dr jason lepak
by julie parker

An emergency room can bring out the best and worst in human behavior.

Perhaps it is the adrenalin-pumping atmosphere of the emergency room that drains the humanity out of far too many emergency room physicians.

One physician working the emergency room at Mission-St. Joe in Asheville stands out in sharp contrast. His name is Dr. Jason Lepak. Not long ago, a local foster mom bringing a child in her care to the emergency room experienced Jason Lepak as an example of a doctor who realizes he is treating a human being, and not a collection of body parts. Furthermore, it was obvious that he recognized that the particular tiny human being in her care needed not only his clinical expertise, but even more, his heart. We'll call our foster mom Rita and the little girl Natalie.
Rita was impressed with “Dr. Jason’s” demeanor from the moment he walked into their cubicle. They were in the ER late(2:30am) and Dr. Jason made them a priority given all that was going on in the ER at that time of night and did what he could to minimize Natalie's exposure to it. Natalie has a history of serious neglect and sexual abuse; furthermore she is afraid of doctors due to her earlier experiences (including the child medical exam for forensic evidence of abuse).

“Dr. Jason” immediately got down to Natalie's level physically and verbally. His actions reassured her of her safety and his gentleness. Rita said he had an incredibly calming effect on Natalie and “he put me at ease too”. He was extremely attentive/intuitive “like he knew me”. He passed a note to the her asking “Has she been sexually abused/molested?” Rita nodded and said outloud, “She is afraid of doctors”.

Dr. Jason went on to tell Natalie of his own daughter, Natalie's age, and how she has to come to the ER when she is sick too. He normalized and explained everything; there were no unpleasant surprises. He avoided intrusive testing where he could, and avoided more strangers touching her, when possible.

Rita was amazed how he switched gears from the many demands all around him, the busy-ness of the ER, the needs of his other patients and completely tuned in to this little girl—not only meeting her immediate medical needs but also meeting her unmet emotional needs from previous encounters.

Rita spoke with other ER staff about the excellent care provided by Dr. Jason; she learned that he is consistently humble and kind. When he was first hired, he made a point of introducing himself to every single person on every single shift in the Emergency Department. He recognized the contributions of every member of the staff—doctors, nurses, secretaries and janitors. He communicates genuine respect in his interactions with staff and patients alike. His is recognized for bringing his heart to work and giving generously from his high standard of conduct.

"It is my belief that as an emergency physician, we are responsible to treat the physical, emotional, and social needs of our patients to the best of our ability. That may include taking care of a trauma patient or holding the hand of a child. I have also been very impressed with the MSJH emergency room staff. From the nurses to the janitorial staff, they are first class and make the department run smoothly."