Emergency Physicians MonthlyThe Last Shift

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Dr. Greg Henry’s final emergency department shift at Chelsea Community Hospital marked the end of a remarkable 42-year medical career. The article provides an intimate look at his last eight hours of clinical practice, highlighting his methodical approach to patient care and his lasting impact on emergency medicine.

Key Points:

• Dr. Henry’s career began in the late 1960s at Detroit’s Wayne County General Hospital, predating dedicated emergency medicine residencies. His 21-year tenure as ED director at Beyer Hospital in Ypsilanti, Michigan, shaped his perspective on serving underserved populations.
• Throughout his career, Dr. Henry maintained a rigorous personal standard, including a “white coat ritual” that reminded him of his responsibility to represent the practice of medicine rather than himself.
• His accomplishments include serving as ACEP president in 1995, editing the College’s medical/legal textbook, and becoming one of only two Americans to receive the Maurice Ellis Lectureship at Cambridge.
• During his final shift, Dr. Henry demonstrated his clinical acumen by identifying a rare Horner’s Syndrome case in a patient with an undiagnosed mediastinal tumor who had previously sought care at multiple institutions.
• His last patient encounter exemplified his dedication to thorough examination and patient care – a 16-year-old with migraine symptoms received a complete neurological workup and a commemorative gift marking the occasion.

“I am both loved and hated. If you’re not a little bit of both, you probably didn’t say anything at all.”
– Dr. Greg Henry

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