Humboldt General Hospital is excited to announce a new chapter in local surgical care. The HGH Surgery Group is now available for surgical consults at 130 E. Haskell Street, Suite E, in Winnemucca. The HGH Surgery Group includes four seasoned surgeons-all members of the Rural Physicians Group, the same group that contracts with the hospital to provide Hospitalist services. Paul E. Gaulin, M.D. and Stanley D. Pense, M.D. provide primary surgical services at Humboldt General Hospital while Michael J. Murray, M.D. and Thomas V. McCormick, M.D. act as secondary, or back-up, surgeons. The physicians provide surgical services in-house 24 hours a day, seven days a week. All surgical procedures are performed in the HGH surgical suites. The physicians work closely with one another, even following up with each others' patients if needed, and also work with the Hospitalist physicians to provide continuity of care.
Meet our surgeons
Paul E. Gaulin, M.D., FRCS
38 Years of Practice
Graduated 1974
University of Ottowa Faculty of Medicine
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Stanley D. Pense, M.D.
30 Years of Practice
Graduated 1982
Oregon Health and Science University
School of Medicine
Board Certified in General Surgery
Michael J. Murray, M.D.
24 Years of Practice
Graduated 1988
Hahnemann University
Board Certified in General Surgery
Thomas V. McCormick, M.D.
15 Years of Practice
Graduated 1997
University of Nevada School of Medicine
Board Certified in General Surgery
Q&A
Q: Why does HGH need four surgeons instead of just one?
A: We know from experience that it is impossible for one surgeon to staff the hospital 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. While it is true that some surgeries can be scheduled, others are emergencies. If HGH only has one surgeon and that person is not available, then the patient must be transported to Reno. With four surgeons, we will always have a surgeon on staff, regardless of the hour or the day. Of course, there are some surgeries HGH cannot perform due to their specialized nature, but we are excited to offer two fully equipped surgical suites to meet all our patients' vascular and obstetrical surgical needs.
Q: I hear people say that the hospital transfers a lot of people out of Winnemucca to larger hospitals in Reno. Am I going to get transferred if I have surgery at HGH?
A: No. At times there are complications beyond our control and patients must be transferred to a more specialized hospital environment, but if you have sugery at HGH, our plan is to keep you at HGH, provide you with excellent pre- and post-operative care and, when we are assured that you are well enough to travel, release you to drive minutes (not hours) to your home.
Q: I'm worried that I might not always be able to see my preferred surgeon.
A: That is a valid concern. The mere mention of surgery certainly causes anxiety, and not working with a trusted surgeon can heighten that level of discomfort. That being said, we assure you that Drs. Gaulin, McCormick, Murray and Pense are all excellent surgeons who truly do care about their patients, regardless of their physical geography. They work together as a team. All patients are patients of the team and are treated with the compassionate and respectful care they deserve.
Q: Why didn't HGH recruit a general surgeon instead of hiring a "rent-a-doc?"
A: We did recruit a general surgeon . . . four of them! Our surgeons are not "rent-a docs"; they are fully credentialed members of the HGH staff. They are our partners in meeting the surgery needs of our local residents. If one or more of them eventually decides to move to Winnemucca, that would be wonderful. But their permanent address has no bearing on their abilities or their level of caring.
Make an appointment
To schedule an appointment for a surgical consult, please call (775) 623-5222, ext. 1294. Patients do not need a referral from their primary physician.
Visiting physicians
Humboldt General Hospital welcomes a variety of specialty surgeons who perform outpatient procedures in gynecology, ear, nose and throat, orthopedics, podiatry, ophthalmology, gastroenterology and more. For a full listing of visiting physicians and their schedule for the month, please click here.