Baxter Regional Medical Center Fights to Bring Pediatricians to Mountain Home

MOUNTAIN HOME - Dr. Michael Adkins is going to be feeling a little lonely come July 15. That's when the only other pediatrician in Mountain Home, Dr. Perry Wilbur, is shutting down his practice, getting married and moving to Fayetteville. At that point, Adkins will be the only pediatrician in Mountain Home, a situation officials at Baxter Regional Medical Center say they are working to rectify. The Baxter Bulletin reports that two candidates have already been interviewed in the past two weeks for pediatrician positions at the hospital, officials there said, with the hope of hiring at least two pediatricians in the next two years. "I know it won't happen overnight, but I know we're gonna try to get somebody here as quickly as possible," Ron Peterson, president and CEO of Baxter Regional Medical Center, said. Candidates' names won't be released yet, he added. BRMC doesn't have a timeframe to hire. A pediatrician can provide care to at least 2,000 children. Contracts vary, but a normal one will last two years. The hospital prefers candidates looking for a small town, such as Mountain Home, Peterson said, and who is willing to commit long-term. The ability to provide high-quality care to patients is a must. "I just want people to know that we are out there working hard to find a pediatrician, and we will find one," Peterson said. The issue takes a bigger stage There's a shortage of pediatricians across the country, especially in rural areas. Officials stressed there are...
Source: Arkansas Business - Health Care - Category: American Health Source Type: news