HERMISTON, OR – When Daniel Buck, M.D., left Hermiston he never thought he’d be back. Like many young people, he had aspirations of exploring the world. However, for this Hermiston High School graduate the desire to be closer to both he and his wife’s family and the need at Good Shepherd Health Care System (GSHCS) for an emergency room (ER) physician was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.
“It truly is like coming home,” shared Dr. Buck, “My parents still live in the same house that I grew up in! Hermiston is still pretty much how I remember it – friendly and welcoming, though there are a lot more housing developments and new shopping centers than I remember as a kid, and I think that is great for our community to be actively wanting to grow.” For the Buck family, and their eight children, ranging in ages from 22-to-7-years-old, coming home will be a new life experience – especially moving from Edgewood, Kentucky where Dr. Buck just completed his Family Medicine Residency.
Dr. Buck comes to GSHCS with a lot of extensive training that has prepared him for the many diverse injuries and illnesses that he will encounter as an ER physician. When asked what particular skills he brings to the ER, Dr. Buck said, “I have a very diverse set of skills, and I believe that all of the training that I have has prepared me to care for this community. I have completed an internship in surgery, where I also had an opportunity to care for patients of a burn unit in a level I trauma center, which provides the highest level of surgical care to patients. I also have served as a certified anesthesia technician and have performed hundreds of intubations and other invasive procedures, and I also spent time in the Oregon Army National Guard as an EMT where I would triage and administer emergency treatment to soldiers.”
Although he has a very diverse skill set, what the community really wants to know is how he takes care of his patients? Poised with this question, Dr. Buck said, “I genuinely care about people, I take the time to listen and take the time to get to know my patients. The ER can be an intimidating place, but I really want our community to feel confident that when they come to the ER, they are going to get the best care I can provide.”
While not in the ER, Dr. Buck is looking forward to spending time with his family outdoors and around the mountains. “The high desert has its own beauty. As a child my grandma would take me fishing in the ponds by McNary Dam and around Hat Rock, I can’t wait to share those same fishing holes with my kids. I also enjoy all kinds of outdoor activities, but fishing is a favorite, and I can’t wait to launch a boat on the Columbia River and cast my line,” concluded Dr. Buck.
Good Shepherd Health Care System provides 24-hour emergency services in our 16 bed, four trauma bay, level III trauma center. Emergency trained physicians and nursing staff are committed to treating every patient with the highest standards of care and medical expertise. Our physicians and staff are trained to care for everything from cuts, broken bones, to life threatening events. In the event of an emergency please call 9-1-1.
#### Good Shepherd Health Care System (GSHCS) is a progressive non-profit community health system located in Hermiston, Oregon founded in 1954 by a group of well-minded community members wanting to make an impact on the community by providing health care services in the form of a fully functioning acute care hospital. Accredited by Det Norske Veritas, GSHCS has grown to provide inpatient care, emergency services, same-day surgery, health education classes and events, and a wide range of outpatient imaging and lab services. Additional services include primary and specialty care offered by the Good Shepherd Medical Group, Home Health, Good Shepherd Clinic Pharmacy (with locations in Hermiston and Boardman), Vange John Memorial Hospice, Home Medical Equipment retail outlet, and the Good Shepherd Community Health Foundation.
