University Hospitals Geauga Hospitalist Energized by Multitasking for Her Patients

UH Clinical Update | December 2024

The Mickey Mouse doctor play set was probably the first clue. Emily Chau, MD, says she remembers it as a prized toy from her childhood, helping her imagine a future career as a physician.

Emily Chau, MD

“I don't know the exact moment, but growing up, it was just something I always wanted to be,” says Dr. Chau, now in her fifth year at University Hospitals and third as a hospitalist at UH Geauga Medical Center. She previously served two years as a hospitalist at UH Ahuja.

Dr. Chau grew up locally in Orange, Ohio and completed her bachelor’s degree at Case Western Reserve University. She then traveled to the University of Southern California to pursue a master’s degree in molecular pathology, with the goal of ultimately getting a PhD. However, along the way, Dr. Chau discovered she instead wanted a career that would have more of the daily give-and-take between doctor and patient.

“I realized I like to talk to people too much and not be at a lab bench every day,” she says.

So the next stop was medical school at American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, with rotations completed in New York City, followed by residency training in family medicine back in Northeast Ohio at Summa Health.

Dr. Chau says she’s able to leverage all these different educational experiences in her work as a hospitalist at UH Geauga – even the molecular pathology.

“What they all have in common is problem-solving and thinking out of the box,” she says.

This skill is paramount in hospital medicine, she says, as is the ability to quickly adjust to changing conditions and interruptions.

“If a family comes in at any point, we have to stop what we're doing, chat with them,” she says. “If the patient decompensates, we have to stop what we're doing and check on them. It's a lot of juggling a lot of multitasking until you get all your notes done and all of your plans done for the day. You have to be ready to pivot at any moment. But I like the multitasking and running around the hospital.”

It’s this kind of dedication and flexibility that make Dr. Chau a valued colleague, says fellow UH Geauga hospitalist James Cappello, DO – as well as her hard work as a member of the team.

“Dr. Chau exemplifies all the characteristics that are necessary to be a great hospitalist and team player,” he says. “She has consistently worked hard to ensure that gaps in coverage are being filled as able, coming in to pick up additional shifts to help out the opposite work week and going above and beyond to help care for the patients at the hospital. Her professionalism working not only with patients and families but also every aspect of the healthcare team is always on display.”

In fact, UH CEO Cliff A. Megerian, MD, FACS, Jane and Henry Meyer Chief Executive Officer Distinguished Chair, recently recognized these qualities in Dr. Chau, naming her a “Dinner with the Doc” honoree.

Dr. Chau says that while work as a hospitalist is, by definition, challenging, empathy helps her keep things in perspective.

“I always view every patient like my family member,” she says. “How would I react if that was like my loved one laying in the bed? People are only difficult because they want what's best for their loved one. It’s always a good idea to put yourself in their shoes to try to see it from their side.”

To nominate a physician for this honor, click here for the Dinner with the Doc Nomination Form.