6 Good Samaritan physicians receive kudos
Six Good Samaritan physicians have received kudos this month from patients and peers for exceptional care and partnership. We’re proud to recognize these physicians by posting the comments received in Pulse.
Dr. Kudos given by a colleague via the submission form
A patient presented to the GSH ED with 3rd-degree heart block causing syncope and an open tib-fib fracture. While in the ED, he suffered cardiac arrest. Dr. Matthew Nimmo obtained ROSC and stabilized the bradyarrhythmia. Dr. Shaheer Zulfiqar performed emergent transvenous pacer placement and identified severe 3-vessel CAD. Only an hour after the call was first placed to Dr. Zulfiqar, he and the Good Sam Cath Lab team had both responded to the after-hours activation, already completed the pacer placement and angiography, and were on the phone with First Call requesting transfer for CV surgery while simultaneously placing an aortic balloon pump.
The accepting team at Lutheran included Drs. Leah Wydro, Ramesh Devanesan, Gregory Pinson, Allan Brants and Oscar Noel. The patient was transferred from Good Sam’s Cath Lab to the Lutheran ICU, and was then in the OR at Lutheran with Dr. Brants and anesthesiologist Dr. Natalie Hamilton for an emergent CABG & aortic valve replacement first thing that morning. He had his 11-hour cardiac case followed directly by external fixation of his open fracture by Dr. Noel.
There were obviously multitudes of others involved in this case as well, and everyone who had a hand in his care should take pride in this patient discharging from the hospital to rehab.
On my review, the most striking elements were the consistently short time stamps between a clinical event, First Call making a call, a physician providing an affirmative response, and then those physicians coordinating care across multiple specialties and multiple care locations in a profoundly critically ill patient. For orthopedic surgery to have completed washout and external fixation of the initial open fracture only 26 hours after first presentation, all while undergoing an intervening cardiac arrest with resuscitation, cardiac catheterization with supportive device placement, inter-facility transfer while placed on balloon pump support, and multi-vessel cardiac bypass surgery with concurrent valve replacement seems like truly remarkable care.
Dr. Kudos given by a colleague via the submission form
Dr. Dan Cheek accepted a patient signed out to him as awaiting placement. He investigated further and discovered an acute subdural hematoma. Good catch by Dr. Cheek!
Service Excellence Recognition Card, filled out by a patient
Last year I was admitted every other week. I was so sick and scared. Dr. David Jackson kept trying different medications while I was admitted. He found the right combination. Dr. Jackson quite literally saved my life. Because of Dr. Jackson, I am still here today. “Thank you” isn’t enough. I will always be grateful. Thank you, Dr. Jackson!
Two of the above cases were shared with Pulse via the Dr. Kudos Submission Form. If you would like to recognize or thank a colleague in this space, please click the button below.
Thank you to the physicians mentioned here for outstanding care and teamwork, and to all members of our medical staff who provide the highest-quality care every day for every patient.