Friday, November 1, 2024
As we embark on a new month, we’d like to take a moment to express our deepest appreciation for the unwavering dedication and hard work of our medical staff. Over the past few weeks, we have witnessed our community’s resilience and the incredible efforts of our team in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. During this challenging time, the sense of unity and perseverance across Mission Hospital has been truly inspiring. In this edition, we are honored to spotlight Dr. Adam Kaufman, whose extraordinary commitment to patient care during the storm’s aftermath stood out in a profound way. In the face of widespread power outages and disrupted communications, Dr. Kaufman identified a critical gap in the care for patients with acute fractures treated in outlying emergency rooms who were unable to receive timely follow-up care. He acted immediately, reviewing records across multiple facilities and personally contacted each patient to ensure they received the attention they needed. His relentless dedication during the first week post-storm, despite significant personal and logistical challenges, brought much-needed reassurance and continuity of care to those affected.
Dr. Kaufman’s actions remind us that in times of crisis, compassion and determination are just as important as clinical expertise. His leadership and selflessness have had a profound impact on both our hospital and the community. In light of his remarkable contributions, we asked Dr. Kaufman to share more about himself with colleagues at Mission Hospital to give us the opportunity to know more about the physician behind this exemplary service.
Join us in thanking and celebrating Dr. Kaufman!
Phil & Olu
Dr. Adam Kaufman: Compassion in the Eye of the Storm What inspired you to specialize in Orthopedic surgery, and what key highlights from your career have shaped your approach to this field?
Like a lot of ortho guys, I grew up playing sports. Got a lot of exposure to Orthopedics with that. I worked in construction on weekends and summers and really enjoyed that. My parents are both in medicine so I always knew I wanted to take care of patients. I went to Harvard for medical school which heightened my interest in Orthopedics.I went to Duke for residency, which was fantastic – really got excited about trauma and living in the Southeast. I was at Shock Trauma in Baltimore for ortho trauma fellowship, which was a great year seeing the worst of the worst traumas. Why did you choose to practice at Mission Hospital?
I wanted to be a part of a great trauma team with the ability to take care of a variety of injuries (high energy poly-trauma, geriatric fracture care, athletic injuries, pediatric injuries and post-traumatic issues). Mission has a fantastic, well-developed trauma program and the practice is well-supported, affording a great quality of life. Asheville is also a great place to raise a family.Can you describe your experience as an orthopedic surgeon during the recovery efforts after Hurricane Helene? What challenges did you face, and how did it impact your approach to patient care?
Hurricane Helene brought a lot of challenges with complex injuries and limited resources. I think administration and the OR leadership did a great job of garnering resources, triaging patients and providing incredible care during a difficult time. It was an amazing experience to watch everyone come together in a time of crisis.Outside of your professional life, what personal interests or hobbies do you enjoy?
My family and I are big into the outdoors – rockhounding, hiking, fishing, running. I am an Eagle Scout and my two boys are both into Scouting, so I participate heavily with our troop. We are regular volunteers at the WNC Rescue Mission and are active in the Jewish community. Most importantly, I am a huge Philadelphia sports fan.