Team Spotlight:
Jon Gray, MD | Emergency Department Medical Director, Professional Emergency Medicine Management (PEMM)
February 27, 2024
Emergency Care Partners (ECP) is excited to spotlight Jon Gray, MD, from our Louisiana-based partner group, Professional Emergency Medicine Management (PEMM). Dr. Gray is a board-certified emergency medicine physician, a founding clinical leader of PEMM, and currently serves as the Emergency Department Medical Director at Lake Charles Memorial Hospital (LCMH). He completed his medical degree and residency at Louisiana State University (LSU) School of Medicine.
Clinical Leadership Experience in Emergency Medicine
Dr. Gray’s commitment to LCMH and the community of Lake Charles is evidenced by his continued participation and service on various committees and advisory boards. As an emergency medicine physician, Dr. Gray has served on many committees, including the LCMH’s Patient Care Committee, ER Committee (chairman), Medical Executive Committee, Patient Advocacy /Service Excellence Committee, Physician Advisory Committee, IT Committee, and Pharm & Therapeutics Committee. Dr. Gray has been the Clinical Professor for his alma mater, LSU Family Medicine Residents since 2002. In additional to hospital-based committees and residency oversight, Dr. Gray is the Medical Director of the LCMH Stroke Center and the Lake Charles Municipal airport, Iowa, Louisiana Fire Department, as well as Ward 2 and Ward 8 Fire Departments. In response to the opioid crisis, Dr. Gray participated in the development and implementation of the “Louisiana Bridge Opioid” Program for Region V of Louisiana to provide continuity of care, compassionate substance use disorder treatment options, and post-discharge resources for recovery. Dr. Gray actively participates in the “Sudden Impact” program for local high schools. He has supported this cause for many years as it offers a unique and insightful experience to educate teems on the impact of impaired and distracted driving.
Interview with Dr. Gray
Q: When did you decide to become a physician?
As a child, I was always a science nerd. My parents bought me a chemistry set and a microscope for Christmas during middle school. My love for the sciences continues to grow. During junior high school, I participated in the “Medical Explorers” club, which, during that time, exposed young kids to a hospital environment, and we’d take a tour each month in a different department of the hospital. I remember during my last year of high school, I asked my dad for some advice. I told him I wanted to be a doctor or an airline pilot. His advice was “Well, if you become a doctor, you can always afford to take flight lessons on the side, but if you’re a pilot, you won’t have time to go to medical school.” So, I minored in chemistry and biology when attending McNeese State University and received my pre-medical degree. I attended LSU Medical School in New Orleans and completed my residency there as well, and that’s where I first met Dr. Shammi Kataria (President and Founder of PEMM).
Q: What is your favorite part about working with Professional Emergency Medicine Management (PEMM) and Emergency Care Partners (ECP)?
When PEMM was newly founded, I received a call from a Lake Charles Memorial Hospital executive member asking if I’d be interested in becoming the medical director. I instantly said yes, and it’s been an amzing experience taking a highly broken emergency department, fixing all the pieces, and making it as efficient as possible while still providing excellent health care to our patients. Becoming a partner of PEMM made me even more vested in the hospital’s and the company’s success, as I was also part of the business. Partnerships are key to getting everyone on board because they instantly become owners, which changes everything. I have also met some of the most talented people I know within the PEMM/ECP arena. It’s been a true privilege to get to know these folks and develop great friendships.
Q: Outside of work, how do you like to spend your time?
Outside of work, I enjoy good food and wine. I’m currently building in wine country, North Sonoma, California, to start dabbling in the wine business. I also enjoy woodworking and painting. I’ve recently discovered my inner artistic talent, which has been a great stress reliever from work. I hope to do more international travel soon.
About Professional Emergency Medicine Management (PEMM):
Community hospitals face unique emergency department challenges, and PEMM provides solutions specifically designed to address evolving clinical and business needs. PEMM offers data-driven management, true physician leadership, and real expertise in emergency department services – exploring the complete extent of the efficiency process. The process improvement strategies are based on proven lean methodologies and transparent, collaborative relationships with hospitals and physicians. Our services aim to enhance patient satisfaction by making visits faster and more efficient. The goal is to remain small and focused, allowing them to provide tailored services to EDs and work together with staff to drive metrics.
About Emergency Care Partners (ECP):
Emergency Care Partners (ECP) is a leading provider of emergency medicine and emergency department management services for hospitals across the U.S. with current operations in, Arizona, Florida, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, and Illinois. ECP currently sees more than 1.4M patient visits annually, and is supported by a clinical workforce of 1,000+ physicians and mid-level providers. ECP employs a differentiated model relative to other platforms in the industry, highlighted by the ability to maintain ownership through its physician partnership model and for regional/local groups to maintain their branding and clinical autonomy while benefitting from ECP’s national resources.
Contact our team to learn more about our physician leaders or partnership and career opportunities with one of our partner groups.