Following medical school, Clinton Rebello, MD, spent four years working as an active duty Air Force Major and primary care physician at McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Air Force Base in New Jersey. Many of his patients saw nearby Penn Medicine specialists, who routinely shared their notes from these consultations with Dr. Rebello. This basic but important act resonated with him because, he says, it was surprisingly out of the norm.
“It really showed me that Penn Medicine is transparent and reliable,” Dr. Rebello says.
When he decided to pursue a career outside of the military, he remembered these exchanges. Several months after becoming a staff physician with Penn Primary Care, Dr. Rebello says his appreciation of the interaction between primary care physicians and Penn’s vast array of specialists has deepened.
With everyone using the same electronic medical record, Dr. Rebello says he can easily track his patients’ care. Although, most specialists continue to share their notes with him separately, too.
Douglas Mayeda, MD, who left a career in finance to become a primary care physician, says he’s felt empowered by being a part of the Penn Medicine health system.
“There’s just so much that goes into primary care these days,” he explains. “And yet, working alongside so many respected providers, I have full confidence that I can look after my patients in a truly holistic manner.”
Joseph Teel, MD, Chief of Regional Primary Care for Penn Medicine, echoed this sentiment.
“I feel very comfortable with all my patients and the care they receive across the system,” he says. “I know they can get everything from grounded, compassionate primary care all the way up to the most advanced tertiary care. I’ve never been concerned about a patient receiving anything less than the treatment I’d want for a family member or myself.”
Dr. Rebello has also been impressed by his patients.
“Their health literacy is very high,” he says. “They’re invested in their health and they’re motivated to get better.”
John C. Wood, MD, FAAFP, Executive Medical Director of Primary Care and Population Health for Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, lists his colleagues and patients as the two features he’s appreciated most during his tenure at Lancaster General Health.
“If you plant your roots here at Lancaster General Health, you’re recognized in the community as an expert in primary care, you have great colleagues that you’re practicing with, you have great patients who recognize the value of all that, and you can continue to grow professionally as your family grows,” he says.
Opportunity and balance
The many opportunities for professional growth were another reason Dr. Rebello says he was drawn to Penn Medicine.
“I knew when I separated from the military, I didn’t just want a job,” he explains. “I wanted to be in an environment where I could continually learn and grow.”
Over the last year, he’s earned CME credit for attending lunchtime conferences on a host of different topics. He’s also mentored medical students who have rotated through his practice, Penn Family and Internal Medicine Cherry Hill.
“There’s knowledge being shared all the time, and I’ve grown so much as a result of that,” Dr. Rebello says. “There are just so many opportunities for a provider here. You can teach, precept, get involved in research.”
Both Dr. Rebello and Dr. Mayeda, who also began his career at Penn Primary Care several months ago, say they’ve appreciated the autonomy with which they’ve been able to practice.
“For such a large healthcare system, I’ve been surprised by the freedom I have to look after my patients,” Dr. Mayeda says.
“We don’t feel like we’re being micromanaged,” Dr. Rebello says, describing the daily environment of his practice.
He adds, “It’s very inclusive and laidback. For birthdays, we pass cards around and eat cake.”
“It’s clear that everyone enjoys coming to work,” Dr. Mayeda says of the staff at his practice, Penn Internal Medicine Media.
Both physicians also feel that their lives away from medicine are valued by Penn Primary Care leaders and the health system at large. Dr. Rebello points to the flexibility of his schedule and the half-day built into his week explicitly for administrative tasks as examples of their efforts to support providers’ wellbeing.
“Things like that have really helped me find the right balance between work and the rest of my life,” he says, “and the importance of that can’t be overstated in this field.”