St. Luke’s Hospital is pleased to announce Will Savage, DO, has joined the staff of St. Luke’s Hospital where he will treat patients who are admitted for care through the Emergency Department or by direct admission from another local physician. Dr. Savage joins Tom Dashiell, MD, as members of the Hospitalist program at St. Luke’s Hospital.

Hospitalists are specialized hospital-based doctors who care for patients while they are in the hospital. Hospitalists are immediately available to review charts, to order tests, speak with family members and provide an update to the patient’s primary physician.

 

When released from the hospital, the patient returns to the care of their primary doctor.

 

“Most hospitals across the country have determined this is the best model, allowing primary physicians to continue treating patients in the office with little disruption,” Dr. Dashiell said. “The benefits of a well-run and staffed hospital service include having full-time inpatient care services, less variability in patient care, more timely discharges, improved documentation and more prompt inpatient consultation services.”

 

“We are thrilled to recruit such a well-trained physician who has tremendous experience,” said Dr. Dashiell, a hospitalist at St. Luke’s since 2008. “Dr. Savage is board –certified in internal medicine, bringing a high degree of training and experience to St. Luke’s. As a Doctor of Osteopathy, Dr. Savage has a strong concentration on care for all ages, but he also has served a fellowship in hospice and palliative care. As an osteopathic physician, Dr. Savage has advanced medical education that focuses on the entire body system in a holistic approach through wellness and prevention.”

 

Dr. Savage, a native of Charlotte, said, “I’m very excited about this opportunity at St. Luke’s Hospital. I’ve heard positive comments about the quality of care patients receive at St. Luke’s, and I look forward to working with other physicians and patients here. I believe the unique size of St. Luke’s, combined with the impressive support services and diagnostic technology available to us, provides an atmosphere of attentive care and healing.”

 

Dr. Savage began his orientation to St. Luke’s Hospital on July 15 when he met with other local physicians and hospital staff before undergoing training on the Electronic Medical Record, hospital policies, federal regulations and compliance issues.

 

“We had a full day’s agenda to show him the ‘lay of the land,’ if you will,” Dr. Dashiell said. Affiliated with Carolinas Hospitalist Group from Charlotte’s Carolinas HealthCare System, St. Luke’s Hospital’s Hospitalist program enables St. Luke’s to provide onsite coverage from 7 a.m-7 p.m., seven days a week.

 

The evening hours from 7 p.m.-7 a.m. are covered by virtual hospitalists who work with hospital staff using computer and monitors to facilitate admissions and consults with physicians, staff and patients. The use of telemedicine has benefitted many hospitals that don’t have specialty care on site, including cardiology or neurology. Telemedicine and hospitalists are relatively new programs that provide immediate access for rural or small hospitals.

 

Dr. Dashiell added, “Just as larger hospitals, St. Luke’s follows outcomes-based protocols for best practices. We are providing the same treatments under a defined mission, and Dr. Savage will be an excellent physician to continue the strides we’ve made in providing excellent patient care.”

 

Dr. Savage currently lives in Asheville where he is completing a fellowship with Mission Memorial in Hospice and Palliative Care. Prior to that, Dr. Savage served as Hospitalist with Margaret R. Pardee Memorial Hospital, Hendersonville.

 

He completed his undergraduate degree in psychology at Wofford College and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Savage received his doctorate of osteopathic medicine from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2010 and completed his internal medicine residency at Rowan University, UMDNJ-School of Osteopathic Medicine in 2013. He gained experience at both Presbyterian Hospital and Carolinas Medical Center, both located in Charlotte.

 

Dr. Savage expects to relocate his family from the Asheville area to be closer to the hospital. Busy with three young children, Dr. Savage enjoys family time, cycling, sailing, auto mechanics and natural sciences.

 

“With Dr. Savage on board,” Dr. Dashiell said, “St. Luke’s Hospital continues its mission of taking care of sick patients with exceptional care, enabling them to stay close to home and family, which we know enhances healing.”

 

– Submitted by Kathy Woodham

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