Clinical Component

Navigating the Clinical Component

The endocrinology physician at Good Shepherd practices in a stable, outpatient-only environment with protected clinical hours, no call, and a defined patient population. The service line is growing, and the physician has meaningful input into case mix, clinic design, and how cases are distributed with the existing endocrinologist and APP.

Patient Population

• Adults, 18 and older
• Mix of new referrals and established follow-up patients
• Rural service population of approximately 75,000 across Umatilla and Morrow Counties
• Referrals from Good Shepherd's primary care network and regional specialists

Clinical Scope

Day-to-day practice focuses on general endocrinology, with room to carve out areas of deeper focus based on physician interest.

• Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes management, including insulin therapy and pump or CGM oversight
• Thyroid disorders, including hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, goiter, and nodular disease
• Adrenal and pituitary pathology
• Calcium and bone metabolism disorders
• Reproductive endocrinology and hormone replacement
• Metabolic conditions, including pre-diabetes and metabolic syndrome

Clinical Workflow

Clinical Support and Team Structure

The endocrinology physician practices alongside a direct support team within Good Shepherd Medical Group.

• One existing endocrinologist, Sandeep Kunwar, MD
• One endocrinology APP (concurrent hire)
• Dedicated medical assistants
• Shared care coordinator
• Practice manager for clinic operations
• On-site lab and diagnostic imaging within the main hospital campus

Ancillary Resources

Good Shepherd operates a dedicated Diabetes and Nutrition Center recognized by the American Diabetes Association. This is a significant asset for the endocrinology service line and reduces the teaching and education load on treating physicians.

• Comprehensive diabetes self-management education for all types of diabetes
• Personalized nutrition counseling
• ACT (Achieve, Conquer, Thrive) Program, a 9-week healthy lifestyle program
• Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialists on staff

Collaborative Practice

The incoming physician shares clinical volume with the existing endocrinologist and may serve as the collaborating physician for the endocrinology APP as the practice scales. Case complexity distribution between the two endocrinologists is flexible based on physician interest and scheduling needs.