LocumLife - July 2008 - (Page 17)

To ease her adjustment and project a sense of confidence toward her patients, Dr. Rayner relies on her past experiences as well as establishing open communication with all those around her. She explains, “Open and honest communication helps with the coordination of care, and that can make things much easier on everyone, including the physician for whom I am covering. You have to be able to discuss and defend your treatment decisions, but when doing so, be aware of patients’ financial and social burdens, such as transportation issues or family members’ availability. That information can be derived from conversations with patients and their loved ones.” Above all, as a locum tenens physician, you have the unique chance to set aside many of the administrative concerns related to running a practice and devote more energy toward patient care.“You are in a position to objectively review medical records and identify duplicate medications or potential drug interactions that may have been added over time by multiple consultants,” suggests Dr. Rayner. “Consider yourself not just a caretaker of the practice you have temporarily stepped into, but also an active patient caregiver.” PREPARATION IS KEY “You have to be a well-rounded physician or non-physican provider when caring for geriatric patients,” observes Ms. Byington. She personally saw how important it is for locum tenens practitioners to stay abreast of topics such as pharmacology when treating the elderly.“Not too long ago, my grandfather was rushed to the hospital in serious condition, and it just so happened that the physician who treated him was there on a locum tenens contract. That doctor took the time to review the medications prescribed, and because he was upto-date on pharmacology issues, he noticed a toxic combination of drugs my grandfather was taking. Thanks to his skill and diligence to his ongoing training, I now have a healthy 89-year-old grandpa.” One way to keep informed is to seek out geriatric-based continuing medical education (CME) offerings. Also, prepare for individual opportunities by inquiring beforehand as to the extent of a facility’s or group’s patient demographics.“Find out what percentage of the patient population you will be expected to see falls into the geriatric category,” advises Ms. Byington, “and ask specific questions about the type of care required.” As the general population grows older and requires more from the healthcare system, physicians and non-physician providers will continue to be challenged to meet this group’s specific demands.“But as locum tenens professionals, you are helping the people and facilities that need your skills most,” concludes Ms. Byington. “There is a tremendous sense of pride in that.” LL References can be found online on www.LocumLife.com. Anne Baye Ericksen is a freelance writer based in Simi Valley, California. Circle Career Card No. 603 JULY 2008 LocumLife 17 http://www.dystaffing.com http://www.LocumLife.com http://www.dystaffing.com

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LocumLife - July 2008 Editorial From Nalto Stat! Survey Says Last-Minute Luxury Dynamics Caring For the Older Generation Enjoying the Rewards of a Locum Tenens Lifestyle Advertisers' Index Opportunities Direct Going Mobile Contest Rules Anyone's Guess La Vita Locum

LocumLife - July 2008

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