HPP Blog

I dare you to find me more than a handful of Hospitalists or Emergency Medicine Physicians that haven’t, on occasion, had coffee on the job or somewhere related to working a shift. Caffeinism manifests as anxiety, agitation, restlessness, insomnia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, palpitation and a fast heart rate. Because caffeine can have addictive potential, its withdrawal can produce headaches, irritability, lethargy and occasional nausea. Heartburn and reflux are commonly accepted side effects (even I’ll attest to that). Old studies showed high consumption of unfiltered coffee was associated with mild elevations in cholesterol levels and that two or more cups of coffee a day could increase the risk of heart disease in people with a specific, fairly common genetic mutation that slows the breakdown of caffeine in the body.

But have no fear as a study in Fudan University in Shanghai found that one extra cup of coffee a day correlated with a 3% reduced risk of a broad list of cancers. It turns out that steaming cup of java is the number one source of antioxidants in the U.S. diet according to a study by researchers at the University of Scranton, PA. Coffee came out on top, on the combined basis of both antioxidants per serving size and frequency of consumption (interestingly, of all the foods and beverages studied, dates actually have the most antioxidants of all based solely on serving size).

Furthermore, for the male sex, the Harvard School of Public Health relayed results of the 20-year look at nearly 48,000 men which showed that those who drank 6 or more cups of coffee daily were 18% less likely to get prostate cancer than non-drinkers and 60% less likely to die from it. Drinking even one to 3 cups daily lowered the risk of dying by 29%. The good news is that caffeine was not the secret ingredient. Men drinking decaf benefited equally as those drinking caffeinated coffee.

So in addition to the reported reduced risk of type 2 diabetes (Australian research) and the slowing of cognitive decline, males may have found a therapeutic reason to Joe before, during, and after work. Who knows, maybe this profession will show the male cadre the management keys to longevity as opposed to the doctors aging before their time.

Hospital Physician Partners has immediate Hospitalist Job openings at three emergency departments that we manage in Kentucky:

• In Flemingsburg, Kentucky at Fleming County Hospital there is an excellent Hospitalist job opportunity for a physician Board Certified or Board Eligible in IM or FP. This facility was established in 1962 and a new replacement facility opened in 2008. The new hospital features many private rooms, expanded operating rooms, a larger Emergency Department, new state-of- the-art MRI equipment and many other improvements. The friendly town of Flemingsburg is located in northeast Kentucky in the heart of Fleming County, just two hours from Cincinnati. A city that’s full of heritage, it’s surrounded by historic buildings, beautiful rolling farmland, lovely old wooden covered bridges and antique shops. There are plenty of outdoor activities as well, including golf, fishing, camping, swimming, tennis, hiking, hunting and boating.

• At Appalachian Regional Medical Center in Hazard, Kentucky, we have Hospitalist jobs for both physicians and nurse practitioners. This center is a 308-bed, acute-care and psychiatric hospital and enjoys a reputation of excellence as a patient-oriented, rural health facility. You’ll enjoy working with a great team and living among the beautiful mountains of Hazard on the North Fork of the Kentucky River. Hazard has everything from great fishing, hunting and camping to a wonderful heritage, strong education system and low cost-of-living.

• In Middlesboro, Kentucky, at Middlesboro ARH Hospital we have an opening for a Hospitalist Physician. This 96-bed facility has services that include aeromedical heliport, case management, CT scan, home health, ICU, laser surgery, MRI, labor & delivery, outpatient services, pediatrics and ultrasound. Middlesboro is located in southeastern Kentucky, just a short drive from Knoxville, and is a great place to call home. The city offers beautiful views of both the Cumberland Gap National Historic Park and Pine Mountain State Park.

All of the Hospitalist jobs we have available in Kentucky come with full benefits and there are possible bonus opportunities. We also have Emergency Medicine jobs and Hospitalist jobs available across the United States. Click here to view.

Often our jobs as Hospitalists and Emergency Medicine Physicians involve having to face patient questions stemming from their fears of contracting and dying from west Nile virus, the bird flu or the swine flu. We know they are all victims of the press telling them how deadly these illnesses are to the public because they are constantly bombarded with sensationalism in the mass media effectively designed to induce frenzy and hysteria.

To put these diseases into perspective for these people, tuberculosis (TB) is one of the world’s deadliest diseases. It is estimated that one-third of the world’s population are infected with TB (according to the CDC). In 2010, nearly 9 million people around the world became sick with TB. There were around 1.4 million TB-related deaths worldwide. Malaria i s another deadly disease, causing about 250 million cases of fever and approximately one million deaths annually.

Attempt to allay the fears of the relatively rare, inconsequential, over-hyped diseases by bringing these ideas into the forefront of knowledge for these patients. Of the 690 West Nile Virus cases reported in the US in 2011, there were ONLY 43 deaths. The “deadly” strain of bird flu known as H5N1 has infected 565 people worldwide since 2003. Of these, only 331 have died. Official figures show there were about 562 deaths linked to the H1N1 virus during the most recent “season” , compared with 474 deaths in the global outbreak of 2009.

Something of encouragement to us all was recently reported regarding the global management of malaria. In October of 2011, GlaxoSmithKline announced that, as noted in a large trial which will run until 2014, its new malaria vaccine has cut infection rates in half. Its effectiveness appears to be due to the combining of the hepatitis B vaccine with the malaria vaccine which appears to boost the immune response to the malarial particles in the vaccine by 50%.

Hospital Physician Partners has rewarding Emergency Medicine Jobs at two excellent emergency departments that we manage in Ohio:

• In Dayton, Ohio, we have Emergency Medicine job openings for physicians at Southview Medical Center plus Grandview Hospital and Medical Center. Grandview is the more active of the two rooms, seeing 25 to 35 thousand patients a year. The Emergency Medicine job opening at Southview can be either full or part-time and this 12-bed ED sees between 15 and 25 thousand patients a year. Dayton is home to several Fortune 500 companies and encourages innovation, with more patents per capita than any other city in the nation. Its own international airport and a lower than average cost of living are among a long list of benefits that make Dayton a great place to live and work.

• At Knox Community Hospital in Mount Vernon, we have Emergency Medicine jobs for physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants. This modern, well-equipped facility has an active emergency room, seeing 25 to 35 thousand patients a year. It offers a full range of medical, surgical and rehabilitation services and has state-of-the-art laboratory and radiology equipment. Just 44 miles from Columbus, the city of Mount Vernon is considered to be one of Ohio’s most livable communities with a low cost of living, affordable housing, a pleasant climate, light traffic and low crime rate.

These Ohio Emergency Medicines jobs come with full benefits and there are possible bonus opportunities. Click here to view the Emergency Medicine jobs and Hospitalist jobs that we have available across the country.

Hospital Physician Partners has immediate job openings for Emergency Medicine Physicians in the cities of Atmore and Russellville in Alabama. The two facilities, Atmore Community Hospital and Russellville Hospital, have relatively low ED volume, seeing less than 15 thousand patients a year. Still, both of these excellent facilities play a central role in the health of their communities and both communities are great places to live and work.

Atmore is located in the southwest corner of Alabama between the metropolitan areas and beautiful beaches of Mobile, Alabama and Pensacola, Florida. With its great location, host of activities and beautiful scenery, Atmore is comfortable and affordable living at its best.

