As one of the few critical care doctors in the area, I struggle to fully step away from the hospital even when I’m not there physically – to take time off to enjoy a weekend or go out of town – because it might mean having to make a decision between my quality of life and the life of a patient.

I’m all too familiar with stretching a shift far beyond my scheduled hours because I felt like I was stranding a patient or my clinical team during a critical time. Even if I could be on-call 24/7, I still couldn’t replicate the value of ears and eyes on my patients while I’m away from the hospital – and our small group simply can’t cover all the hours in a week.

Coming from a traditional hospital setting in New York, I was initially apprehensive about shouldering a bulk of intensivist coverage in my new setting. I soon learned that, through their relationship with Hicuity Health, I wouldn’t be alone. The security of having experts that worked with me, and of having coverage when I wasn’t in the hospital, was very critical to my decision. It was all the convincing I needed to pack my bags and head to Florida.

I have tremendous confidence in the Hicuity Health doctors and care teams. We work together on patient care, but I have immense comfort when it’s time for me to go home and they take the lead on care plans. I feel like I can be fully present in my home life away from the hospital, because I’m a part of a team that shares the same priorities and expertise.