Johnston Health’s Innovative Program Recruits Skilled Physicians
doctors, health care, johnston medical center-smithfield,
Johnston County is the state’s fifth fastest-growing county, and a burgeoning population calls for more doctors.
Johnston Health is ahead of the game, with an innovative physician recruitment program initiated two years ago.
“Our current population is about 157,000,” says Dr. Eric Gloss, vice president of medical affairs for Johnston Health. “Our population will double by 2030, and with that exploding growth – and when you look at our stats – we will need over 100 doctors in the next five years or so.”
The health system will help a physician set up a practice and, in return, the physician must stay in the community for three or five years, depending on the program.
The system offers three models when recruiting doctors: A doctor can join the health system as an employee, join an existing practice or set up a new practice.
If a physician chooses to start a new practice, Johnston Health loans the money to get started. That loan is forgiven when the physician fulfills the terms of the contract.
In 2007, 10 doctors were recruited including two pediatricians, a family-practice doctor, a pulmonary specialist, a general surgeon, an orthopedic surgeon and an infectious-disease specialist. In 2008, the program recruited more physicians, including several specialists.
“The whole philosophy is that we are trying to provide the community with the physicians and specialists to meet their needs in the county without them having to go to Raleigh,” Gloss says.
It will also provide a larger pool of doctors who accept Medicare and Medicaid – one reason that many people drive to Raleigh now.
“We are on a mission to try to improve the health of the people in our community,” Gloss says.
And that includes improving facilities.
Johnston Medical Center – Smithfield is working on a $75 million renovation to its campus that will include construction of a five-story patient tower. Johnston Health is also building a new medical center in Clayton that will include an emergency department, a diagnostic imaging suite, operating rooms, lab services and 20 inpatient rooms. Visit www.johnstonhealth.org for more information.
Story by Hollie Deese
Photo by Todd Bennett
