A message from the President of Sandhills Emergency Physicians:

Sandhills Emergency Physicians welcome you to our Emergency Health Care Safety Net web site. We hope that you visit this site often for updates and information regarding health issues that affect you or your family.

Historical Introduction

Prior to 1979, the Emergency Health care environment was fragmented, and hospital Emergency Departments were staffed by physicians that did not have formal training in Emergency Medicine. A major milestone was achieved in 1979 when the American Board of Medical Specialties recognized Emergency Medicine as the nation's 23rd medical specialty. In 1982, the first residency-trained Emergency Physician joined the MHR medical staff. Four additional associates were added by 1991, culminating in the formation of Sandhills Emergency Physicians. Since 1991, it has grown to a group of 18 physicians that treat 53,000 Emergency Department patients per year.

Changes in the Moore County ambulance service were mirrored during this same time period. In 1982, provided care to MC residents 10 independent volunteer rescue squads. The universal phone number for help, "911", did not exist, causing difficulty in accessing and providing emergency care. Emergency Physicians, with the cooperation of many dedicated individuals, led the change for a paid county ambulance system and the inclusion of "911". The system was reinforced by the multitude of volunteers that have contributed their time and effort both in rescue and fire services. Today, the EMS system is complimented by a multi-county integrated system. Computers generating the location of a "911" call are now taken for granted.

Present

Sandhills Emergency Physicians (SEP) has diversified into an organization serving multiple sites throughout the region. SEP provides Medical Directorship for the FirstHealth Sports Medicine Program, coverage of the Rockingham NASCAR races and driver training sessions.

The golfers and fans at the 1999 US Open received physician coverage on site by SEP. We currently provide local directorship and staffing for the Perdue Wellness and Occupational Medicine Clinic in Richmond County and in Hospitals staffed by SEP include Moore Regional Hospital and Montgomery Memorial Hospital and with Richmond Memorial Hospital negotiations in progress.



For your urgent care needs, we staff Convenient Care at Moore Regional Hospital. Our goal for this area with the usual is a patient turnaround time of an hour or less. If your condition is more serious than you initially thought, a diagnostic center with immediate access to physician specialists is at your service.


We are a local democratic group involved and integrated into the community. SEP fosters values and commitment that make us distinctly different from the large Corporate Emergency Department Staffing Organizations. As your neighbor, friend, or shared community member, we will do our best to provide you with quality medical services, indifferent to the hour, day or holiday. We hope that you will never need our services, but if you do, our doors will always be open.

Ron Milewski MD, FACEP
Pres. Sandhills Emergency Physicians