New Promotions Help EMP Succeed in Leadership

Feb. 13, 2012 - PRLog -- Frank Thomas, PA-C in the ED at Saint Francis Hospital, was recently awarded the University of Oklahoma — Tulsa Preceptor of the Year for the School of Physician Assistants. The award was presented at the Mayo Hotel in Tulsa during the graduation award dinner.

“It’s an honor to be able to give something back to my profession,” said Thomas upon receiving the award. “It’s rewarding to be able to help train the next generation of Physician Assistants.”

Thomas says he tries to make the rotation fun while making students stretch their comfort zone a little. “It is very nice to be recognized for what I have done, but seeing the students grow in their confidence and knowledge is the true reward,” he added.

Thomas remembers all too well what it’s like to be in PA school. He said one of his most memorable moments was during a rural medicine rotation. “I was at a small community hospital when they called me to the ER to see a guy with chest pain,” recalls Frank. “When I got there, he suddenly went into cardiac arrest. I recognized the rhythm of the V-Fib and shocked him successfully. The nurses look at me and said, ‘I’ve never seen that work!’ That is probably why I am in the ER now.”

One of Thomas’s most rewarding experiences in the ER also deals with a cardiac situation, but not the patient. “While the rest of the team was doing CPR and running the code, I was outside of the room talking to the patient’s wife,” he said. “While I preferred to be in the room, it seemed the important thing for me to do was to talk to her. Later, she sent a very nice letter to the hospital. Her husband survived, and she was grateful, but she was even more grateful that I was there talking to her and explaining what was going on.”

EMP congratulates Frank Thomas, PA-C at Saint Francis Hospital, for his accomplishments and being awarded the University of Oklahoma — Tulsa Preceptor of the Year for the School of Physician Assistants.

Following recent elections, the EMPP Board of Managers will seat three new members in January.  A fourth member, Jeff Bracey, DO, FACEP, was re-elected.

The following new members will join Dr. Bracey on the 2012 Board of Managers:

   Gregory Rosellini, MD, has been with EMPP for the past 13 years. He is a staff physician serving at Methodist Hospital of Sacramento and Mercy General Hospital in the greater Sacramento, CA, area.  Dr. Rosellini is a graduate of the January 2011 EMP Scholars Program.
   Steven Stephanides, MD, FACEP, has been with EMPP since 2004.  He is part of the brain trust that helped launch EMP’s Efficiency Academy. Dr. Stephanides is a staff physician with Eisenhower Medical Center
   Sidney Lee, MD, FACEP has been with EMPP since 1996. He is the ED Director at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children in Honolulu, HI.  Dr. Lee is also a graduate of the January 2011 EMP Scholars Program.

Other Board of Managers members for 2012 include:

Lawrence Satkowiak, MD, FAAP; Elliot Nipomnick, MD; J.D. McCourt, MD, FACEP, FAAEM; Jay Fisher, MD, FAAP; and Timothy Sturgill, MD.

Meanwhile, exiting the Board are long time members Norm Label, MD, FACEP, FAAEM and Mark Baker, MD, FACEP. Both have been on the EMPP Board of Managers since 1995. Also exiting the Board is Andy Lee, MD, FACEP who has been a member since August 2009.

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EMP has helped many hospitals improve quality and service in their emergency department while becoming more profitable. Learn more at http://www.emp.com