p e o p l e
New hope in Newtown
Rural health found her
M
W
ith the Sarasota Memorial Hospital Internal Medicine
Practice in Newtown prepared to welcome its first
patients the next day, its first class of 13 new residents
stood in front of a crowd of nearly 250 at the grand
opening ceremony on July 5.
The excited crowd included, most importantly, community residents
familiar with a serious physician shortage. All came to celebrate a clinic
focusing on Sarasota’s underserved Newtown neighborhood.
“We have everyone coming together from the city, the county, the
donors, and we just really appreciate everyone. Nothing like this happens
overnight. It takes years of planning,” said David Verinder, CEO of
y involvement in rural health began in Arizona working
on the Hopi Reservation.... I learned a lot about the lack
Sarasota Memorial Health System.
The new residency program at the clinic reinforces the med school’s
of health resources, the social determinants of health ... and mission to address the physician shortage in the state. Residents tend to
their impact on health and mental health problems, and end up practicing near where they complete residency training, amplifying
what it means to not have primary care locally available. (Ask me about the
dog that bit me on my first visit to Second Mesa.) It’s not that I originally
the clinic’s value to the community.
“This is yet another proud moment for the relationship we established with
pursued rural health academically or professionally; rural health just kind of Sarasota Memorial Hospital back in 2005 when we brought one of our six
found me and I found a ‘home’ in which I could make a difference.” regional campuses to this community,” said Alma Littles, senior associate dean
So said Gail Bellamy after being honored with the Florida Rural Health
for medical education and academic affairs at the College of Medicine. “Having
Association’s Wendell Rollason Award, which salutes “compassion, unselfishness grown up in an underserved community myself and practiced medicine in one,
and commitment in seeking solutions in the delivery of rural health care.” it warms my heart to see this clinic being placed in an area of need.”
Bellamy, who retired in August, leaves a sizable void. In addition to teaching,
When it reaches full capacity in Year 3, the training program will enroll
she served as director of the Florida Blue Center for Rural Health Research 39 residents and by 2020 will be producing 13 new internal medicine
and Policy, served on the executive board of the American Public Health physicians a year.
Association and is past president of the National Rural Health Association.
She provided a rural perspective for various centers and programs at the College
In addition to medical care from IM residents, the facility will offer
resources focusing on access to care, health-care-related legal services,
of Medicine and across campus. Her research focused on access to quality health career readiness, job training and partnerships with other health-care
care for rural and underserved populations by way of needs assessment, program providers.
development and implementation, evaluation and policy research.
But you had to see Bellamy in action to fully appreciate what she
“Our goal is for our resident physicians to develop long-term
relationships to help their patients to reduce the risk of disease, manage
brought to the table. A nomination letter from her department chair, Les their chronic diseases and minimize ER visits and possible readmissions,”
Beitsch, captured her powers of persuasion. said Program Director Wilhelmine Wiese-Rometsch. “Our hopes extend
“Tomorrow,” the letter stated, “she heads to the Florida Capitol to
badger them relentlessly on why a rural legislative caucus is needed in our
state. If they knew her as I do, they would give in now, and save themselves
a lot of unnecessary posturing before they end up doing as she asks.”
Beitsch knew the man for whom the award is named.
“Wendell Rollason was a pillar and staunch advocate for decades in the
movement to protect and educate rural migrant farmworkers,” he said.
“He dedicated his life to this cause. Dr. Gail Bellamy is cut from the same
cloth, making health improvement for rural communities her passion and
heart-felt commitment.”
8
Founding Program Director Wilhelmine Wiese-
Rometsch and Associate Program Director Karen
Hamad (front row fourth and fifth from left)
joined new medical residents and staff at the
clinic’s grand-opening ceremony.
beyond internal medicine care. We really aim to help shape the health of
the community and reduce health disparities in this area.”