their health care. I want every patient to feel they can ask questions so we can work together to accomplish their health care goals. What are some of your hobbies? I enjoy being outside, fishing, hiking with our dog and spending time with our children. I also enjoy traveling and shopping for antiques. What drew you to Kootenai Health? I have worked at Kootenai Health as a registered nurse for eight years and knew that after finishing my graduate degree, I wanted to continue to be part of the Kootenai Health family. I love serving the people in the community I live in. Although we are constantly growing and expanding to meet the needs of our community, Kootenai remains a place that strives to always put patients first. We are always improving to ensure each patient gets exceptional care. What is your favorite healthy tip? Get outdoors, even if it’s just for a few minutes each day! It is so important, not only for our physical health but also our mental well-being. Schedule an appointment: Call (208) 625-4515. James Fallin, M.D. Emergency medicine Tell us a bit about you and your family. My wife and I are both from West Virginia. We met while I was in medical school and married prior to my residency. We have three children, the oldest of which is 5, and we’ll probably call it there based on our current fatigue levels. Why did you pick your specialty? I had different plans going into medical school and actually had no real idea what an ER doctor was until the middle of my third year. At that point I was rotating through a specialty that had me see their patients as they came through the emergency room, and I really gravitated to the environment and the people there. Chaotic environments and emergent situations strangely seem to make me focus more. I ended up switching to ER rotations and really enjoying it. What can patients expect when they first meet with you? I tend to meet patients for the first time in some of their worst moments and often after long waits, but I really try to make those situations less confusing and hectic, while being as honest as I can be about what we have found. What are some of your hobbies? I really enjoy anything water-related. I grew up fishing and water skiing with my grandparents and continue to enjoy doing so with my kids. I love kayaking, especially remote white-water rivers and mountain lakes. I tend to sneak in some skiing when it snows, and my wife would say I am a bit obsessed with basketball and the Green Bay Packers. I have been known to hide in the basement to read historical fiction and science fiction books. What drew you to Kootenai Health? I had been out to ski in the area in the past and found out about the hospital while I was here. Over the past three years, we have been looking for job openings in the area. After interviewing, we really appreciated the community feel of the hospital and the way the staff members seemed to interact with each other. I had been practicing at a large hospital system that tended to make the patients and staff feel forgotten in the big picture. What is your favorite healthy tip? More and more, I think movement is key. I have a weird schedule as we rotate shifts in the ER, so sleep is often a challenge. While this isn’t ideal, I always feel better and have better mental health if I dedicate at least 15 minutes to some type of exercise. The change for me with a family now is realizing “exercise” may not be 60 minutes to go to the gym, but instead being creative and fitting it in where I can. I try to include my kids as much as possible so they build healthy habits as well—plus it wears them out. I may be the weirdo doing pull-ups with toddlers at the playground or randomly walking my dog at 1 a.m. after an evening shift. KH . ORG 11
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