The departure of one of two full-time obstetricians in Dickinson prompted St. Joseph's Hospital and Health Care Center, the Great Plains Clinic and Dickinson Clinic to come together to provide an interim solution until another full-time staff member arrives. As a result, St. Joe's CEO Claudia Eisenmann said this marks the first time the administration from the three entities have shared the cost of staffing.
Dr. Darrell Zeller's departure earlier this year left Dickinson with only Dr. Tom Arnold as the remaining obstetrician to serve the region and provide coverage at St. Joe's Emergency Room.
"What we have done is the clinics and I are working collaboratively together that when the one obstetrician is out of town, we make sure we have someone here to cover," Eisenmann said. "The public does not have to worry about obstetric coverage in Dickinson."
There were rumors circulating in the community in recent weeks that obstetric services would no longer be offered at St. Joe's due to losing Zeller, but that is not the case.
Eisenmann said she and the clinic administrators understand they are all important parts of the health care continuum that serves Dickinson and the southwestern region.
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"There is none of us who are an exclusive agent in providing health care in this community," she said. "Certainly, every one of us has a slightly different way that we do things because of our unique businesses and business strategies."
Eisenmann said an individual who is completing obstetrics studies is already preparing to come to Dickinson next year to again give the community two full-time obstetricians.
This type of proactive collaboration is what residents of the region expect from our primary health care providers. It is a positive indication that they take their responsibilities seriously and are concerned about meeting the needs of those who are their primary consumers.
