Jay Lambert
A long-time provider who has treated thousands of local youngsters, adults and elderly community members is leaving Roosevelt Medical Center after nearly a decade of service.
Jay Lambert, PA-C, at RMC since March of 2005, made the announcement last week that he and his wife, Kayleen, have made the decision to return to their home state of Utah to be near their aging parents, while enabling Kayleen to pursue and complete a degree in occupational therapy.
Lambert's announcement will give RMC three to six months to aggressively begin the search for a replacement mid-level provider, a process that can be lengthy and challenging for frontier hospital systems.
"We will undoubtedly miss the community when we leave. They have been welcoming and accepting and have made Culbertson home for us," Lambert said. "The decision to leave has been one of the most difficult decisions we have ever made," he added.
Lambert and his wife grew up near Salt Lake City, Utah, and will relocate near the area, along with their six children.
The organization will immediately begin recruiting for a mid-level provider through national medical recruitment agencies and will use traveling providers to cover patient needs while RMC locates a new provider. Lambert is currently putting plans in place to ensure that continuity-of-care for every patient will continue seamlessly, making the transition smoother for both patients and staff.
He will continue seeing patients for several months and hopes to be able to return to the area periodically to see patients. His ability to do this will depend on where he finds employment. "I am taking my time with this process because we are not in a hurry to leave. I want to find a place where I can envision myself staying for a long period of time, much like I did here at RMC. Those perfect-fit career paths take time to locate and I am being very selective," he said.
Lambert first came to the area after graduating from Samuel Merritt College in Oakland California in 2004. After receiving his degree, he returned to Utah to study for his Medical Boards and began searching for a job that could assist him with student loan reimbursement. Of the locations he was interested in, Culbertson was his first choice.
A community-wide celebration and good-bye event will be planned.
"We are not just losing a wonderful healthcare provider the community has grown to trust and love, but we are also losing a dear friend and colleague. We are sad and reluctant to see him go, but we wish him the very best in his future endeavors," said Audrey Stromberg, Administrator for RMC.
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