At Lake Charles Memorial Health System, the Gastroenterology program is intentionally structured so physicians spend the majority of each day in the Endoscopy Center. Physicians spend approximately 80% of their professional time performing endoscopic procedures and approximately 20% in the outpatient clinic, which functions primarily as the entry point for procedural evaluation, consultation, and follow-up care.
This model has produced one of the busiest Gastroenterology practices in the region, with routine procedures scheduled 2 to 3 months in advance and continued growth creating the need for additional physicians. Notably, no general surgeons perform endoscopy at the hospital, so procedural volume belongs to the Gastroenterology team.
Individual schedules vary, but physicians typically rotate between:
Extensive APP support, experienced nursing staff, AI-assisted documentation, and centralized scheduling minimize administrative burden so physicians can focus on patient care.
The Digestive Health Clinic is located on the hospital campus in the Medical Office Building, allowing physicians to move easily between clinic, inpatient consultations, and the Endoscopy Center throughout the day.
Routine screening procedures are generally scheduled 2 to 3 months in advance, while urgent consultations are accommodated within approximately one week when clinically appropriate.
The hospital-based Endoscopy Center is the operational core of the program, designed for procedural efficiency.
Physicians perform a broad range of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.
There is no separate ERCP or EUS call schedule.
Leadership believes the community could support several additional Gastroenterologists if physician availability allowed, creating immediate productivity for the incoming physician with no referral base to build.
The practice employs 9 dedicated Advanced Practice Providers: 8 Nurse Practitioners and 1 Physician Assistant. APPs practice with a high degree of autonomy while remaining closely integrated with physician partners.
APP responsibilities include:
| Frequency | 1:3 currently; approximately 1:4 with the incoming physician |
|---|---|
| Type | Home call, paid |
| Rotation | Full week, Thursday 5:00 PM to Thursday 5:00 PM |
| Volume | Approximately 20 patient calls per week of call |
| Coverage | One hospital |
| Triage | APPs field incoming calls first |
When a patient presents to the ER with a GI bleed or esophageal obstruction, the ER physician consults the on-call Gastroenterologist, and response timing depends on severity. Physicians generally return to the hospital only when a procedure is required. Hospitalists manage admissions and discharges and phone consult the GI team, and providers rarely need to come in overnight.
Collaboration is a recurring theme at Lake Charles Memorial. The Gastroenterology team works closely with:
Communication is direct and physician-to-physician, with providers routinely reaching each other by personal cell phone rather than working through administrative messaging layers.
Clinical research is in early stages with plans to grow, and medical students shadow the practice for physicians who enjoy informal teaching.