In this outpatient role, you will be joining 3 full time primary care physicians and 4 nurse practitioners. You are exclusively responsible for pre- and post-operative care, emphasizing a commitment to comprehensive patient support. The workweek is structured over 4 days, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., totaling 36 hours of direct patient interaction. The workload is substantial, with a daily average of 16-18 patients, encompassing diverse procedures such as cryotherapy, Nexplanon insertions, lesion removal, and more. This variety of tasks showcases the practice’s versatility in managing a range of medical interventions within the outpatient setting.
The scheduling of appointments reflects a thoughtful approach to patient comfort and care. Follow-up visits are allocated 30-minute slots, allowing for thorough check-ups and discussions. For new patients or cases requiring more time, the flexibility of extending appointments to 1 hour is offered.
Being on call is part of the job, with a schedule of 4 weeks out of the year. During on-call days, you handle phone calls, which tends to come in at a very low volume and is shared amongst the primary care physicians and nurse practitioners. In the scenario that a patient needs to be admitted to the ED, the hospitalist will admit and once the patient is ready to be discharged, will help set up an appointment for a post-op follow up. This collaborative approach ensures that patients get the attention they need, emphasizing effective teamwork in the healthcare setting. Notably, the patient population they serve tends to be mostly elderly, indicating a need for specialized care to address the unique health concerns of this group.
Good Shepherd Medical Center is a Level III Trauma Center. Our Emergency Medicine trained doctors work in a dynamic, community-focused environment where they provide essential emergency care to a diverse patient population. As a Level III Trauma Center, GSMC is equipped to provide surgical interventions, when necessary, with more complex cases stabilized and transferred to higher-level facilities as needed. The hospital’s well-established relationship with local EMS ensures that patients receive the most appropriate care, with critical cases directed to nearby Tri-Cities (Kadlec Medical Center, Level 2 Trauma) for advanced treatment when required.
The Emergency Department at GSMC sees an average of 70 patients per day, with approximately 65% managed through the Fast Track, which operates from 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. and is staffed by two Advanced Practice Providers (APPs). The remaining 35% of cases are true emergency medicine cases. The hospital also offers 24-hour coverage with two physicians working 12-hour shifts, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m., and two APPs covering complementary shifts. The Urgent Care Clinic across the street provides additional support with convenient hours throughout the week, ensuring that non-emergent cases can be managed efficiently.
Our Emergency Medicine physicians at GSMC, work alongside a highly collaborative medical team, including hospitalists and surgeons with admitting privileges, and have access to consults when necessary. The facility is well-equipped with TeleNeurology for stroke cases, and you will manage critical conditions such as STEMIs, strokes, and pulmonary embolisms.
Our EM doctors work a shift schedule with most providers working 10-12 shifts per month, typically in blocks of 4 or 5 consecutive days, and no back-to-back 12-hour shifts. They do not perform arterial lines (A-lines), but occasional central lines (C-lines) may be performed, with both ER providers and anesthesia available for intubations.