Providing exceptional care is the backbone of what it means to be an emergency physician. This was the case for one family with a teen cared for by Sean Thompson, MD, after a frightening injury during baseball practice. The teen’s parents explained their son had been hit in the face with a baseball and received multiple lacerations including a possible broken jaw when they arrived at the IU Health North Hospital pediatric emergency department.
“This simple decision allowed us to be cared for by Dr. Thompson,” said the teen’s parent. A scary situation for any family, Sean immediately put them at ease letting them know they were in good hands. The family went out of their way to make sure it was known that both Sean and his nurse, Sam, went the extra mile answering questions and understanding their concerns.
“Medicine is as much about the experience as it is about the care. To say Sean and Sam provided an exceptional experience is an understatement. We were strong supporters of IU North before last night. Now, we will be telling anyone that will listen about our experience.”
The family also made a call that day to an emergency dentist, knowing it would likely be a natural follow up the next day. Being an emergency medicine physician with the Department of Emergency Medicine means being on a team. Sean welcomed the other physician and his medical opinion with open arms.
“It was two medical professionals trying to provide the very best opinions, diagnoses, and care for my son.”
Sean spared no information for all the questions the family had, inspiring calmness and confidence in a stressful situation. He used 25 stitches to close two lacerations on the teen’s face and provided meticulous care to ensure minimal scaring.
“We honestly feel so lucky and blessed to have such a great facility, with great doctors and nurses, right in our backyard.”
Sean’s colleagues aren’t surprised to learn that he leaves no stone unturned for his patients.
“Sean is the kind of physician you would hope to have for your family. He’s whip smart and always up to date on the literature, compassionate, and skilled. He is the kind of colleague you would hope for in your work. He is a quintessential team player, thoughtful, kind, hard-working and fun to be around. I'm grateful every day that he is part of the Department of Emergency Medicine,” said Dr. Elizabeth Weinstein.
Cases like this highlight why the department creates an atmosphere where physicians like Sean can thrive and use their skills and expertise to show each patient that they are the most important.
