John Gray, DO, was on a locum tenens assignment at a healthcare center in the Northeast when he made a diagnosis that saved a patient from an otherwise unnoticed and potentially life-threatening condition. His patient, an 18-year-old co-ed, presented with a high fever and acute, short-term memory loss.
“Her exam and history were unremarkable,” Dr. Gray recalls. “She had a high fever of 104 degrees and her blood work showed that she had some kind of infection, but other than that appeared healthy. The physical and neurological exam showed nothing abnormal.”
Several other physicians at the health center thought the girl’s memory loss was likely a result of her high fever and felt she should be discharged. But Dr. Gray, who had spent much of his 33-year career focusing on the heart and circulatory system, believed otherwise.
“The first scenario was that she was doing recreational drugs,” Dr. Gray explains. “But that just didn’t seem likely. The other option was that her symptoms were a result of a serious cardiovascular problem.”
He had the patient transferred by ambulance to the hospital, where a major problem was revealed after an echocardiogram was administered.
“She had a previously undiagnosed congenital bicuspid aortic valve with significant vegetation growth,” recalls Dr. Gray. “In other words, she had a big piece of junk hanging from her heart. If it had broken off, it would have been fatal.”
His patient underwent lifesaving, open-heart surgery and is expected to live a full life.
“After the surgery, I spoke with the patient’s mother, who expressed dramatic appreciation for the care I gave her daughter,” adds Dr. Gray. “She told me the girl was expected to recover fully.”
Dr. Gray is one of thousands of clinicians utilizing the locum tenens practice alternative to bring quality patient care to underserved communities across the country every day. His expertise, unwavering commitment to the delivery of superior care, and ability to work locum tenens helped save a young woman’s life.
You too can make a difference in patients’ lives. Take a look at Weatherby Healthcare’s locum tenens opportunities across the country.
