— from Lori Polevoi —

Jim Perez new emergency physician at PeaceHealth Peace Island. © 2016 Mark Turner

Jim Perez new emergency physician at PeaceHealth Peace Island. © 2016 Mark Turner

Jim Perez, MD, has joined the medical staff at PeaceHealth Peace Island Medical Center in Friday Harbor. A board certified emergency medicine physician, Perez becomes the tenth member of Peace Island’s team of emergency medicine physicians, which staffs the Emergency department around the clock, seven days a week.

Perez has a unique background that blends 28 years’ experience in emergency medicine with 21 years in law enforcement and frequent international humanitarian service trips. Most recently, he was an emergency medicine physician at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham.

He also has served as a tactical SWAT medic, reserve law enforcement officer, reserve deputy sheriff, and medical program director of Emergency Medical Services in Yakima County.

Additionally, he has completed many medical missions to remote areas of Central America.
“I strive to treat all patients like they are family,” he says, “and I enjoy spending as much time as I can to educate patients about their disease process.”

Perez looks forward to his new life on San Juan Island, where he hopes to spend more time hiking, camping, reading and creating memories with family. He has four children and six grandchildren.

PeaceHealth Peace Island Medical Center comprises a 10-bed critical access hospital, primary care and specialty clinics, a cancer center, expanded diagnostic and treatment services, an operating suite for outpatient procedures and a 24-hour emergency department. PeaceHealth Peace Island operates as part of PeaceHealth’s Northwest Network, which includes PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham, PeaceHealth United General Medical Center in Sedro-Woolley, several PeaceHealth Medical Group primary care and specialty clinics, cardiovascular and cancer centers, diagnostic laboratory and imaging services. PeaceHealth, with medical centers in Alaska, Washington and Oregon, is a not-for-profit health care system founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace in 1891.