Leads on doctor front reported

As the calendar year winds down, the search for a family practice physician for the community continues. At Monday’s Humboldt County Memorial Hospital (HCMH) Board of Trustees meeting, HCMH Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jim Atty reported that the Unity Point – Humboldt Physician’s Clinic and HCMH are in talks with a prospective candidate that was located by Steve Gibson, recruiter with the Trinity Regional Medical Center. Atty told the board that there are a lot of pieces to the puzzle of recruiting a new physician and finding the right fit, where both parties are happy. Atty said the young doctor has come for interviews at both Fort Dodge and Humboldt and was given a tour of the community. “He is looking for a well-run practice where he can grow,” Atty said. “Only two resumes have come across our desk. We are still talking to recruiters and exploring all avenues. It’s pretty slim pickings right now (for physicians),” Atty said. He said Humboldt does now qualify as a medically underserved area. There is a program through the National Health Service Corps where loans to attend medical school are forgiven if a doctor will commit to a medically underserved area for a period of three years. For more news on the hospital, subscribe to the print or electronic edition of The Humboldt Independent.