After a years-long search, Powell Valley Healthcare has hired its third hospitalist, filling the final position needed to fully staff that in-hospital medical service.

In addition, two open family practice positions and an Emergency Department position at Powell Valley Clinic will be filled by this summer, and a second hiring is expected soon for that department.

The hospitalist, Dr. Aida Polson of Riverton, has signed a contract and will arrive this month, Mike Gilmore, vice president for outpatient services, told the PVHC Board of Directors on Jan. 25.

Polson joins hospitalists Dr. Adam Childers and Dr. Brad North, both of whom started as Emergency Department doctors before transitioning to the hospitalist program.

Hospitalists care for inpatients at Powell Valley Hospital, freeing up primary care doctors for patient appointments at Powell Valley Clinic.

The hospitalist concept was first introduced to the PVHC board in 2013 by former Chief Executive Officer Bill Patten. Besides providing additional time for clinic appointments, the hospitalist system provides faster contact with a doctor for nurses and hospital patients, without the need to interrupt primary care providers in the clinic.

A hospitalist program also makes it easier to recruit family practitioners and other medical providers, since there is less need for them to be on call during off-duty hours, Patten told the board. That is commonly expected in today’s medical work environment, he said.

Gilmore said the hospitalist program at PVHC consists of three hospitalists who alternate being on duty for one week out of every three, working 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. shifts from Friday through the following Thursday.

They are off during the other two weeks of the rotation.

“That’s what makes it appealing for them to do it,” Gilmore said. “They can work seven straight days and take 14 days off.”

At night, when things slow down, Emergency Department doctors also care for inpatients. However, the hospitalist on duty will be called in at night if needed, Gilmore said.

On the family practice side, Dr. Nicole Comer will join Powell Valley Healthcare in August after completing her residency in Casper in June.

“She also would be able to see OB patients and deliver babies,” Gilmore said. “We’re really excited for her coming on board.”

Darlene Hauser, a nurse practitioner from Indiana, also has signed on to come to Powell Valley Healthcare. She has moved to Powell and will begin seeing patients as soon as her Wyoming medical license is approved.

In addition, Dr. Turik Qasim, an internal medicine specialist and traveling physician from North Dakota, is seeing patients at the clinic through August. He can see patients when appointments are unavailable with other providers, Gilmore said.

Qasim has been well received by doctors and patients alike and also has expressed an interest in permanent employment with Powell Valley Healthcare, Gilmore added.

“We’re really happy that we’ve been able to find these really good providers to make it easier to get appointments,” he said.

In the Emergency Department, Dr. Deborah Bracket will start full time on May 1. Bracket has filled in at the Powell Valley Hospital emergency room as a traveling physician, and she recently signed a contract with PVHC for permanent employment.

Gilmore said another traveling physician, or locum, is interested in the second Emergency Department position.

“If we hire him full time, the ED will be fully staffed,” he said.

That will be good for continuity of care for patients and will help keep expenses down for Powell Valley Healthcare, Gilmore said.

“Locums tend to be more costly than hiring our own physicians,” he said.

Once those providers are in place, one position remains to be filled. Dr. James Lloyd, an OB/GYN specialist, has decided to move to another area. He has resigned as of March, but has agreed to fill in for one week and one weekend each month until his replacement is hired. Gilmore said he already is following up on a few possible candidates for that position and was encouraged by recent recruiting successes.

“We seem to be more successful this time of year,” he said. “Physicians, if they are going to make a move, try to move before summer, especially if they have kids. ... We’re more successful with people who like the outdoors. We tell them we’re 90 miles from the nearest mall. If someone is looking for a big-city feel, then we weed them out pretty fast.”

When recruiting medical providers, part of the challenge is finding a good fit for their spouses as well, Gilmore said.

“It’s usually a package deal — not just finding a physician, but finding something for the spouse to do, too. If the spouse is happy, people tend to stay longer.”