Russellville is within easy reach of Huntsville, Birmingham and Nashville. With a small town atmosphere, a fine educational system and a low crime rate, it’s a great place to call home. Russellville also has some of the cleanest recreational waters in Alabama and award-winning lakes for bass fishing.

As with all of our Emergency Medicine jobs, these opportunities in Alabama come with full benefits and there may be bonus opportunities. You can also browse our entire list of Emergency Medicine and Hospitalist jobs to view great job opportunities in other parts of the country.

When it comes to Emergency Medicine jobs, exciting opportunities abound in the Peach State. Hospital Physician Partners has seven immediate Emergency Medicine Job openings for physicians at great locations throughout Georgia, including:

• Just one hour north of Atlanta in the scenic mountain village of Dahlonega, we have an emergency medicine job opening at Chestatee Regional Hospital. This modern facility plays an important role in the health of a community that’s rich in history and a great place to live and work.
• Thirty minutes southwest of Macon in the small community of Fort Valley, Georgia, there is a full or part-time EM job opening at Peach Regional Medical Center. This excellent facility has a more active emergency room, seeing 15 to 25 thousand patients a year.
• Hartwell is in northeastern Georgia, just a few miles from the South Carolina border. Here we have a great emergency medicine job available at Hart County Hospital.
• In what Travel Holiday magazine called the “#1 Small Town in America”, we have an excellent EM job opportunity at Morgan Memorial Hospital. The six-bed emergency department sees about five thousand patients annually.
• In the heart of the Georgia Piedmont is the historic town of Monticello. Here we have an excellent opportunity for an Emergency Medicine Physician at Jasper Memorial Hospital.
• At another Northeastern Georgia location, this time at Cobb Memorial Hospital in Royston, we have an immediate EM job opening. Known as the Home of the Georgia Peach, Ty Cobb, it is home to the Ty Cobb Museum honoring the legendary baseball Hall of Famer and is only 100 miles from the excitement of Atlanta.
• Just 70 miles south of Atlanta lies the small southern town of Warm Springs, Georgia, where we have another great emergency medicine job opening. You can enjoy life in this warm town that has mix of hospitality and heritage. Warm Springs was home to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

All of these Emergency Medicines jobs in Georgia come with full benefits and there are bonus opportunities. We also invite you to browse Emergency Medicine jobs and Hospitalist jobs that we have available across the United States.

Hospital Physician Partners has immediate Emergency Medicine Job openings at three emergency departments that we manage in Michigan:

• In Dowagiac, Michigan, there is an excellent emergency medicine job opportunity for a physician Board Certified in EM or IM and FP with significant Emergency Medicine experience. The facility, Borgess Lee Memorial Hospital, has 11 ED beds and the hospital has delivered comprehensive, personal healthcare for over 85 years and consistently scores high in customer-service rankings. Nestled in the rolling hills of southwestern Michigan, Dowagiac carries the feel of a rural community with close proximity to major metropolitan areas like South Bend, Indiana, and Chicago.

• At Sturgis Hospital in Sturgis, Michigan we have another great Emergency Medicine job opportunity for a physician. This emergency department is a little more active and sees 15 to 25 thousand patients a year. Located just one hour from South Bend, Indiana, Sturgis is a great Midwest location with a diverse economic base; a wonderful assortment of people; one of Michigan’s finest school systems; several international businesses; excellent healthcare and beautiful, affordable homes.

• In Three Rivers, Michigan we have emergency medicine jobs for physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants. In this moderately active ED physicians work 12 hours shifts and NPs/PAs work eight hours shifts. Here’s a chance to apply your skills at a great facility and live in a wonderful community. Three Rivers is located approximately 20 miles South of Kalamazoo where the Portage and Rocky Rivers flow into the St. Joseph River. It’s surrounded by many lakes and the local economy is a diversified mix of service, tourism and industry.

All of the Emergency Medicines jobs we have available in Michigan come with full benefits and there are possible bonus opportunities. We also have Emergency Medicine jobs and Hospitalist jobs available across the United States. Click here to view.

Hospital Physician Partners has an immediate job opening for a full or part-time Emergency Medicine Physician at Lock Haven Hospital in Pennsylvania. This ER has relatively low volume (less than 15 thousand patients annually) and 10 beds. Since Lock Haven is Clinton County’s only city, this is your chance to have a real impact on the health of a community at a great facility.

Close to 37,000 people live in Clinton County. A friendly and natural environment, Clinton County has five Pennsylvania state parks and parts of five state forests cross into the county. With mountains as far as your eyes can see and the crystal-clear waters of the West Branch Susquehanna River beckoning for a boating ride, Lock Haven is perfect for the outdoor enthusiast and a great place to live and work.

As with all of our openings, this Emergency Medicine job in Pennsylvania comes with full benefits and there may be bonus opportunities. You can also browse our entire list of Emergency Medicine and Hospitalist Medicine jobs to view great job opportunities in other parts of the country.

When it comes to rewarding Emergency Medicine jobs in the Show-Me State, Hospital Physician Partners delivers the goods. Check out three great Emergency Medicine Job opportunities now available in Missouri:

• At St. Alexius Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri, we have Emergency Medicine job openings for both physicians and nurse practitioners. The physician positions can be either full or part-time and the full or part-time nurse practitioner positions give you the chance to work independently and enjoy a high rate of pay. Not much more needs to be said about the great city of St. Louis — the Gateway to the West offers jazz, blues, archeology, culture and history plus is home to the World Champion St. Louis Cardinals.

• In southeastern Missouri is the small, historic community of Dexter. At Missouri Southern Healthcare in Dexter we have an excellent opportunity for an Emergency Medicine Physician. In this five-bed ED you can make a difference in this low-volume room while earning up to $200k per year! With St. Louis and Springfield just a few hours away, Dexter is a great place to live and work, with a warm small-town community; outdoor activities like fishing, water skiing, hunting and boating; plus museums like the Heritage Museum and the Stars and Stripes Museum.

Many of the Missouri Emergency Medicine jobs have bonus opportunities and all of the jobs we have available come with full benefits. To see the complete list of Missouri Emergency Medicine jobs click here, or browse our entire list of Emergency Medicine and Hospitalist Medicine jobs.

Hospital Physician Partners manages Emergency Departments at great facilities throughout Arkansas and the Untied States. Here are a few of the excellent Emergency Medicine Job opportunities that we currently have available in Arkansas:

• In Helena, Arkansas, just one-hour southwest of Memphis, there is an immediate opening for a full or part-time Emergency Medicine Physician. There is flexible scheduling for 12 and 24-hour shifts and although ED volume at Helena Regional Medical Center is relatively low, this excellent facility delivers a full-range of services through the latest in technology. There is access to full benefits and there are also bonus opportunities and possible relocation assistance. In addition to Helena’s proximity to the culture and attractions of Memphis, the town that Mark Twain once called the “prettiest situation on the Mississippi River” is home to plenty of culture and attractions of its own, including the famous Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival.

• Another town in Arkansas with easy access to Memphis is Forrest City, just 45 minutes to the west. Here we also have a full or part-time job opening for an Emergency Medicine Physician. Flexible scheduling and custom reward bonuses are available in this full-service facility that has 118 beds. Forrest City is home to the famous singer and minister Rev. Al Green and to John W. Henry, principal owner of the Boston Red Sox. Forrest City is a great place to live and work.

