Being a physician is demanding, but the Genesis Medical Group makes it easier. “Sometimes called the Physician Network, we’re essentially a group of nearly 200 physicians and almost 200 advanced practice providers (APPs) led by Genesis HealthCare System,” said Genesis Chief Medical Officer Scott Wegner, M.D., Fellowship-trained and Board-certified Oncologist. “We’re committed to the Genesis mission, to provide compassionate, exceptional and affordable healthcare.” 

Unlike private practice groups, medical groups have no individual economic incentives. The Genesis Medical Group’s sole focus is to provide the best medical care. “We’re a cooperative group that works well with each other to help our patients. It’s a great organization,” Dr. Wegner said. 

“As opposed to a lot of hospitals that interact with privately employed physician groups, we have alignment with our physician group, and that is critical,” said Physician Network Chief Operating Officer Chris Schoelles, R.N. “It allows us to do things other systems can’t do.” 

Providers only focus on patients 

“At Genesis, physicians can focus on their patients while the administrators take care of the staff, the building and everything else,” said Schoelles. “That’s a huge difference because it allows our physicians to do what they do best -- care for patients.” 

Dr. Wegner said physicians in private practice see their patients and then do the payroll, work with insurance companies, code and bill and ensure the staff is happy. 

“Due to our model and success, we only recruit and retain the highest quality physicians and APPs.” – Scott Wegner M.D. 

“All I have to do when I’m a Genesis-employed physician is take care of patients because the Genesis administrative team takes care of the rest,” he said. 

Dr. Wegner said it’s a nationally evolving trend that many physicians want the opportunity to care for patients without distractions. “When I came here 12 years ago, there was only a handful of employed physicians,” he said. “We made a commitment to grow the group to become a patient-focused, mission-driven medical group.” 

The Genesis Medical Group is an attractive place to work. “Due to our model and success, we only recruit and retain the highest quality physicians and APPs,” Dr. Wegner said. 

The key to a medical group’s success is the dyad partnership, whereby physicians assume primary responsibility for the organization’s clinical vision, and administrators support that vision. “In all phases of our group, in all specialties, we have partnerships between physicians and talented administrators,” Dr. Wegner said. 

 Leading the way is the Medical Group Leadership Team, composed of physicians from all specialties. It charts the course for the medical group’s operations. 

“We provide high quality, technically advanced care to the highest degree in Zanesville. That’s a huge accomplishment,” Schoelles said. 

“No matter where Dr. Wegner and I go together, we’ll run into one of his grateful patients. It’s always heart-warming to see that level of engagement in a community hospital,” Schoelles said. “I’ve worked other places, and that’s not always what happens.” 

Providing accessible care to rural communities 

The Genesis Medical Group is growing because the health system is expanding into Perry County, Coshocton and Cambridge. 

“Our expansion into rural areas that need care the most is a challenge for most medical groups,” Schoelles said. “We’ve done extremely well recruiting, retaining and allowing physicians to go to those areas in need and establish successful practices.” 

Schoelles said by moving into rural areas, Genesis is able to provide care to families that previously did not have easy access to healthcare and may not have seen a doctor in years. “That’s a big step forward,” he said. “We can help so many more people.”