Q & A with Patrick Desamours, MSPA, PA-C, MBA, CHCQM, SFHM, director of APP operations, hospital medicine, US AcuteCare Solutions, Westminster, Md.
Perseverance has paid off for Mr. Desamours and he brings his enthusiasm, expertise, and perspective to The Hospitalist’s editorial board.
[Hospitalists] are more than capable and willing to care for the overall well-being of patients. We are passionate about our jobs and we see thousands of different patients a year.
Mr. Desamours
Q: Why did you choose a career in hospital medicine?
A: I choose hospital medicine for its acuity and diverse presentation. The ability to provide care to someone at their lowest point in life is very humbling to me. It is a decision that I cherish every day.
Q: What’s been your biggest success?
A: I organized a mission trip to Haiti in 2017 and was able to make a difference in a young man’s life. An 11-year-old boy presented to the clinic with extensive and severe scars that had caused facial disfigurement, and contracture of his neck, and limited his ability to move his head or raise his arms. He was burnt after a curtain caught on fire where he was sleeping and fell on him. He had intermittent pain and had no hope of treatment. We were fortunate to partner with Shriners Hospital for Children in Boston to provide him with the needed help. We were able to bring him to the U.S. and provide life-changing surgeries and extensive physical therapy free of charge. His transformation was exceptional.
Q: What challenges have you overcome?
A: Being a physician assistant has its limitations, as a result, I have been underestimated and undervalued. Through persistence and hard work, I have been able to prove myself. Therefore, I have held positions where you would not typically find APPs.
Q: What do you enjoy most about your work?
A: The ability to serve others and make a difference.
Q: Why did you join SHM?
A: To be part of a community that provides support for me to care for patients and grow professionally.
Q: Why did you become an editorial board member?
A: I want to contribute to the hospitalist community by helping to promote high-quality content and facilitate the dissemination of knowledge. As an editorial board member, I hope to have a say in the direction of the publication and help shape the field by influencing the topics and types of articles that are published. I also want the opportunity to interact with other experts in their field.
Q: What’s the first page you turn to when you get your copy of The Hospitalist?
A: I like the cover page. I typically look at the career, quality, and practice management subtitles on the cover page.
Q: What’s your best piece of advice for new hospitalists?
A: Be a member of SHM. Attend every conference. Network with other hospitalists, medical directors, and administrators. Invest in documentation and billing education. Have passion and goals. Spend quality time with family as much as possible.
Q: What’s something someone would be surprised to know about you?
A: I attend church regularly, in fact, I am an elder at my local church.
Q: What do you wish the world knew about hospitalists?
A: That we are more than capable and willing to care for the overall well-being of patients. We are passionate about our jobs and we see thousands of different patients a year.
Q: How do you stay motivated during stressful days?
A: Whenever I face stressful situations, I am reminded of my favorite Bible verse, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” followed by hearing the voices of the two most important women in my life, my mother and my wife, telling me “you got this.” These two believe I can move mountains, I wish I could. This really sets my mindset to overcome any obstacles.
Mr. Desamours is the director of APP operations, hospital medicine, at US AcuteCare Solutions, Westminster, Md. He obtained his PA degree from the University of Charleston, Charleston, W.Va.