Clinical Component

Navigating the Clinical Component

The Mercy GI practice operates as a small, efficient specialty group with a direct-scheduling model, strong APP support, and a backlog of patients that effectively guarantees a busy day-one schedule. The incoming gastroenterologist will spend the bulk of their time in clinic and in the endoscopy suite at Mercy Medical Center, with inpatient consults rounding out the week. The clinical workflow is designed so that a new physician can step in immediately without ramp time, since the patient pipeline is already built.

Patient Population

Approximately 105,000 patients in the Roseburg metro service area
Mid-Oregon Coast referrals (Coos Bay, North Bend, Bandon, Port Orford) where no GI providers practice
Mixed payor base: Private insurance 70%, Medicare 15%, Medicaid 15% (Mercy-wide)
Typical clinic patient: bread-and-butter GI presentations such as GERD, IBS, IBD, hepatology referrals, dysphagia, abdominal pain workups, anemia workups, and screening colonoscopy needs
Strong referral demand from primary care, with the practice currently 6 weeks out for new patient appointments

Practice Structure

Mercy GI runs a direct-scheduling model that keeps the physician's day focused on procedures and complex cases. The standard workflow:

Primary care refers patient to Mercy GI
Patient sees one of two APPs in clinic
APP determines whether a procedure is indicated and schedules it directly
Physician handles complex clinic visits, all procedures, and inpatient consults
Dr. Petre continues to be available to APPs for case discussion and oversight

Procedures and Services

Current procedural mix is general endoscopy with no ERCP or EUS performed locally. ERCP is available as an option for candidates who want to dabble in advanced endoscopy. The core role is general GI, and the practice has no expectation that an incoming physician take on advanced endoscopy unless they want to.

Procedures performed at Mercy:

Diagnostic and screening colonoscopy
Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD)
Polypectomy
Mucosal biopsy
Variceal banding
Manometry
Capsule endoscopy
Hemorrhoid banding
PEG tube placement
Bravo pH monitoring

Procedures currently referred out:

ERCP (available as an option for an interested candidate)
EUS
Therapeutic endoscopy beyond standard scope of practice

Procedure Volume and Capacity

Mercy's ASC is built for higher volume than the practice currently runs. Anesthesia turnover times average 7 to 10 minutes between cases.

Metric	Current State	Capacity
Procedures per day (single MD)	14-15	18-22
New patient wait time	~6 weeks	Will tighten with second MD
Screening colonoscopy capacity	Effectively paused	Significant unmet need
ASC turnaround time	7-10 minutes	Stable

Call Schedule

Call Element	Detail
Frequency	1 in 6
Type	From home, telephone first
In-house requirement	Only when procedure is required
Hospitalist role	Manages stable GI bleeds and admits with phone consult
Average consults during work day	2 to 4
Average overnight callbacks per call week	Twice per month, roughly
Stipend for additional call days	Yes, per system policy

Food impactions and complex bleeders typically require the physician to come in. Stable GI bleeds and routine inpatient admissions are managed by the hospitalist team with phone consult.

EMR and Clinical Tools

Inpatient and outpatient EMR: MEDITECH 6.0
Mercy Medical Center transitions to Epic in 2026
Dictation and scribe support available per CMG standard
Imaging and lab integrated through MEDITECH today and Epic at transition

Advanced Practice Provider Support

Two APPs work alongside the GI physician in clinic. Both have been with the practice long enough to operate with significant autonomy, and the APPs do not take GI call.

One PA, five years of GI experience (joined the practice directly out of training)
One NP, two years of GI experience, prior ICU and primary care background
Both see clinic patients directly and schedule procedures
Long-tenured MA (13+ years with the GI practice) anchors the clinical support team

Subspecialty and Focus Opportunities

Mercy is open to structuring the position around the incoming physician's interests:

General GI with full clinic and procedure mix (default)
General GI with optional ERCP procedures for an interested candidate
Heavier procedural focus with reduced clinic days
Hospitalist-leaning model for a candidate who prefers inpatient-heavy work

Clinical Collaboration

The incoming physician will work closely with:

Hospitalist team (handles stable inpatient GI admissions with phone consult)
Emergency Department
Anesthesia and the Mercy ASC team
General surgery (no current overlap on scopes; collaborative on shared cases)
Hematology and oncology
Interventional radiology (two IR docs currently on staff)

Teaching, Research, and Behavioral Health

Mercy Medical Center is a community hospital, not an academic center. There are no formal teaching obligations, GME programs, or active research protocols tied to the position. Integrated behavioral health support is available system-wide through Mercy Behavioral Health and is accessible through the standard Mercy referral pathways for patients with mental health needs alongside their GI care.