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A new group of physicians, the Greater Midland Emergency Physicians (GMEP), is now providing Emergency Department care at MidMichigan Medical Center – Alpena. Emergency Medicine Physician Paul Bucchi, M.D., a partner at GMEP, has been named medical director for the Emergency Department.

“We are very excited to come to Alpena,” said Dr. Bucchi. “We are invested in MidMichigan Health and will be in the Medical Center and the community. We look forward to working with the Emergency Department team and providing excellent care to every patient.”

GMEP is a private group of physicians and mid-level providers devoted to excellence in emergency medicine. The group also provides emergency medicine at MidMichigan’s Medical Centers in Alma, Mt. Pleasant and West Branch.

“We selected GMEP for their high patient satisfaction scores and the excellent experience they are delivering in our other medical centers,” said Chuck Sherwin, president, MidMichigan Medical Center – Alpena. “In a recent patient satisfaction survey conducted by Professional Research Consultants, Inc., GMEP’s patient satisfaction scores at MidMichigan Medical Center – Mt. Pleasant for doctors’ instructions, understanding and caring, and overall quality of care were all more than 94 percent. That is well above the national average.”

Sherwin said that the Medical Center is committed to improving patient care, patient experience and wait times in its Emergency Department and is confident this new partnership with GMEP will help achieve those goals.

In addition, Dr. Bucchi noted GMEP believes MidMichigan Health is the best health system in Michigan and that is why his group is proud to work collaboratively with the system to improve emergency medicine in the region.

“MidMichigan Health puts patients first and that is a philosophy GMEP shares,” he said. “They give physicians the tools they need to be successful and to provide the best possible care to each patient. MidMichigan Health is committed to improving the standard of care, and GMEP believes in what they are doing.”

What sets GMEP apart from other Emergency Department physician groups is that each of the physicians is board certified in emergency medicine and has undergone residencies focused on emergency care.

“All of our physicians have demonstrated exceptional expertise in emergency medicine and have passed the rigorous process to become board certified in emergency medicine. We also have extensive training in the ED environment and with the critically ill and injured patient,” Dr. Bucchi added. “All of our physicians specialize in emergency care – it’s what we do.”

The group’s motto is to provide excellent care to every patient every time. He said they do this by taking time with each patient, having patience in all situations, working hard, always showing care and compassion and trying to understand each patient’s particular situation.

In addition to Dr. Bucchi, other physicians and partners from GMEP who will see patients in Alpena include: Emergency Medicine Physicians George Elliott, M.D., John Kahler, M.D., Erich C. Kickland, M.D., Martin Lougen Jr., M.D., Anthony Mills, M.D., David E. Newcomb II, M.D., Larisa Traill, M.D. as well as advanced practice providers Amanda J. Aube, F.N.P., M.S.N., Joni L. James, P.A.-C., Matthew Kanitz, P.A.-C., and Pietro Molinari, P.A.-C.

“Together with the Emergency Department team, we are redesigning workflows to improve department efficiency and reduce wait times and total time spent during the visit,” said Dr. Bucchi. “We also hope to reduce the number of patients transferred out of the region. We know that patients recover faster when surrounded by family and friends. Our goal will be to stabilize patients and work collaboratively with the hospitalists to keep patients in Alpena whenever possible.”