The Rumor Mill

I’m always amazed at the power of the spoken word and how rapidly news can spread through a grapevine. Many people who use GRMC have shared their frustrations and disappointment with me about recent physician departures. I appreciate hearing from anyone who wants to visit with me about questions or concerns they have about the medical center.

A frequent comment I hear is, “all the doctors are leaving.” Well, in reality not all the doctors are leaving. Yes, we have seen several come and go over the past few years for a variety of reasons. And many of these reasons, such as better income opportunities, wanting to be on call less often, cultural challenges, living in a rural area, are some of the same reasons fewer medical students are choosing to go into family practice in a small town.

The fact is GRMC has an excellent medical staff committed to the medical center and the community. With nearly 70 credentialed staff, we still have more physicians than the typical hospital. This includes 34 active physicians, 14 visiting specialists, nine mid-level providers such as physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and five affiliated providers.

Here’s a good news story to pass along. Dr. Ken Whipple and Dr. Kevin Emge, two highly-qualified anesthesiologists will begin practicing at GRMC late summer and early fall, respectively. Dr. Bojan Pavlovic, a pain management specialist, will begin practicing at GRMC within the next two months. We just recently welcomed three new physician assistants, Kristin Leonard, Sarah Feddersen, and Jarrod Phelps. We are delighted to welcome these professionals to GRMC not only for their expertise but they meet specific needs for our patients and community expectations.

We continue to recruit for a variety of physicians to fill our current needs. This includes orthopedics, internal medicine, and obstetrics/gynecology. Believe me, when I can share more good news with you, I will. And, I hope that you will help me get it on the rumor mill.

The postings on this site are my own and don’t necessarily represent GRMC’s positions, strategies, or opinions.