ER doctor heals with competence and compassion

By Joycelyne Fadojutimi

Dr. Todd Stewart is the medical director of emergency medicine at Longview Regional Medical Center, (LRMC). He is a board certified and experienced emergency medicine specialist.

Stewart started his undergraduate in aerospace engineering degree at Texas A&M. During the summer, he  attended Emergency Medical Training (EMT). EMTs evaluate a patient and verify if the patient has life threatening injuries or diseases.

“I thought, ‘This is me!’ This is a life of service to the community. This is what I want to do,” he said.

After graduation with his bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M, he  went to study medicine at the University of  Texas Medical School in San Antonio. After graduation, Stewart stayed on for residency and became part of the initial class for emergency medicine in 2012.

Emergency room doctors do not have the luxury of spending time preparing for their procedures. They have to treat, on the spur of the moment, patients with life threatening conditions such as drug overdose, shock, and massive blood loss. They have to revive and stabilize patients and transition care to an appropriate endpoint whether it is the ICU, general inpatient bed, another provider, another hospital, or home.

For this reason, emergency physicians work in teams, collaborating with doctors of other specialties and other staff of the emergency medicine department. Since ER physicians must quickly evaluate a broad spectrum of ailments/injuries, they have to speedily diagnose and act on each case to arrive at a tentative but accurate evaluation and determine (and immediately start) the appropriate treatment.

“We have excellent providers who are always striving and doing their utmost best for their patients. We want the sick, the injured and the wounded.”

Todd Stewart, MD, Director of Emergency Medicine, LRMC

“Medicine is problem solving. Emergency medicine is problem solving that often includes social and legal issues,” he said.  “And we want to be able to take care of anyone who is having any medical emergency in our community.”

According to Stewart, more and more people are using emergency room services. Stewart and his highly competent  team  see more patients who suffered strokes, heart attacks, gunshot wounds, motor vehicle/motorcycle/ATV  accidents, babies with high fever and more. Speaking of ER work scope, he said, “We are men, women and children specialists.” Stewart’s passion is obvious.  “I am humbled to be able to take care of patients and make them smile again,” he said. “However, I work with a formidable team who deliver an extraordinarily high level of care.”

Stewart and his team are taking their emergency medicine to higher heights turning  Longview Regional Medical Center Emergency Room into an enormously robust Trauma Center in the east Texas region.

“I am honored and very privileged to work with the best administration. They are  creating access to the best healthcare in the community”.

Todd Stewart, MD, Director of Emergency Medicine, LRMC

During the recent National Trauma Awareness Month, LRMC held a reception for trauma survivors who had been treated by Dr. Stewart and his team. Patients in attendance lauded the care they received.

The Croft family was struck by a drunk driver, and she went into premature labor. Her premature baby was immediately put into the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, (NICU). Mrs. Croft said, “I survived and my daughter who spent 23 days in NICU is doing well. This is a testament to the quality of care we received at the Emergency room and hospital. The nurses were amazing and the care they give to us is exceptional.”

Aurora Torrans, a registered nurse at a local clinic, couldn’t agree more. “Our family is very pleased.,” she said. ‘They took very  good care of my husband.”

Jamie Odum concurred.  Her little girl, Kaymee  had a 4-wheeler accident. She punctured her lungs and back besides a broken nose. “She is as good as new,’ said Odum. “And she is back to riding again.”

Other former patients recounted how the path to healing was unavoidably slow and difficult, but they made it all the way through the gentle compassion, skill, and encouragement of the LRMC ER doctors, nurses, and physical therapists.

The reception was a whirlwind of bittersweet memories and reunions as medical professionals got together with those who at one time had so desperately needed them. LRMC CEO Steve Gordon and his leadership team were also there, enjoying warm fellowship and memories.

For Stewart, medicine, especially emergency medicine, is a community and family affair.  His son Brady goes to school in Spring Hill, his wife Kelly is a nurse at Longview Regional.

Stewart expresses his gratitude to LRMC  leadership team in the C-Suite team. “Thanks to LRMC leadership we have the best ER team. We do not heal in isolation. We are growing. We are hiring competent local doctors,  expanding and increasing access to the best healthcare possible,” he said. “We are your hometown ER doctors and team. We are here when you need us, and we deliver amazing care second to none.”