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Windsor, Vt., Emergency Room Doctor Leaves for North Carolina

Posted on: Sunday, 21 August 2005, 21:00 CDT

Aug. 21--WINDSOR -- When he was going through medical school in Charlestown, S.C., Jon Austin was trying to decide between specializing in either pediatric or emergency medicine.

While on a student rotation in the emergency room, Austin said the demeanor of the residents working there tipped the scales.

"The emergency room residents I ran into were really happy and liked what they were doing," Austin said.

Now an emergency room doctor and a father, Austin joked he is able to also practice pediatrics. Austin and his wife Susan have five children aged 6, 5, 3, 18 months and two weeks.

Emergency room visits are almost a right of passage for most new parents.

Since the Austins started having children, he said he has only had to rush one of his own to the emergency room.

"The others I took care of myself," Austin said. "That's the advantage of being an emergency room doctor."

Austin and his growing family are moving to Charlotte, N.C., in September.

Both Austins are originally from North Carolina and the move will bring them closer to their families.

"My wife is homesick and she wants to be closer to her family," Austin said.

"With five children, we thought it would be easier to be closer to home." Leaving Vermont was not an easy decision to make, Austin said, but it was the right one for his family.

Austin has been the emergency room director and medical director at the Mt. Ascutney Hospital since 2003. Since coming on board, Austin has worked with the staff to improve the quality of care in the ER. He also has worked on disaster preparations for the hospital.

Disaster preparation is not something many emergency rooms dealt with before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Austin said. He said a hospital in Boston at which he worked used a baby pool outside for decontamination.

"They hadn't had any need for anything like that," Austin said.

Mt. Ascutney has drilled for mass disasters like fires, bus crashes and flu pandemics.

The emergency room is about to undergo a major renovation as part of a $5 million construction plan for the hospital. Austin worked to help get the final approvals for the plan and said the changes will help a lot.

From more privacy for patients to more room for triage, Austin said the changes will improve the care patients receive. Some of the new changes will address the disaster preparedness Austin said.

Despite the administrative duties, Austin plays a big role in the ER, treating patients and dealing with medical emergencies.

"One thing about working in the ER, you don't see society with blinders on," Austin said. "You see some great, happy stories and you see the ills of society." Mt. Ascutney's emergency room handles about 7,500 patients per year. That's small number compared to the 25,000 to 30,000 patients most mid-sized hospitals see per year.

The problems Austin has seen in Windsor include drug and alcohol abuse, child abuse and neglect, even elder abuse.

"You don't see it every day, but when you do see it, it's pretty sad," Austin said.

When he comes up against the hard cases, Austin said he tries to find ways for the patients to get the treatment they need.

"I try to address their mental and spiritual needs," he said. "I try and do a little more than just addressing their physical needs."

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Copyright (c) 2005, Eagle Times, Claremont, N.H.

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Source: Eagle Times, Claremont, New Hampshire

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