Bozeman (Mont.) Health has decided to remove orthopedic trauma surgeon Tim Hiesterman, MD, from its on-call scheduling list, prompting criticism from patients in the area, according to a May 21 report from KBZK Bozeman.
Dr. Hiesterman is one of the only orthopedic trauma surgeons in the county, and residents worry that removing him from the on-call list will impact immediate access to trauma services in the emergency room.
Dr. Hiesterman recently left his position at Bozeman's Bridger Orthopedics, but still operates a private practice in the area and has full access to operating rooms at Bozeman Health Deaconess Regional Medical Center. The practice does not meet Bozeman Health's care-team requirements for on-call scheduling.
"This year Dr. Hiesterman has provided care to an equal number of orthopedic trauma patients as the other 13 orthopedic surgeons who provide care at Bozeman Health. We welcome and support Dr. Hiesterman to continue to provide care in our community and at Bozeman Health," the hospital told KBZK in a statement.
Almost 150 Gallatin County residents have signed a petition requesting Dr. Hiesterman be kept on Bozeman's on-call list.
"All his patients are trauma patients, so unless he admits a patient, if it’s an emergency, those patients are going to have to go somewhere else because we don’t have the specialty to cover this," Marian Struble, the organizer of the petition, told KBZK.