I work as an ER Physician at Samaritan Hospital and also at Albany Memorial Hospital.

THE FACILITY
The emergency department at Samaritan is an older department. A new department is being built with plans to finish sometime in the next year. The current department does have many rooms with curtain dividers that does make patient privacy difficult. The hospital itself does have an older hospital feel. There is physician parking and a physician lounge that typically has coffee, granola bars, and a few bagels. The actual work area for the doctors is cramped. There is one workstation in the main ER where all of the nurses, techs, clerks, and doctors are congregated. It can become loud and disruptive at times, particually at shift change.

THE PATHOLOGY
Pathology seen here is medium. I usually do intubations, central lines, cardiac arrests a couple of times a month. We do see trauma here, but typically if it is significant injury it will be diverted to the local Level 1 center. If a bad trauma does make it to our door, we usually stabilize and ship as soon as possible. Surgical pathology, fractures, and sepsis are common.

COWORKERS
Friendly and enjoyable to work with.

ADMISSIONS
Admission are typically smooth. Rarely a hospitalist will push back regarding an admission but will usually take the patient. Beds can be tight at time, maybe once a month, and during those time patients will wait for long periods in the ER before getting a bed. Hospitalists like to see the patients in the ER and depending on who is working the speed at which admission orders are written can very dramatically.

DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS
There are scribes who are for the most part excellent. Scheduling is moving towards more PA coverage and less doctor coverage which does put more pressure on the doctor to see patients quickly, particularly when working with a new PA. ER volumes are difficult to predict. I would say that I leave work early about as often as I leave late.

CONS
Shifts on days with high volume, significant pathology, and low physician coverage can be gruelling and you leave feeling like you got your butt kicked.