Clinical Component

Navigating the Clinical Component

This is a broad general surgery practice built around clinic, operative cases, and a high volume of endoscopy. The day-to-day rhythm is predictable, the call burden is light, and the surgical team works closely with anesthesia, radiology, hospitalists, and primary care across the Valley.

Clinical Snapshot

Weekly Rhythm

Each surgeon runs a four-day clinical week that alternates clinic, scope, and OR days, with the two surgeons covering opposite schedules so the practice keeps clinic and procedures running daily.

• Clinic days run 8:00 am to 5:00 pm with a one-hour lunch
• Designated scope days run roughly 7:30 am to mid-afternoon
• A flexible catch-all day is used for clinic, scopes, or rounding
• Four hours of administrative time is built into the week

Procedures and Services

The case mix is bread-and-butter general surgery with strong endoscopy.

• Hernias, gallbladders, colon, breast, and anorectal cases
• Minor in-clinic procedures, including lumps and bumps under local anesthesia
• In-clinic cautery and ultrasound capability
• Colonoscopy and upper endoscopy, supported by a dedicated screening-colonoscopy scheduling nurse
• No vascular or bariatric surgery
• Larger oncologic cases referred to Colorado Springs

Endoscopy

Endoscopy is central to this role. The region has no resident GI specialists, so general surgery carries the scope volume.

• Each surgeon runs a dedicated scope day, typically about 10 scopes per day
• Practice-wide volume runs roughly 80 to 120 scopes per month
• A scheduling nurse screens routine screening colonoscopies and refers problems to the surgeons
• Candidates do not need to arrive proficient, but must be willing to build and carry scope volume

Call

Call is light and taken from home, with a nurse and ER triage structure that limits unnecessary disruptions.

• Approximately 8 call days per month beginning July 1, typically 5 weekday and 3 weekend days
• Average of about 1 consult per call day
• Overnight surgery on fewer than 20% of call nights
• Rounding while on call averages about 1 hour per day
• No post-call day; surgeons work the following clinical day
• A 20-minute response-time radius applies while on call
• Weekend call covers a 72-hour block, with CRNA, scrub tech, and nursing on call together
• Additional call days beyond the standard schedule are paid extra

Clinical Support

• 4 employed CRNAs provide anesthesia coverage
• Certified scrub techs serve as first assists in the OR
• Circulating and prep nursing support each case
• A dedicated wound care provider works in clinic, with the surgeons collaborating
• Hospitalist team admits and consults; 4 full-time hospitalists with APP support

Facility and OR Resources

• 2 operating rooms plus a dedicated scope room
• 6 ICU beds, open unit, managed by hospitalists, functioning largely as step-down
• 26 medical-surgical beds
• Annual ER volume of approximately 15,000
• On-site radiology coverage 4 days per week, with remote reads available otherwise
• No inpatient psychiatric unit

Referral and Collaboration

The surgeons describe strong working relationships across departments. Radiology reads are reliable and accessible, hospitalists support admissions, and primary care physicians across the Valley maintain direct contact with the surgical team.

Robotics and Future Service Lines

Robotic surgery is not currently available. The organization is exploring it, but any investment would be several years out. New service lines are open to discussion rather than guaranteed, and a candidate comfortable with open and laparoscopic technique will fit the practice as it operates today.