Central Peninsula General Hospital does not currently have an employed ENT physician. The incoming physician will be the first hospital-employed otolaryngologist in the system's history and will serve as the foundation of a new ENT service line. This is not a replacement role within an existing group. It is a first hire into a specialty the hospital is actively building.
For approximately 40 years, ENT services on the Kenai Peninsula have been provided almost entirely by one independent contractor physician, who is now approaching retirement. Central Peninsula has partnered with South Peninsula Hospital in Homer to bridge the coverage gap during the recruitment and clinic build-out period. Under this arrangement, South Peninsula's ENT physician and an NP are providing temporary clinic coverage in Soldotna until the permanent Central Peninsula hire is in place.
| Provider | Role | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Theresa Thompson, NP | ENT NP, first assist | Currently employed by South Peninsula Hospital; intended to convert to Central Peninsula employee upon permanent ENT hire |
Ms. Thompson will be based in Soldotna to run the temporary clinic and is expected to remain in the role supporting the incoming physician directly once the transition is complete. Her background includes general surgery experience, which supports first-assist responsibilities in the OR.
While the ENT service line is new, the incoming physician joins a well-established medical community at Central Peninsula. The hospital employs physicians across multiple specialties including internal medicine, general surgery, urology, OB/GYN, radiology, and others. An employed interventional radiologist and a contracted hospitalist group are on-site. The hospital's physician culture is described by current staff as collaborative and supportive of physician input, with leadership that values and responds to physician feedback.
No additional ENT-specific employed staff were identified in recruiter notes or available source materials. Confirm with the client whether any additional clinical support staff, such as ENT-trained medical assistants or audiology personnel, will be part of the new clinic build-out.