The Internal Medicine practice at Central Peninsula Hospital is a busy outpatient clinic focused on adult primary care. Physicians see 18 and older patients with a mix of chronic disease management, acute visits, and preventive care. The practice runs at a pace of 12 to 14 patients per day, which the hospital considers the target volume for a productive full-time provider. There is no inpatient rounding requirement, though physicians do carry a light call responsibility tied to patient continuity.
| Detail | Description |
|---|---|
| Setting | Hospital-employed outpatient clinic |
| Patient Population | Adults 18 and older |
| Target Daily Volume | 12 to 14 patients per day |
| Schedule | 4 days per week; 36 patient-facing hours |
| Inpatient Rounding | Not required |
| Call Type | Phone-based; clinic continuity coverage |
| EMR | Epic |
| AI Documentation | DAX implementation pending |
| APP Support | 2 APPs support the practice |
Call at CPH is phone-based and tied to patient continuity rather than inpatient coverage. The hospitalist program, contracted through Alaska Hospitalist Group, handles all inpatient care. When an internal medicine patient is admitted, the hospitalist team notifies the patient's primary physician as a courtesy, but the outpatient physician does not round or manage the inpatient stay.
Day-to-day call coverage rotates among the physician group and covers situations such as after-hours refill requests, clinical questions, and same-day access needs for patients when their primary physician is out. APPs participate in clinic coverage but do not take part in the call rotation. Call is not overnight in the traditional sense and does not require coming into the hospital.
Call frequency will depend on group size. The expectation is that it will not exceed 10 days per month, and as the group grows it will be shared across more providers.
Procedures are available but not required. The practice offers the following, and physicians can participate based on interest and training:
Physicians with no interest in procedures are still a good fit for this role. The practice does not require procedural volume.
The clinic runs a University of Washington internal medicine residency program in its first year of operation. Currently two to three residents are active, with additional elective rotation residents coming through nine months of the year. Residents have their own patient panels and see patients two days per week in the clinic.
Incoming physicians may be asked to precept residents. The expectation is that teaching time, if any, will represent no more than 10 to 20 percent of a physician's schedule. The medical director values the program and will likely discuss academic involvement with all new hires. Physicians who want no involvement in the residency will be considered, particularly for the higher-volume position replacing Dr. Berger.
Full on-site diagnostic support is available for Internal Medicine referrals, including:
The Internal Medicine group prides itself on doing more than a traditional primary care clinic. Some physicians perform endoscopy and stress testing in addition to standard outpatient medicine. The practice was originally a private group that was acquired by the hospital, and the team has maintained some of its independent culture while integrating into the hospital system. Leadership is actively working to align the group's clinical output with the hospital's patient access goals.