• We have another full or part-time Emergency Medicine job opening for a physician at Harris Hospital in Newport, Arkansas. This 133-bed acute care facility is the county’s only inpatient and outpatient healthcare services provider and has a strong focus on customer service and quality patient care. Full benefits and custom reward bonuses are also available here.

We invite you to discover all of the Emergency Medicines jobs we have available in Arkansas and across the country. Click here to view.

Hospitalist medicine continues to be a fast-growing and rewarding discipline. Hospital Physician Partners has Hospitalist jobs at these excellent facilities throughout North Carolina:

• Johnston Medical Center-Smithfield is a 199-bed facility located on the Coastal Plain in Smithfield, NC and has openings for physicians and physician assistants. This hospital has behavioral health, urgent care and surgical services plus a cancer center. The facility plays an important role in the well-being of this friendly community and the town is known as a great place to live and work.

• At Franklin Regional Medical Center in Louisburg, North Carolina there is an opening for a physician at this 85-bed facility. Services include: cardiac care, ultrasound, radiology, laboratory, critical care, plastic surgery, comprehensive imaging, OB/GYN, nephrology, orthopedics, gastroenterology, urology and pediatric. Louisburg is located in the upper Piedmont plateau of North Carolina just 30 miles northeast of Raleigh and 45 miles northeast of Durham, so it offers close proximity to the resources and great quality of life of the Research Triangle.

• Transylvania Community Hospital in Brevard, North Carolina has an opening for a part-time physician. This hospital has 94 beds and delivers a full range of services, including: cardiology, ICU/CCU, anesthesiology, OB/GYN, home health, radiology, speech/language therapy, respiratory therapy, laboratory, wound care/ostomy and podiatry. The facility is located in the heart of Transylvania County in the western Blue Ridge Mountains, just 30 miles southwest of Asheville, and is near the beautiful Pisgah National Forest.

We have other great Hospitalist jobs throughout the country; click here to view. The North Carolina Hospitalist jobs that we have available come with full benefits and many have bonus opportunities.

From Texarkana to San Antonio, over in Houston to Odessa, there are excellent Emergency Medicine jobs available for physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants:

• Wadley Regional Medical Center (WRMC) has been servicing the city of Texarkana and surrounding communities for 100 years and today has grown into a modern facility with cutting-edge technology and 370 beds. Rewarding jobs are available for physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants in this active emergency department that treats 35 to 50 thousand patients annually.

• Down in San Antonio there is an exciting emergency medicine job opportunity a physician looking to make a difference in a fast-paced urban environment. The emergency department at Southwest General Hospital sees 35 to 50 thousand patients annually and this state-of-the-art facility has 28 beds in its ED. The most visited state in Texas, San Antonio is also a great place to live, home to many historic sites, attractions, the San Antonio River Walk and major league sports with the San Antonio Spurs of the NBA.

• Over in Houston at St. Joseph Medical Center there are Emergency Medicine Job openings for both physicians and nurse practitioners, The Center is staffed by over 650 board-certified physicians and more than 1,800 medical professionals. The hospital facility covers eight city blocks and is conveniently located on the edge of Houston’s downtown. Houston is the fourth largest city in America and offers a rich, diverse culture, world-class museums, plenty of entertainment options and is home to more than 40 universities and colleges.

Many of the Texas Emergency Medicine jobs have bonus opportunities and all the jobs we have available come with full benefits. To see the complete list of Texas Emergency Medicine jobs click here, or browse our entire list of Emergency Medicine and Hospitalist Medicine jobs.

Repeatedly we hear from administration that our customer service scores are not what they want them to be. Sure, there is nothing wrong in making the emergency department experience as pleasant as possible for our patients and their visitors. But the ED has one experience more shocking than other areas of the hospital and certainly more than the average person is accustomed to. We see dead people. Most people would run out of the room screaming if they found themselves in a room with a dead person. Not us. We continue to talk about movies, family or whatever else has our fancy at the time. Some of us continue eating lunch shortly after a code. By and large we are standing by death. This is not normal — but it is absolutely necessary. Building mental silos, as it were, helps us cope with bad outcomes. We create a wall between the patients and us. We, on one side, separate ourselves emotionally from the patients on the other side. We need that wall to make it through the day. Who could possibly go on with their work after witnessing the death of a child in the emergency department without that wall?

But perhaps the wall is too high. Perhaps once in a while we need to look over the wall to see who is there. It is important for us to remember that there are in fact people over the wall, and they are not all dead. We need to lower that wall whenever we can to allow us to associate with our patients as living people who are experiencing a difficult time — that is why they are in the emergency room. These are the patients filling out those patient surveys. It is often not our sickest patients (when admitted that have their complaints validated) who complete these surveys. It is those not-so-sick patients; the urgent and not-so-urgent patients that complete surveys. These are the ones who “pay” for the construction of the wall. They pay with the emotional detachment of the staff from their needs. They sense our “compassion fatigue”.

It is time to reconstruct the wall at a lower height. We in Emergency Medicine cannot make it go away but we can make it so we see those people on the other side that are not dead.

Hospital patients in the U.S. acquire nearly 2 million infections each year (approximately one in 20 patients) according to the Center for Disease Control. Hand hygiene has been established as one of the most important ways to prevent the spread of infections. A recent satirical article was published in EP Monthly in which the author developed a valid point about how much hand washing would be required of an Emergency Medicine Physician during a shift. The author based his calculations on the requirements he apparently summarized from JCHAO recommendations.* The author calculated that if an emergency physician sees an average of 2.5 patients per hour, (assuming a conservative average of touching each patient twice) he/she would be required to perform hand hygiene about 10 times an hour (about once every 6 minutes) and about 100 times in a 10 hour shift.

(Here’s a link to the actual CDC guidelines and indications for hand washing and hand antisepsis in the health care setting for you to reference at your convenience. The CDC’s recommendations are valid and sensible but the list itself is onerous.)

A key factor in successfully running an emergency department is time management. Assuming the author is correct in his calculations, he raises a valid point for the physician working shifts in an emergency department. The Emergency Medicine Physician is obliged to comply with an immense set of requirements from regulators while performing his or her professional obligations and maintaining care standards. These responsibilities fill up the shift and add to the time-management challenge in the emergency room. The skill of “Managing the ED” and its nuances will be spotlighted as one of our CME lectures available to you soon from the HPP University website.

*Reference: R. Bukata, MD, In my opinion Death by Regulation: Enough is Enough, EP Monthly, 10/7/11.

From the Blue Ridge Mountains through the Piedmont area to the Coast Plain, Emergency Medicine jobs are available at excellent facilities in attractive locations throughout North Carolina. Here is just a sample of the opportunities in emergency departments that we staff across the Tar Heel State:

• Nestled in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Spruce Pine, North Carolina is Blue Ridge Regional Hospital. This facility serves a diverse population of residents in Mitchell, Yancey, Southwest Avery and Northern McDowell counties and is looking for qualified physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants who enjoy combining modern medicine and advanced technology with compassionate, patient-centered care. Spruce Pine is an enjoyable and affordable place to live, is known for its downtown festivals and is just an hour’s drive from the famous Western North Carolina destination of Asheville.

• Over in North Carolina’s Piedmont area there is an Emergency Medicine job opening for a physician certified in Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine or Family Practice. This 149-bed hospital offers a full range of services and sees and average of 25 to 35 thousand patients in the emergency department each year. Thomasville is centrally located between the mountains to the west and the coast to the east and is just one hour north of Charlotte and 30 minutes from Winston-Salem.

