September 17, 2009

Turlock, Emanuel Medical Center now has an infectious disease physician on staff to assist other doctors in diagnosing difficult patient cases. Alexander Evens, DO, who began work in September, is the hospital's first Medical Director for Infection Control and also has a solo practice.

"The majority of infectious disease is inpatient-based," he says. "Cases are essentially complicated infections that the primary care physician does not feel experienced in treating."

Dr. Evens adds that the "interesting thing about infection control is that it crosses over all specialties. Any organ system can be involved. Every internist, pediatrician or orthopedic surgeon could potentially have a complicated infection in a patient.

Cases can be challenging and hidden. Dr. Evens sifts through the patient's history to look for clues. He jokes that it is somewhat similar to the medical TV series "House."

"Sometimes a few clues will help you uncover something interesting," he says. "Unfortunately, infections are one of the main reasons why people are hospitalized. They can get complicated and be difficult to diagnose and treat. Oftentimes consulting with an infectious disease physician will help get a good handle on the problem early, which can minimize the complications and decrease hospital stay length."

Dr. Evens received a BS in 2000 from UC San Diego and he earned a DO in 2004 from Midwestern University's Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at UC Irvine Medical Center, VA Long Beach Healthcare System, and Long Beach Memorial Medical Center. He also pursued his fellowship training at UC Irvine, and he was awarded a Pfizer infectious diseases fellowship scholarship in 2007 and an ICAAC Fellows Grant in 2008.

"I selected infection control as my specialty based on the sheer number of interesting cases," he says. "It is complex and challenging with interesting diagnoses and pathophysiology. It is not the most glamorous or well-paid specialty; it mainly involves my thinking and few procedures. But that is what makes it fun. Oftentimes you get a complex case and the infectious disease doctor can make a difference by finding a problem that will indicate a different course of treatment. That is the most gratifying part of it."

Dr. Evens' office is located in The Tower Health & Wellness Center, 1801 Colorado Avenue, Suite 150, Turlock. He can be reached at (209) 216-3318.