OTTUMWA —
Getting a doctor’s appointment can be tough in rural America. Ottumwa is no different — yet.
“Most of the primary care physicians essentially have a ‘closed’ practice,” said Beth Davis, director of physician practice at Ottumwa Regional Health Center. “Which means no new patients.”
But Davis and others in the community are trying to increase the number of doctors in town.
The hospital’s executive director of development, Suzie Wood, has been on the state website.
“It shows that in Ottumwa, we are 12 primary care physicians short of what we should have,” Wood said.
Recruiting goals
In fact, including specialists, ORHC is looking to fill 18 doctor positions this year. Part of the problem is that rural areas across Iowa seem to draw less interest from physicians. Wood says doctors and their families need to feel like they can make a home in Ottumwa.
“They want to know that there’s a place for them to live, a place to eat and if they’re lost, someone who will give them directions. Are the people kind? It’s not just RegionalCare [funding],” Wood said. “We have to have the community help us do that. We have to project positive images about why you want to live here. We cannot do this by ourselves.”
It’s not hard for Davis to tell physician candidates about the town.
“I’m very passionate about Ottumwa,” she said. “I live here because I want to live here, and I think the people in Ottumwa are the best people around. I’ve had so much support from everyone in the community. [Yet] as a community, everyone is well aware we have a physician shortage.”
Plan in place
In the past, when the hospital was still a nonprofit agency, she said, the board had limited resources to aggressively try bringing in more doctors.
Now that ORHC is owned by RegionalCare Inc., a for-profit business out of Brentwood, Tenn., the hospital has a “recruitment plan” with more resources to put behind the search effort.
RegionalCare has more than money to seek out new doctors. Company CEO Marty Rash once told the Courier he had a proprietary list of every physician who might be looking for a job in a new community. And, added Wood, Ottumwa Regional is the only hospital in the state that is a tax-paying business.
“We now have the backing of RegionalCare; that’s huge,” said Davis. “We’ve gotten some traction and are starting to see some success. In the last six months we’ve recruited six new physicians.”
She named the specialties as one new family practitioner who will practice out of River Hills Community Health Center, a hosptialist, two internal medicine physicians, an OB/GYN and an orthopedist are all scheduled to start this year.
Davis and Wood said there’s already room to be optimistic. In November and December, they brought 12 physician candidates in, and recently sent out offers to 11 of them.
“I feel pretty good not only about who we’ve found so far, but I feel we’re going to be successful,” Davis said.
Options for care
So when the doctor you want isn’t taking new patients, how do you get medical care?
If it is an emergency, then sure, said hospital officials, head to the Emergency Room. But there are other options. Depending on when you go to the ER and how much care the nurse determines you need, there’s a Fast Track service available for less critical care.
On the other side of the hospital, near the circular drive, the door to the right of the main entrance now leads to a medical clinic that accepts appointments. If they can’t get you in when you want, there’s a medical clinic in Eddyville that has a provider several days per week.
There are also “independent” doctors in Wapello County who accept “walk-in” patients.
“We’re also looking at opening another walk-in clinic somewhere on the south side,” said Suzie Wood at Ottumwa Regional Health Center. “We’ll have more details in 30 days.”