• On the Coastal Plain in Smithfield, NC is Johnston Medical Center-Smithfield. This is an active facility with an emergency department annual volume of more than 50 thousand so you’ll have a chance to put your skills to good use in an exciting, rewarding and challenging environment. The Center has Emergency Medicine job openings for physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants, so here’s your chance to secure a position in a great place to live and work.

The North Carolina Emergency Medicine jobs that are available right now come with full benefits and many have bonus opportunities. Click here to see the complete list of North Carolina Emergency Medicine jobs or browse our entire list of Emergency Medicine and Hospitalist Medicine jobs.

A recently published study expounded on the patterns and predictors of short-term death (within seven days) after emergency department (ED) discharge*. In this study they found that 50 in 100,000 patients in the United States die within 7 days of discharge from an emergency department.

We all acknowledge that the emergency department is an inherently high-risk setting and furthermore would say that a death after discharge from the ED is unsettling. None of us with a soul enjoy one of those gut-wrenching, “Do you remember that patient you saw the other night?” questions that lead to that conclusion.

The study’s’ findings pointed to increasing age, male sex and other serious pre-existing comorbidities as those risks associated with increased death rate after discharge from the ED. Interestingly, more than 25% of patients who died within 7 days of ED discharge had at least one chronic or serious condition, such as a previous myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, peripheral vascular disease, pulmonary disease, renal disease, or diabetes with complications. The top 5 primary discharge diagnoses predictive of a 7-day death after discharge included noninfectious lung disease (pleurisy, pneumothorax, pneumonitis), renal disease, ischemic heart disease, neoplasm and blood dyscrasias (the majority represented by anemia & sickle cell disease).

How many of these fatal discharges might be prevented by following *The Ten Commandments of Emergency Medicine*? Many of them I postulate! Practicing with these premises during the management of these high risk patients supports a high care standard. Inherently we all periodically look introspectively at our job and how we manage patient disposition. The Emergency Medicine Physician’s care repertoires would benefit from a periodic reflective practice renaissance using these valuable conventions.

If you are unfamiliar with, or have further interest in reviewing The Ten Commandments of Emergency Medicine, they will be included within our website lecture curriculum in the very near future. So stay tuned.

*Reference: Patterns and predictors of short-term death after emergency department discharge. Gabayan GZ, Derose SF, Asch SM, Yiu S, Lancaster EM, Poon KT, Hoffman JR, Sun BC: Ann Emerg Med. 2011 Dec;58(6):551-558.

Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle, Mississippi was recently recognized for thier Emergency Department process enhancements and improvement to Patient Satisfaction scores. Effective Emergency Medicine management is directly related to patient satisfaction and satisfaction is reliant on efficiency and the speed to which a patient is seen. The turn-a-round was the subject of a story in the December 2011 edition of The Columbus and The Golden Triangle Dispatch. Details and the full article can be viewed here.

To see all of the Emergency Medicine jobs and Hospitalist jobs that Hospital Physician Partners has in Mississippi and throughout the United States, click here.

If you’re looking not just for any Hospitalist job but are looking to make a real difference in Hospitalist Medicine and the health of a community, consider Wuesthoff Medical Center in Rockledge, Florida.

This award-winning acute care hospital is recognized in Florida for clinical excellence and is a key factor in the health and well being of residents throughout Brevard County. It has a full range of services, including a Heart Center, a Women’s Health program and a program for palliative care. Located on Florida’s Space Coast, the hospital is close to the surf, sand and entertainment of nearby Cocoa Beach and all the attractions of Orlando are within easy reach.

Wuesthoff Medical Center in Florida has rewarding Hospitalist jobs for both physicians and nurse practitioners. Full benefits are available and there are bonus opportunities. To see all of the Hospitalist jobs and Emergency Medicine jobs that Hospital Physician Partners has in Florida and throughout the United States, click here.

The issue of narcotic medication in Emergency Medicine always elicits emotional debate on both sides of the issue. Of course there are actually more than two sides, and there is a clearly gray zone that also deserves some discussion. There are those who dispense medication and are labeled “The Candy Man” by the nursing staff; there are those doctors who refuse to give any narcotic pain medicine to patients despite the nature of the disease/injury. Somewhere in between are those Emergency Medicine physicians who understand that they need to treat acute pain. The pain issue has become so contentious that we are forced and pulled toward different directions by different agencies. JACHO has decided that our pain management is so poor that it is now a monitored performance of the emergency department. Indeed pain levels have to be measured upon entrance to the department and then upon exit. On the other side we have other agencies telling us that we need to control the amount of narcotics we are prescribing to patients.

The concern on the conservative side is that we are contributing to the drug dependency problem. To clarify, these patients that are in fact abusing drugs had those drugs issued before they came in. I don’t believe we have ever created a drug addict in the emergency department; nor by withholding pain medication have we cured a drug addict. The philosophy in this category is that we are simply “feeding the animals.” This references the fact that if we give pain medicine to these patients, they will simply keep coming back.

Our role is not social; it is medical. And while some argue it is both, we are in Emergency Medicine to establish the presence of and stabilize or treat any emergency medical condition. However, one of the basic rules of medicine is to relive pain and suffering. There is no way to identify who does or does not have real pain. There is no object of measure, that is, a pain-o-meter. I always wonder how the staff knows when a patient is not in pain. Does the triage nurse have a pain-o-meter? We should not be influenced by the opinions of others; we have to do our own independent evaluation of the patient and reach our own conclusions. Indeed, how many times has a nurse made a comment when you prescribe pain medicine as if you were taking it from his/her private stash? We need to look at these patients and take them at face value and accept the fact that they really are in pain and need pain medication. I would rather treat several patients who may in fact “dupe” me out of narcotics, rather than withhold pain medication from a person in real pain.

Now, I am not naïve. I know there are patients who return to the emergency department every week for pain treatment. For patients with chronic pain, it is important that the department as a whole develop a consensus policy that is uniform amongst the providers. You may choose not to use narcotics on these patients or perhaps to administer a single injection and no prescriptions. Whatever the policy, it should be approved by the group and practiced by the providers so the staff sees a consistency in the management of these patients.

This is a great time to be practicing Hospitalist Medicine in Florida, as jobs are available from the northern part of the peninsular to the Keys. Here are a few examples of the opportunities that Hospital Physician Partners has for physicians and nurse practitioners:

• In the renowned destination of Key West there are opportunities for both physicians and nurse practitioners at the Lower Keys Medical Center. Created in 1971, this facility serves the citizens of the Florida Keys living below the Seven Mile Bridge and is the area’s sole hospital care provider. Tropical breezes, historical sites, attractions, entertainment and an idyllic lifestyle make Key West a great place to live and work.

• At Memorial Hospital in Tampa, Florida, there is a job opening for a physician looking for the challenges and rewards of a Hospitalist Medicine practice. This facility has served the residents of south Tampa and the surrounding community for over 30 years and recent renovations plus the addition of state-of-the-art technology have kept the hospital modernized to provide the highest quality medical care. The Tampa Bay area is known for its breathtaking beaches and year-round temperate climate and is home to many attractions, including the Lowry Park Zoo, the Florida Aquarium, Busch Gardens and Adventure Islands.

