Improvement of medical functions at the local community center hospital by re-employment of retired doctors

Abstract

Iwate Prefectural Kamaishi Hospital is located in Kamaishi City, which is within the disaster area of Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011, and the only regional core hospital in Kamaishi medical area with 272 beds.

In our Hospital, the number of doctors have been decreasing. After the earthquake, the decreasing speed has been accelerating. In December, 2014, there were only 18 full-time doctors.

Iwate Medical station employed 4 retired doctors (herein referred to as senior doctors) and succeeded in placing them to our hospital. As a result, a radiologist from 2012, an anesthesiologist from 2013, another radiologist, and a gynecologist were appointed from 2014. Their dedication to their new found role has proven to be a great asset to us and the medical function of our hospital has been improved.

Following the success of ours and other cases, starting in April 2015, Iwate Medical station has introduced a three-year employment program of the senior doctors as fulltime clinical staff. Iwate is the first station which has introduced such system in the Tohoku area.

We will report the work status of the four senior doctors.