Last year North Country Hospital entered a new era in medicine and patient care when the hospitalist program was adopted to care for patients during their stay in the hospital. “Hospitalists” are physicians who specialize in hospital medicine and devote their time exclusively to caring for patients while they are hospitalized. Deborah Puckhaber, MD, has been hired as Medical Director for the Hospitalist Service.
Dr. Puckhaber joined North Country Hospital in June. She will care for patients in the hospital as an attending physician and serve as Medical Director of the Hospitalist program. Dr. Puckhaber brings with her vast experience at not only working as a hospitalist, but also setting up hospitalist programs and serving as a director for them.
“My initial goal for the Hospitalist program is to hire additional physicians who would like to practice with us long term and are attracted to the lifestyle available in our community,” Dr. Puckhaber said. “My vision for the program is a seamless transition between medical care provided in our community offices and clinics and our hospital.”
Dr. Puckhaber grew up in a small community south of Buffalo, New York called Boston. Being a doctor wasn’t her first choice of careers, but it was that first choice that helped convince her to pursue a career in medicine.
After graduating from the State University of New York College at Buffalo with a Bachelor's Degree in Education, she worked for a time as an art teacher. It was while working with the students that she said she realized the importance of good healthcare and, just as important, the benefits of preventive healthcare. A concern for the long-term health of her students, other young people and people in general, led her to pursue a career in medicine.
Dr. Puckhaber earned her doctorate degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine. She completed her residency in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at the State University of New York at the Buffalo Medical/Dental Consortium, followed by which she operated her own adolescent and internal medicine practice in Orchard Park, New York, for 14 years. About eight years ago she changed her career path to a new and evolving medical profession, into the world of a hospitalist. Since making this change not only has she worked as a hospitalist, she has also helped design and implement new hospitalist programs around the country.
“My husband John and I love living in a rural community,” Dr. Puckhaber said. “We both were raised in rural areas. In addition to caring for patients, I find program development professionally very rewarding. I accepted the position as medical director of the new Hospitalist service because it gives me an opportunity to combine what I enjoy in my work and our choice of lifestyle.”
Hospitalists specialize in caring for patients during their hospital stay. Because the hospitalists work exclusively in the hospital, they are available throughout the day for admissions and emergencies. They take care of patients in the same manner as one’s regular physician might, including ordering treatments, tests and consulting with specialty physicians where appropriate. They also keep the patients’ primary care physician abreast of any unexpected changes or developments, and provide a detailed summary of a patient’s stay following discharge, at which time the patient is placed back in the care of their primary care physician. Hospitalists coordinate and oversee the care of the hospitalized patient from the time they are admitted to the time they are discharged from the hospital. They are on-site and available to respond quickly to changes in the patient’s status and also to avail themselves to family for questions.
Since its inception, the hospitalist program at North Country Hospital has allowed primary care physicians to increase the amount of time devoted to seeing patients in the office. Hospital President & CEO, Claudio Fort, stated that the hospitalist program has enabled many primary care doctors to open their practices to new patients. “When I arrived here a little over three years ago, one of the biggest complaints I heard was from patients who could not get into a primary care practice,” Fort said. “Now I rarely hear complaints about this. The hospitalist program played a big role in improving access to primary care in our community.”
Dr. Puckhaber is excited about this opportunity to direct the hospital medicine service at North Country Hospital. “My philosophy for hospital medicine is providing quality care with compassion,” Dr. Puckhaber said. “A team approach is essential. Collaboration, good communication, organization and education are vital for a team to function effectively and provide quality care. As a Hospitalist, I am a partner of the physicians in the North Country medical community. Patients can expect to be treated by me as I would want my own family members treated.”