• Physicians and nurse practitioners can take advantage of exciting hospitalist opportunities at the Wuesthoff Medical Center in Rockledge, Florida. This 291-bed acute care hospital has received numerous awards for its commitment to providing quality patient care and is recognized for clinical excellence. Rockledge is located on Florida’s Space Coast and is within easy reach of the attractions of Orlando plus the ocean recreation and entertainment of nearby Cocoa Beach.

Our Hospitalist Medicine positions come with full benefits and many have bonus opportunities. To see all of our Emergency Medicine and Hospitalist jobs throughout the United States, click here.

Are you familiar with the book of Deuteronomy in the bible? This is the chapter describing lineage: “so and so begat so and so, who begat … and on and on”. Many ED physicians practice Emergency Medicine the same way. One test is ordered. When the test results are back, this prompts them to order another test and then perhaps a third test in the sequence. In Emergency Medicine management, time and real estate are two of our most precious and limited resources. We need to focus on efficiency and creating empty beds. If we do not empty beds out, we can’t move patients out of the waiting room into beds and we become gridlocked. There are many processes to study and indeed, many programs to utilize (eg: Lean Processes in the ED), but none will substitute for efficient patient management once the patient reaches the provider.

Order the test or tests that will help you reach a decision point in your care. Perhaps it is sometimes criticized as a “shotgun” approach, but it is not. The decision of which test to order is not random. It is based on your clinical evaluation of the patient and it helps guide you toward focusing your attention on the right test.

Hospital Physician Partners has three immediate openings in West Virginia for qualified physicians seeking a rewarding job in Emergency Medicine. All of the jobs come with full benefits and also may have bonus opportunities. The openings are in these areas of the state:

• In Beckley there is an exciting opportunity at the Beckley ARH Hospital. The 26-bed emergency department treats 22,000 people annually and this full-time position requires that you work 144 hours per month. The Beckley market area includes over 200,000 people and offers beautiful state and national parks, great dining and shopping.

• Over in Oak Hill there is an immediate opening for an Emergency Medicine Physician at the Plateau Medical Center. Services available to ER patients include, but are not limited to, Respiratory Therapists, Laboratory and Diagnostic Imaging. Oak Hill is a growing city with a small-town feel and is home to some of the best-know attractions in West Virginia, including the New River Gorge Bridge.

• At the Greenbrier Valley Medical Center in Ronceverte, West Virginia, there is an opportunity an Emergency Medicine Physician at a facility that offers an extensive array of medical, surgical and outpatient services. ER patient volume is between 15 and 25 thousand annually, providing an essential service to this historic city situated on the gently flowing Greenbrier River.

Hospital Physician Partners has more Emergency Medicine and Hospitalist jobs all across the country. Click here to browse.

All across the Bluegrass State, in places like Fulton, Hazard, Hopkinsville and McDowell, there are excellent opportunities for doctors and nurse practitioners that are looking for a job in Emergency Medicine.

Hospital Physician Partners staffs emergency rooms in Kentucky at facilities that play a key role in the health and well-being of their communities and are places where you can make a real difference. The communities offer affordable living with beautiful scenic vistas often within an easy drive of the amenities of nearby urban areas. Here are just a few examples:

• In Hopkinsville at the Jennie Stuart Medical Center, we have openings for both physicians and nurse practitioners. Hopkinsville is located along I-24 on the Kentucky-Tennessee border, with scenic vistas, friendly faces and forward-looking community leaders who are attracting skilled workers and sensible development to this vibrant town.

• Located in western Kentucky, Fulton is a small, friendly community where area residents enjoy various water-related recreational activities, museums, resorts, marinas and parks, plus there are seven universities and colleges within 90 miles of downtown. It’s the perfect place for a physician looking for an Emergency Medicine opportunity in a community that has the amenities of a larger city with the charm of a small town.

• Both physicians and nurse practitioners will find the Emergency Medicine jobs available at Hazard ARH Regional Medical Center to be rewarding opportunities in a town rich with heritage, a strong education system and low cost of living. Hazard is known as a great place to live and work.

The Kentucky Emergency Medicine jobs we have available come with full benefits and many have bonus opportunities. Click here to see the complete list of Kentucky Emergency Medicine jobs or browse our entire list of Emergency Medicine and Hospitalist jobs.

For doctors and nurse practitioners, from Bay St. Louis to Booneville, there are exciting Emergency Medicine jobs available in Mississippi.

Hospital Physician Partners has rewarding Emergency Medicine opportunities at excellent facilities located in communities that are great places to live. Some of the Emergency Medicine jobs that we have available include:

• Openings for physicians and nurse practitioners at Hancock Medical Center located in Bay St. Louis, a new state-of the art facility situated in a beach community on the Gulf Coast.

• An opportunity for an Emergency Medicine Physician at Baptist Memorial Hospital, just off the Ole Miss campus in Oxford, Mississippi. Here you’ll work with a close-nit staff to deliver service offerings that provide the best care for the facility’s ER patients.

• For physicians and nurse practitioners, challenging and rewarding Emergency Medicine positions are available in the vibrant town of Columbus at Baptist Memorial Hospital Golden-Triangle. This high-volume ER offers a full range of services delivered by a deep and capable staff in a fast-paced environment.

Full benefits are available and many of the positions come with bonus opportunities. Click here to see other Emergency Medicine jobs in Mississippi that we have available or browse our entire list of Emergency Medicine and Hospitalist Medicine jobs.

Hospital Physician Partners (HPP) recently raised over $2700 for the “American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. HPP participated in the “Out of the Darkness” community walk which is AFSP’s effort to raise money for research and education programs to prevent suicide and save lives. The monies raised also help increase national awareness about depression and suicide, assist in advocacy for mental health issues, and assist survivors of suicide loss.

HPP raised the most money in the shortest amount of time and is still continuing to raise funds as part of the Out of the Darkness initiative. It is estimated that in the United States, a person dies by suicide every 15 minutes, claiming more than 34,000 lives each year. Click here to learn more about the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. To see photos of the HPP Team at the Out of the Darkness walk, visit our Facebook page.

Hospital Physician Partners recently added two new Emergency Medicine physicians to their clinical leadership team. Dr. Jennifer Host and Dr. Lance Wilson are now part of a 12-member clinical leadership team responsible for the management of over 130 hospital-based medical practices nationwide. The move comes in response to continued growth in Hospital Physician Partners Emergency Medicine management business line.

Dr. Wilson has been an Emergency Medicine Physician in Albuquerque, New Mexico since 2001 and was voted “Top Doc” in Emergency Medicine in Albuquerque by his medical peers this past spring. Dr. Wilson initially joined Hospital Physician Partners in 2008 as Medical Director of the Lovelace Medical Center in New Mexico. His recent promotion to Vice President of Medical Affairs includes clinical management of four Albuquerque emergency departments managed and staffed by Hospital Physician Partners providers.

Dr. Host joined Hospital Physician Partners as a hospital Medical Director in Georgia in 2007 after returning from Afghanistan having served in the U.S. Army. A practicing board certified Emergency Medicine physician since 2000, Dr. Host attended medical school at Rutgers Medical School and completed her residency at St. Lukes Roosevelt Medical Center in New York. Dr. Host now serves as Vice President of Medical Affairs with primary responsibility for Georgia where Hospital Physician Partners maintains nine Emergency Medicine management contracts.

Currently, Hospital Physician Partners provides Emergency Medicine jobs and Hospitalist jobs for more than 1,500 clinical providers nationwide, treating approximately two million patients a year.

