FAST FACTS

Hometown: Lexington, Ky.

Family: Wife Jennifer Dossett, 3 kids Neko (13), Robbie (9) and Charlotte (8)

Hobbies: Most of the time outside of work and family time I will have podcasts or music going in my headphones.

Education: University of Kentucky (UK) for undergraduate (Biology major with an Economic minor), UK Medical School and Internal Medicine residency at Ohio State University.

Three words my coworkers use to describe me: Hardworking, thoughtful and dedicated.

Three items on my desk: A stack of books in my “to read pile”, a picture of me and then candidate Barack Obama from residency, and a bottle of Maker’s Mark celebrating the 1996 UK basketball championship.

Outside the office, you’ll likely find me: hanging out with my family.

Favorite vacation spot: My favorite place on earth is Yosemite National Park in California and I hope to get back soon.

Way to unwind after a long day: On the couch with my wife.

Medical News: Why did you become a doctor?

Lee Dossett: My interest in medicine started at a young age but came naturally as I had no immediate family members in medical professions. I had a strong inclination and talent in math and science, and as I grew older, I developed more interest in the humanities. Medicine seemed like the best opportunities to combine those fields.

Being a physician allows me the chance to practice evidence-based medicine while at the same time trying to make a human connection with a patient and try to improve their circumstance.

MN: Why did you choose this specialty?

LD: I chose to become a hospitalist because that is what I was most comfortable with coming out of my internal medicine residency. Most of that training is hospital based, and while I enjoyed the continuity of a clinic, I like the medical acuity and complexity of a hospitalized patient.

MN: Is it different than what you thought? How?

LD: Coming out of training I didn’t appreciate how much being a hospitalist goes beyond taking care of the patient in front of you. While that is always the first priority, I soon learned that the hospitalist job description included things like mastering the concepts of value-based healthcare and population health. We also bring value to a hospital or system by optimizing patient throughput, length of stay, readmissions, and decreasing healthcare utilization in the acute care setting.

MN: What is the biggest misconception about your field?

LD: The biggest misconception would be that we are “just shift workers” and have no real ownership or continuity with a patient. The best hospitalists can establish that connection with a patient or family in a short amount of time.

MN: What is the one thing you wish patients knew about doctors?

LD: As a hospitalist I frequently deal with ill patients and have difficult talks with patients and families. Sometimes these conversations are challenging for folks to receive. I wish that everyone realized that all doctors are simply trying to do what is best for the patient just like the family is, even if those ideas sometimes conflict with each other.

MN: What’s the best advice you ever received? Who gave it to you? 

LD: I’ve heard it from many places, but the best advice in medicine I’ve gotten is “Take care of the patient and everything else will follow.”

MN: How do you go the extra mile, above and beyond your daily tasks to improve patient care, community health or hospital operations?

LD: I have served on the Lexington-Fayette County Board of Health since 2017. It is a small way to give back to the community. I have also recently become more involved in healthcare advocacy in order to influence legislation to create better health outcomes in my patients.