To prospective teammates,

I am the medical director for Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. I have been a part of Sound Physicians since November 2016. I’m proud of the hospitalist practice we have built and welcome interest from physicians and advanced practice providers (APPs) coming out of training or desiring a career change. I’d like to share more about it, specifically about our people, practice, and purpose, as you consider your next steps:

People

• We are a closely knit, established team of 14 physicians and 8 advanced practice providers (APPs). Additionally, along with myself as medical director, we have one associate medical director, two clinical performance nurses, and one hospitalist coordinator.
• Our team is highly diverse in education and experience, and we come from all over the world.
• Our team is involved in many committees and projects throughout the hospital annually. We would like to have at least two hospitalists involved in any given committee, which provides a greater chance to have representation and helps with time management. We encourage everyone to find a committee that feeds their passion.
• Our team has an excellent relationship with the administration. We have partnered with Mercy since 2015 and are a trusted and consulted team on many hospital-wide initiatives.
• As a team, we value our collaboration with the nurses and specialists throughout the hospital. Patients are our top priority, and we do a great job of always keeping that focus at the forefront.
• As a team, we like to support our greater local community by adopting a family around the holidays and supporting our local emergency shelter, Catholic Worker House.
• We proudly sponsor H1B and J1 Waiver visa candidates, and Sound has excellent in-house visa specialists and our licensing and credentialing experts. All required filing fees for the visa are paid, and services are covered by Sound.

Practice

• We welcome the challenge of managing various cases, varying in acuity and complexity.
• Our critical care team manages all ICU patients on vents, pressors, and BiPap. Our team may have a patient or two in the ICU; however, they have lower acuity and are very manageable.
• If you are comfortable with procedures, you can do them. However, they are not required.
• We respond to codes and rapid alerts on our patients, as well as if one is called and we are nearby. Our team is highly engaged in helping each other in any way we can.
• Our schedule is predictable, as 7 on – 7 off. Generally, a working block may start with six daytime shifts and end with one evening admitting shift. Our team works well together to cover for each other when time off is needed.
• Our goal is to have a total of 17 encounters daily, including an admission or two. This can ebb and flow depending on the time of year and staffing.
• As a team, we meet monthly for a team meeting and monthly for a patient experience touch base. Daily, we have a short morning huddle to secure handoffs and ensure everyone is ready for the day.
• We work in EPIC, with access to our internal informatics platform.
• Benefits include medical, dental, vision, life, and AD&D insurance, long- and short-term disability, 401k with match, paid medical malpractice and tail coverage, and annual CME allowance.

Purpose

• We put patients first. Always.
• Growth and development are key features of Sound’s practices, where teammates can expand their careers here locally and within the broader medical group.
• We’re a community-minded team and encourage our team members who want to contribute in and out of the hospital to help make our local community thrive.

Many who come to Cedar Rapids are pleasantly surprised to find a highly diverse population base. This is mainly due to major employers such as Collins Aerospace and Transamerica. These world-renowned companies, coupled with the University of Iowa (located 30 minutes from Cedar Rapids), equate to the celebration of cultural diversity that makes Cedar Rapids feel comfortable to many worldwide.

To learn more, please get in touch with my recruiting partner, who will put you in touch with me.

Sujan Vadarevu, MD
Medical Director- Hospital Medicine
Mercy Medical Center -Cedar Rapids, Iowa