Dear Partnering Provider and HPP Employee,

On behalf of the entire Hospital Physician Partners family, I wanted to take a moment to personally thank you for your dedication and continued commitment to outstanding patient care. The holidays are a perfect time to reflect on our Value Statement: What’s Important to YOU…Is What Matters to US!® We appreciate you for the time and energy you invest every day and are proud to work with you.

Sincerely,

Jeffrey Schillinger
Chief Executive Officer

Over 1000 Emergency Medicine physicians, Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants visited Hospital Physician Partners’ (HPP) booth and other related HPP activities this past week at the American College of Emergency Medicine Physicians (ACEP) annual conference in San Franciso, California. What was most striking about this years conference was the level of engagement by Emergency Medicine providers. There was a greater interest than ever in new Emergency Medicine jobs and career opportunities. More physicians were willing to talk and share thier interests, needs and ideas. Obviously for companies such as Hospital Physician Partners, this is refreshing. ACEP provides a great platform for open dialog between Emergency Medicine practitioners and Medical Management companies.

After speaking throughout the conference with Emergency Medicine physicians from all over the country, some themes began to develop which definitely represented a departure from some previous conference “booth talk.” Compensation was of course still of paramount interest as was location. However, we also fielded many more inquiries about benefits, support and culture. Physicians, NPs and PAs alike were asking questions about core values, types of leadership models and team culture. They wanted to know whether or not our leaderships was clinical or corporate. Assuredly, HPP’s leadership is clinical with Dr. David Schillinger serving both as President and Chief Medical Officer for Hospital Physician Partners while actively working clinical shifts nationwide.

There was also a great level of interest in accessing benefits as an independent contractor. Benefits have always been a “gap challenge” for Emergency Medicine independent contractors. Add to that a challenged economy, declining property values and high unemployment levels in some states, and even for the current and potentially affluent, personal financial security takes on a higher priority. Hospital Physician Partners, through an external benefits provider, thankfully offers its Emergency Medicine providers access to quality, affordable Group Health benefits, access to 401K, IRA and SEP funding, as well as tax, financial and estate planning.

ACEP 2012 was truly a successful conference. It gave our team a chance to meet with great Emergency Medicine practitioners and people. It offered a wealth of classroom education for our providers and industry and it helped connect Hospital Physician Partners with our key stakeholders who help keep our communities safe, healthy and alive. This is best summed up in our key message to both internal and external stakeholders, What’s Important To You…Is What Matters To Us!^®

Many things happen during our residencies – like learning medicine. Today, we also have a tremendous number of internet and computer resources available that were simply not available 25 years ago (computers were really not around 25 years ago; a concept I’m sure is strange to many residents today). The first thing you probably notice after residency is that all of your credit cards change color turning to gold. Many credit card companies will seek you out providing you with gold or platinum credit cards simply because as soon as you complete your residency, you move to a whole new financial bracket. I would caution you in accepting too many credit cards, as you will not be the first nor the last to find yourself in financial trouble within the first two years of graduating residency despite increasing your income tenfold.

Perhaps the most daunting issue leaving residency is learning about insurance. Indeed, while you are a resident and employed, you are covered by the hospital’s policy. Once leaving your residency, you are responsible for finding your own life insurance, health insurance and disability insurance, as well as for your family. I’m not going to try to explain the difference in the various insurance policies, because I’m not 100% sure I understand them myself. In fact, I’m not sure they can even be understood. Insurance issues are very complex. I would suggest getting a financial planner very early on to help you with insurance options. I would avoid using an insurance agent as your financial planner because his/her opinion will be skewed toward insurance based saving methodologies. Find an independent financial planner who can assist you, but has little financial gain other than his fees. This will afford you the opportunity to get objective advice in an area where truly sharks abound and danger is immediately present.

Often debated for the last twenty years, when considering a job in Emergency Medicine, is the status of whether to work as an employee or an independent contractor. For those of you not old enough to remember, this debate often goes back to numerous IRS issues resulting in many companies changing the status of their physician providers over the years. The question is what works best for the physician?

Each has its benefits and detractors. Certainly from an employee’s perspective, you have the opportunity to buy benefits (health insurance, dental insurance, life insurance and disability insurance) that are consistent with the company’s policies at group rates significantly cheaper than individual rates. In addition, 401K may or may not be provided. Lastly, taxes are automatically deducted from the payroll limiting your exposure if you are not paying your quarterly taxes on time.

With all that said the advantage of working as an independent contractor in Emergency Medicine is independence. This allows you the ability to determine where and when you will work. Your schedule is self-determined.

In addition, you are entitled to have a self-directed retirement plan (Keogh, IRA, Roth IRA, etc.) which allows you to defer greater amounts of income into your retirement years thus decreasing the tax burden at the current time.

It is often argued that benefits must be purchased on an individual basis making it much more expensive. HPP has recently developed a plan whereby group benefit rates are available to independent contractors. This levels the playing field quite a bit and will make the independent status much more attractive. Indeed, individual health insurance policies for a family can exceed $5,000-$10,000 per year, especially for those with pre-existing illnesses. Life insurance cost can likewise become very costly on independent plans. Having the opportunity for group rates for independent contractors working in Emergency Medicine is truly a game changer.

The Emergency Department is often accused of over ordering tests and shot gunning our approach to patient care (most over utilization involves radiographic procedures on hours the radiologist is not in house!). This is the only thing we have to offer to critically ill patients. Emergency Medicine is one of those specialties where we shoot from the hip when we have patients critically ill with minimal knowledge of what is going on. I suspect we will always take criticism from our medical peers over this issue.

There are some instances when we can in fact focus our treatment plan. Recently we have seen a marked increase in the use of ultrasounds in Emergency Medicine. Using ultrasounds for a quick look at a gallbladder will obviate the need for multiple tests to make a diagnosis of colelithiasis/acute cholecystitis in the Emergency Department. The same is true for ectopic pregnancies and even DVT’s. These are often processes that take tremendous amount of time when we are waiting for staff to perform these procedures on off hours. Indeed, in the majority of hospitals, the technicians have to be called in. A more steady approach to the patient’s care is either calling in these individuals early or a direct ultrasound by the provider. This will have a huge impact on the efficiency of the Emergency Department as well as provide us an opportunity to aim and then fire.

Outside of such focused issues, the Ready-Fire-Aim approach to Emergency Medicine will always exist. We are not afforded the luxury of multiple tests and time to determine what is wrong with all of our patients. Many times acting in a vacuum is better than not acting at all.

Stunned and in awe, I saw a news report with parts of the Hudson River Drive under water. These are parts of New York where I have walked, sat on benches and spent time in my younger years. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that parts of New York would be hit by a hurricane such that flooding would become a real risk. I remember fondly the snow blizzard of 1969 in NY which turned NT into a playground for children. I’m sure now, as I re-read accounts of the storm, it was a disaster for adults. Here I am many years later realizing and recognizing the destruction that lies with such terrible natural events. New York with all its “bad rap” and aggressiveness, is a city of diverse people who have one thing in common: they are New Yorkers. As such, they (we) come together and feel, truly feel, pain in situations like this, and always rise to the occasion. Thankfully, in this particular instance the flooding receded quickly causing only modest structural damage.

