“ By living and working in the community,
I hope to bring consistency and trust to
people for their medical care.”
Adree Venatta, MD
After graduating as valedictorian from Cumberland High School,
Dr. Venatta received a bachelor of science in cellular and molecular
biology from Bradley University in Peoria in 2005. A month prior to
starting medical school at Southern Illinois University, she married,
Jacob Venatta, a high school classmate. “It was a busy time!” she
said. Dr. Venatta and her husband had their first son two weeks
before she graduated from medical school in 2009.
Welcoming
Dr. Adree Venatta
Family Practitioner
Family Physician Adree (Long) Venatta, MD, may be one of the
newest doctors at Sarah Bush Lincoln, but she’s a familiar face
to the people of Cumberland County.
Dr. Venatta grew up in Toledo, and she looks forward to
reconnecting with and caring for people at the SBL Toledo
Clinic. She will also travel to the SBL Casey Clinic, where
she will work with Nurse Practitioner Diana Oakley, APN,
to provide care. Dr. Venatta returns to the community after
providing medical care for five years at Family Healthcare of
Hoopeston, where she also offered obstetric care and delivered
babies at Gibson Area Hospital.
“It’s kind of fun to move back,” she said, adding that she’s
excited to raise her two sons in her close-knit hometown. “By
living and working in the community, I hope to bring some
consistency and trust to people for their medical care,” she said.
Dr. Venatta doesn’t recall a specific moment in her life when she
decided to become a doctor – the first in her family – but she
always knew something about it appealed to her. “I thought the
science was fascinating and intellectually challenging, but I also
wanted to do something with people. Medicine just seemed like
a natural fit for me,” she said.
During medical school, Dr. Venatta discovered that she enjoyed
different aspects of all specialties and decided to pursue family
medicine. “I like the fact that family medicine integrates many of the
specialties. You have to know a little bit about everything, because
you have to take care of all types of people – from the young and
healthy to the older people who often have many different medical
issues,” she said.
Dr. Venatta completed a three-year residency in family medicine at
University of Illinois College of Medicine in Peoria, with a special
focus in women’s health and obstetrics. “I like being able to combine
maternity care as part of family medicine. I felt like I could take
better care of mom if I was also able to take care of her kids,” she
said. She gained experience caring for women throughout their
pregnancies at a rural maternity care clinic in Havana. “I particularly
enjoyed taking care of people in a rural community, and I think it
helped prepare me for practicing in a rural environment,” she said.
While it was challenging completing a residency as a new mom
herself, it also helped prepare her as a doctor. “It helped me become
a better caretaker, especially of the kids. As a mom myself, I’m able
to give that first-hand advice as well as provide medical advice,” she
said.
Dr. Venatta is most excited about the prospect of establishing
new relationships and being part of the community, although she
no longer provides obstetrical care. “I enjoy building long-term
relationships and educating people about all aspects of healthcare. I
especially like helping people with chronic diseases understand how
we can work together to improve their condition and seeing them
grow and take better care of themselves. I see myself as their guide,
and I like to do a lot of shared decision making,” she said.
To make an appointment with Dr. Venatta, call the SBL Toledo Clinic at 217-849-3151,
or the SBL Casey Clinic at 217-932-4061, or go to www.sarahbush.org.
8 healthstyles
november 2017