Update on OMC’s Emergency Department Transition

On July 1, Olympic Medical Center’s Emergency Department will continue to be staffed by fully credentialed emergency medicine providers, which will be comprised of some current ED providers and some additional, experienced ED providers. ED providers will be working on locum tenens (temporary) contracts for the time being while Sound Physicians recruits permanent Emergency Department providers among local and national candidates.

OMC and Sound Physicians will work closely together over the next three months leading up to Sound Physicians assuming full management of the emergency services physician group on October 1. During the extended transition, Sound Physicians will work closely with OMC on Emergency Department physician recruitment and Emergency Department provider management.

“Olympic Medical Center’s top priority is providing quality, safe care to all of our patients,” said Darryl Wolfe, CEO of Olympic Medical Center. “OMC staff have worked tirelessly over the past two weeks to ensure that OMC’s Emergency Department is continuously staffed by credentialed emergency medicine providers and that there will be no gaps in emergency services.”

In addition to ongoing efforts to retain current emergency department providers, Olympic Medical Center has signed several additional providers – all credentialed for providing emergency medicine – with locum tenens contracts to staff the Emergency Department during the months of July, August and September.

“This arrangement allows current providers the opportunity to continue working on a temporary contract while they consider long-term employment contract options,” Wolfe said. “OMC is also working with local and regional agencies, including LifeFlight Network and Olympic Ambulance, to provide additional resource readiness over the 4th of July holiday weekend. OMC has recruited a board-certified interim ED physician medical director to work during the transition period.”

“OMC and Sound Physicians have a signed contract,” Wolfe said. “We look forward to working with Sound Physicians in the Emergency Department at OMC.”