You can imagine the degree and cost of damage that would occur from a hurricane flooding the southern end of Manhattan (Battery Park) into the lower streets (the former World Trade Center, Wall Street, etc.) The destruction, the loss of lives (for those who did not heed evacuation warnings), and the immobility of the New York market would have been devastating worldwide. I think we all have to recognize and be thankful (whether you like New York or not) that we were bypassed in this instance. That is not to say that the destruction that fell upon Vermont and other neighboring states was not significant or devastating. Indeed it was, and we likewise wish them well and a speedy recovery to some normal resemblance of their lives.

A career in Emergency Medicine can be financially rewarding and professionally fulfilling, but this specialty may not be for everyone. Here are some things to think about if you’re considering an Emergency Medicine job.

Lots of activity

Many Emergency Medicine opportunities are with departments that have a heavy volume of patients. The work can be challenging and exhilarating but also filled with pressure. If you’re the type of person that enjoys the adrenaline rush of a fast-paced environment, an emergency medicine job could be a good fit for you. If you desire to “get to know” your patients and care for them in the long-term, an Emergency Medicine job is definitely not the right choice.

Lots of variety

The typical emergency room sees a wide range of cases every day, from minor to critical medical issues. Working in Emergency Medicine means you’ll be confronting different situations throughout each and every shift, so the ability to apply a wide range of skills and the willingness to learn and expand your knowledge are key factors. Emergency Medicine jobs require fast-thinking, quick clinical analysis and diverse multi-tasking.

Good flexibility

An Emergency Medicine job can be flexible in many ways. You can often choose the amount of hours you want to work. You have extraordinary mobility – an Emergency Medicine physician can go to almost any area of the country and find a job with the compensation, activity level and lifestyle considerations that he or she is looking for. There are also a number of ways to work in Emergency Medicine: as a salaried employee, a partner in a group of emergency physicians or as an independent contractor.

The other side of the flexibility equation is that healthcare professionals who work in Emergency Medicine often have to work nights, weekends and other off hours, as well as having to work long shifts at times. Still, an Emergency Medicine job offers the kind of options and flexibility that few other specialties can match.

Great compensation

Emergency Medicine associations are a great place to learn more about the specialty so you can decide if this career path is right for you. Here are a few:

• American College of Emergency Physicians – The oldest and largest professional organization in Emergency Medicine.
• Emergency Medicine Residents Association – An organization for emergency medicine residents.
• American Academy of Emergency Medicine – An organization similar to ACEP, it has lots of good information on Emergency Medicine practice issues.

You can also check out are Career Tips section for more information and browse the Emergency Medicine jobs that we have available here. For the latest jobs and information on Emergency Medicine, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

Hospitalist jobs is one of the fastest growing segments in the healthcare employment category. While a career in Hospitalist Medicine can be both challenging and rewarding, whether it’s a good fit for you depends on your objectives and career preferences. Here as some of the things to think about when considering a career in Hospitalist Medicine.

Compensation

Awareness of the specialty has grown significantly over the last 10 years and demand for hospitalist physicians is high. Due to this, Hospitalists can receive excellent compensation and bonuses.

Scheduling

Hospitalists work in a shift-based block schedule, with the typical shift being 10-12 hours long. Although the longer shifts can be challenging, if a Hospitalist physician manages his or her schedule well, a Hospitalist can have ample time off, sometimes weeks or months at a time.

Work Environment

Many hospitalists jobs are in mid-to-large sized facilities, but hospitalist programs are now being established in an increasing number of smaller community hospitals. A Hospitalist sees patients as they are admitted to the hospital and because of this they are at the center of the care that the hospital delivers. Physicians will see a wide variety of patients and draw upon the full range of their skills. Still, because of the demands of seeing a large number of patients day in and day out, the routine can seem repetitive at times. Some physicians also find the work to be more impersonal than office-based practice.

Another advantage of working for a hospital in Hospitalist medicine is that it frees the practitioner from the demands and financial risk of managing his or her own practice, while still offering considerable flexibility and financial rewards.

Career Path

A hospitalist career can be rewarding in and of itself, and many hospitalists enjoy the lucrative compensation and flexible schedule for many years. Hospitalists that want to take on additional leadership responsibilities can move toward a role of director of a Hospitalist group. Directors or group managers help coordinate the schedule of the group to ensure consistent hospital coverage, manage any other professional issues and address quality control in the group. Hospitalist that take on director or group manager positions can enjoy a significant stipend to their salary.

The Bottom Line

If you’re an Internist or Family Physician looking for the rewards, flexibility and challenges that Hospitalist Medicine can bring, or if you’re a Resident Physician looking to forge a solid and lucrative career path, a hospitalist job could be right for you. Click here to see the Hospitalist jobs that Hospital Physician Partners has available and like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for the latest Hospitalist jobs and career news.

Many Emergency Medicine jobs are available to practitioners today as independent contractors. Working as an Emergency Medicine provider contracted to practice Emergency Medicine for the hospital has many advantages and they are outlined in one of our earlier blog posts. One concern though that many practitioners have about working this way with a hospital is securing benefits. Fortunately today, through an entity called a Professional Employer Organization (PEO), independent contractors can be offered health insurance, dental, disability and other benefits as if they were part of a group of employees.

A PEO is essentially an organization that hires providers as employer of record for insurance and tax purposes. Through a strategic alliance with an external benefits provider, Hospital Physician Partners is able to deliver comprehensive benefits to Emergency Medicine practitioners working as independent contractors. Only Hospital Physician Partners offers these kinds of benefits to independent contractors working in Emergency Medicine as Physicians, Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants. Some of the benefits include:

• Group health insurance, life insurance, dental and vision
• Long and short-term disability insurance
• Workers compensation.

Retirement and Financial Planning

Through our strategic alliance with our PEO provider, we also offer a full range of retirement, investment and financial planning services to help you make the most of what you earn as an independent contractor and secure your future. You’ll have access to 401ks, IRAs plus Employee and Defined Benefit pension plans. You can also take advantage of asset protection, business, tax and estate planning services that will help you maximize your earnings as a 1099 independent contractor while managing your tax liability.

If you’re considering a job in Emergency Medicine as an independent contractor we strongly recommend that you investigate what Hospital Physician Partners has to offer. You can learn more about the benefits of working with Hospital Physician Partners here and you can see the Emergency Medicine jobs we have available here.

If you’re looking for a Hospitalist job, you have more tools available than ever before. From specialized job boards and national job search sites to opportunities that can be found through associations and tradeshows, there are many places today to find great hospitalist job openings. Here are just a few examples:

• Hospitalist job boards – There are many job boards on the Web that either specialize in or dedicate a large portion of their site to Hospitalist jobs. These would include hospitalistjobs.com, practicelink.com, hospitalistworking.com, hospitaljobsonline.com, physemp.com, careermd.com and many more.

• Associations and publications – Organizations such as the Society of Hospitalist Medicine offer career information, education as well as Hospitalist job listings. Publications like Today’s Hospitalist have job listings, career advice and other helpful resources in their online editions.

• National job listings – Sites like Monster, CareerBuilder and TheLadders all have listings of Hospitalist jobs at various levels and locations.

• Social networking – LinkedIn, Facebook and now Google+ are great places to network, gain exposure and get the inside track on jobs. You’ll also find that employers, recruiters and organizations have a presence there as well. Additionally, Twitter is fast becoming a place where you can get the latest word on job opportunities in real time.

• Trade shows – Hospital-related trade shows and conferences have had increasing participation from prospective employers and recruiters. You’ll find that the majority of booths at these events will give you a chance to scope out Hospitalist job opportunities at different locations across the country. Check out our News and Events Page to find the latest events for both Hospitalist and Emergency Medicine.

