 2 days per week |
| Work Week | Monday through Friday |
The hospital intends to fully support the incoming ENT's scope of practice. Equipment needs such as lasers and specialized instruments will be provided. While skull-based surgery is unlikely to be part of the regular case mix, general ENT services are in high demand. Based on the regional model being developed with South Peninsula, the following capabilities are anticipated and desired:
The clinic build-out within the hospital's Epic environment is currently underway. The Epic and clinic space configuration process typically takes six to eight months to complete. The incoming physician will have a defined startup window with South Peninsula's temporary staffing providing regional coverage in the interim. This is a ground-floor opportunity to shape an ENT service line at a well-resourced community hospital with strong institutional commitment and leadership support. [oai_citation:0‡style.css](file-service://file-ByyrTcSLGXV1KqXSJaZAa2)