Comfort, care important to doctors in the Emergency Department

It was a busy night in the Emergency Department when Brook Felker arrived with abdominal pain. Scared about what was going on with her physically, Brook was quickly made comfortable by her nurse Dolly and long-time Emergency Department Dr. Michael Stolpe, DO.

"I was very comfortable and they took very good care of me," Brook said. "I felt really comfortable and felt like they really cared about me."

Despite the many patients also in the Emergency Department that night, Brook said the doctor and nurses were thorough in assessing her needs and making her comfortable. Ultimately, it was determined that Brook had a cyst on her ovary causing the pain and would need follow-up care, however, Brook's positive experience in the Emergency Department really stayed with her.

"It was my first ED visit ever," Brook said. "They were so fabulous. Dr. Stolpe was very thorough and super nice."

For Dr. Stolpe, greeting patients with a smile and making them feel comfortable during a crisis has been part of his repertoire for 17 years at Campbell County Health. With severe asthma as a child, Dr. Stolpe said he always appreciated doctors and nurses who were kind and made him feel comfortable. That's something that he tries to emulate in his daily work.

"It's important to express an atmosphere of concern and welcome," Dr. Stolpe said. "I like to see how they're doing and get a sense of what's going on."

When people enter the Emergency Department, making them feel comfortable is key to assessing their condition and getting them on the road to recovery, Dr. Stolpe said. With years of experience as an Emergency Department doctor, he says he enjoys helping people in difficult situations and positively impacting their physical condition almost immediately.

"I like the variety and ability to see quick change in one visit," Dr. Stolpe said. "I like the possibility to effect dramatic improvement right away."

In addition to helping people in their initial hours of medical need, Dr. Stolpe enjoys the people he works with and the atmosphere at CCMH that really focuses on patients. Whether it's treating a child with a broken arm, assisting someone in cardiac arrest or moving quickly to save the life of a crash accident victim, every day presents new challenges for Dr. Stolpe, something that he's come to thrive on.

"No two days have ever been the same," Dr. Stolpe said.