The employment outlook for Hospitalist Medicine continues to be favorable. Using the resources outlined above will help you take advantage of the available opportunities and target your search to find the Hospitalist job that’s right for you. To stay connected with the jobs that Hospital Physician Partners has available, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

One of the options to consider when looking for an Emergency Medicine job is to work as an independent contractor. That is, you don’t work for the hospital itself, but as an independent Emergency Medicine provider contracted to practice Emergency Medicine for the hospital. Independent contracting has many advantages, including:

• You can take advantage of a wide range of Emergency Medicine job opportunities instead of being locked into one position or location for a long period of time.
• You have the opportunity to increase your compensation more quickly.
• You can broaden your experience by working in a number of different environments with varying levels of acuity and patient volumes.
• There are multiple tax, investment and retirement advantages to being an independent contractor Emergency Medicine clinician.
• You have the possibility of turning many of your expenses—including moving, traveling, education, memberships, publications and supplies—into tax advantages.
• You can build your schedule so that you can pursue other ways to further your medical career and professional development while still working in Emergency Medicine.

Working as an independent contractor in Emergency Medicine does present challenges as well. Because you are in business for yourself, you must decide your “business structure.” Will you set up a corporation? If so, what type is best for you? You must consider budgeting, tax preparation and financial management, insurance, retirement and benefits selection, etc. Despite these “challenges,” they are easily navigable and manageable if you plan ahead, do your research and seek the proper professional guidance. Independent contractor Emergency Medicine practitioners can reap many financial and professional rewards, it just takes initiative, strategy and follow-through; which is already in your wheel-house because they are the very same skills which got you through medical school and your Emergency Medicine residency.

Hospital Physician Partners has many independent contracting Emergency Medicine jobs across the nation in a variety of attractive locations. AND, we provide all of our independent Emergency Medicine clinicians with access to full group benefits and health insurance along with a bevy of financial planning services and support. We invite you to learn more. We also invite you to browse our independent contracting Emergency Medicine opportunities.

Many factors are contributing to the rapid growth of Emergency Medicine and Emergency Medicine jobs for physicians and other healthcare professionals. The continued urbanization of the country, improvements in emergency medicine and changes in the use of emergency room facilities have all contributed to this trend.

One significant factor has been the decline in the number of primary care physicians. The American College of Physicians estimates that only one-third of physicians in the U.S. practice primary care and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimated in 2009 that more than 16,000 primary care physicians are needed to meet the current needs of the US population. The gap is expected to grow and when coupled with the current health insurance environment it has caused more of the population to turn to emergency rooms for a wider range of care.

All of this has led to a robust Emergency Medicine job market that is expected to last for quite some time.  The shortage of board-certified Emergency Medicine Physicians is expected to last through 2030 and in a recent survey there were over 30% more positions than the number of Emergency Medicine residents graduating annually. Demand for nurses and other mid-level practitioners also continues to grow.

Hospital Physician Partners has great Emergency Medicine job opportunities across the United States. You can check out the Emergency Medicine jobs that we have available here and follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook for the latest in Emergency Medicine job trends.

The ACEP 2011 Scientific Assembly — held this year in San Francisco from October 15 to October 18 — is a must for anyone who’s involved with or interested in the practice of Emergency Medicine.

Who should attend this year’s American College of Emergency Physicians event? Everyone from Emergency Physicians, Emergency Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, Emergency Department Medical Directors and Hospital Administrators can benefit. Residents and medical students can learn more about the practice of Emergency Medicine and explore Emergency Medicine job opportunities.

The Scientific Assembly provides more than 300 outstanding educational courses, interactive workshops and hands-on skills labs with an emphasis on the latest advancements in the practice of Emergency Medicine. Other courses offer current updates on practice issues and trends and many qualify as continuing medical education.

It’s not too soon to start planning for the ACEP 2011 Scientific Assembly. Hospital Physician Partners is going to be there. You can visit us in the “HPP Café”, booth 902. Our interactive Café will include chef-prepared meals and quick meal prep tips for the Emergency Medicine practitioner on the go. We’ll also have fast-track seminars in the booth on financially maximizing your Emergency Medicine independent contractor status as well as presentations for 4th year Emergency Medicine Residents. Share this information with your colleagues and use this space to let us know if you’re going to be there. During the event, share your impressions with us and other Emergency Medicine practitioners through our Facebook page or by following us on Twitter.

The growth of the number of physicians that can be categorized as Hospitalists — doctors who practice almost exclusively in hospitals — has been one of the most striking developments in medicine over the last two decades. And this trend shows no signs of slowing.

Researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston produced the first quantitative analysis of the increase in the number of Hospitalists in a 2009 study. Using Medicare data, they calculated that the percentage of internal medicine physicians practicing as Hospitalists jumped from 5.9 percent in 1995 to 19 percent in 2006. The trend has continued as some estimates say that there are over 30,000 working in Hospitalist Medicine today.

Just as it was difficult to imagine a hospital without an emergency department or an intensive care unit, it is now almost as difficult to imagine a hospital without a Hospitalist Medicine program. This is why interest in the field is at an all-time high, not just among internists, but with residents and mid-level practitioners as well.

You can lean more about the Hospitalist jobs we have here and tips on starting a career in Hospitalist Medicine here.

We recently had the chance to interview one of our Emergency Medicine Medical Directors about his experience during the April 27 tornado which struck in Alabama. Dr. Doug Alexander was working his regular shift that day when his whole world was turned upside down along with his staff, the hospital and the entire surrounding communities. To hear him tell the story of that day is to climb inside a violent world that seems almost unimaginable for the average person.

This quiet rural hospital was shell-shocked by the aftermath of an absolutely vicious F5 tornado. Russellville Hospital’s emergency department was instantly turned into a battle zone with patients arriving in large numbers simultaneously, many with critical, life threatening injuries. Children were seated on floors, in chairs, in beds and on countertops, many in shock. There were people missing and families lost with no knowledge where loved ones, personal belongings or pets were. And yet, Dr. Alexander and his fellow emergency department physicians and nurses all stayed calm and somehow made it through the ordeal. Such is the life of an Emergency Medicine physician. In reflection, on this holiday of independence, it is only right to salute the heroes who do what they do eveyday and yet, ask for no pomp and circumstance.

Dr. Alexander received a “Partners In Excellence” award from us for his efforts that day. Yet, he has repeatedly shone the spotlight away from himself and onto his staff and peers. Humble, proud and still trying to fully comprehend the impact Apri 27 has had on his life, Dr. Alexander along with every other member of the Russellville Hospital staff is to be saluted, thanked, admired and Appreciated for what they did and how they performed. That’s a celebration worth having accompanied by fireworks and awe!

We are proud to launch our revised website here at Hospital Physician Partners. After spending over two years reviewing data and gathering feedback from Emergency Medicine and Hospitalist Medicine Providers and hospital executives, we have renavigated and reinvigorated the site to make it more efficient and resourceful for you to use. Notebly, we have streamlined the way Physicians, Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants can search for jobs. We have also added an entirely new Resources section which will continue to evolve and grow.

There is much more on the horizon and we hope you will become a regular visitor. Please keep checking back with us as new content fills our pages and the HPP Blog takes on new life as a valuable resource for Hospital Physician Partners’ clinical providers and hospital executives.