Medical practice closing after 50 years service
Community Health & Wellness Partners to offer patients uninterrupted care
 |
Oakhill Medical Associates, 4879 S. U.S. Route 68, West Liberty, will close after business hours Monday, Feb. 29, after more than 50 years of continuous service to Logan County and the surrounding counties.
As of Tuesday, March 1, Community Health & Wellness Partners of Logan County, also currently located at the facility, will assume custody of all medical records of Oakhill Medical Associates, as previously reported in the Examiner.
“Oakhill Medical Associates wishes to express gratitude to Logan and surrounding counties,” representatives said in a press release. “It has been a true honor, privilege and pleasure to serve our patients.
“As each of the physicians transition, we hope that you will find your continued healthcare smooth and uninterrupted.”
Dr. Roger Kauffman will retire from Oakhill Medical Associates on the closing date for the practice. He came to Logan County in 1980 and served his patients for nearly 36 years. He was named the Ohio Family Physician of the year in 2010.
He and his wife, Rachel, have raised three sons and have five grandchildren. Dr. Kauffman expresses great appreciation for his time at Oakhill and is looking forward to his retirement.
Beginning Tuesday, Dr. Charles Kratz and Dr. Kenneth Miller will join Community Health and Wellness Partners of Logan County, with offices located at 4879 S. U.S. Route 68, West Liberty, and 8200 State Route 366, Suite 1, Russells Point in the Aries Medical Center.
Drs. Kratz and Miller look forward to providing continuing care for their patients in the same initial location.
“We are very excited about the potential that our organization has with Drs. Kratz and Miller joining our staff,” said Tara Bair, president/CEO of Community Health. “Both physicians have served our community with integrity and quality patient care. It truly is an honor that they have chosen to bring their practice to our health center.”
|
ROSTER OF OAKHILL PHYSICIANS
■ Paul Hooley, 1965-1989 |
CHWP is a federally qualified health center and just was awarded a Service Area Competition grant for continued funding. Its mission is to serve as community partners in healthcare by providing economic-based, whole person, whole community primary care to the citizens of Logan County for long-term health and wellness. All patients regardless of ability to pay are welcome. The practice accepts most payers as well as under-insured, uninsured and self-pay. A sliding fee scale based on income also is available.
They join Drs. Anna Kauffman and Brian Schmidt; CNPs Breanna Detrick, Amanda Lollini, Oralea Pittman and Betsy Zile; CNP-PCMH Kelly Lehman; and CNM Lisa Smithers.
Community Health also has a primary care pharmacist on staff and offers chronic care management services, discounted drug pharmacy program, family planning and obstetrical care, behavioral health support and treatment for substance abuse, case management services and the ability to view lab and test results through the electronic patient portal.
“Oakhill Medical Associates has served this community for 50 years, with a reputation second to none,” Ms. Bair said. “Past and present Oakhill physicians have set the standard and often raised the bar for other private physician practices in this community.”
Dr. Ryan Kauffman left Oakhill Medical Associates in December to start Hickory Medical Direct Primary Care, which is to be located at 208 W. Columbus Ave., Bellefontaine. More information about Hickory Medical is available at www.hickorydpc.com or call 404-2488.
Oakhill Medical Associates began as a vision of Dr. Paul Hooley and West Liberty businessmen. It originally was meant to be a two-person practice, but it became a medical center.
Aug. 5, 1965, Dr. Hooley and Dr. Glen Miller opened the practice. They were joined by Dr. Harry Graber in 1966 and Dr. Donald Wyse in 1967.
In 1971, Oakhill became one of the first medical practices in Ohio to incorporate, and in 1973, pediatrics and internal medicine were added.
During 1977, Dr. Graber left Oakhill to pursue cardiology, and later started Cardiology Associates, which is now the OSU Heart Center.
In 1984, the practice was split into individual specialties, creating Oakhill Medical Associates, Madriver Internal Medicine and Bellefontaine Pediatrics.
During the 1980s, Oakhill expanded into Bellefontaine and East Liberty. Oakhill added its first fax machine in 1989 and computerized practice management in 1990.
By 1994, the East Liberty office was closed and the Bellefontaine office was sold.
The current building was remodeled and expanded during 1994. In 1997, respiratory therapy services were added, and two years later, diabetic teaching was started.
In 1998, Dr. Longenecker opened Madriver Family Practice, which was an OSU-and-Mary-Rutan-Hospital-sponsored rural family practice residency.
In 2012, the switch was made from paper charts to electronic health records. Last year, Oakhill Medical Associates became a Diabetes NCQA recognized practice and a level 3 certified Patient Centered Medical Home.
Over the years, Oakhill has offered its physicians the option of taking a sabbatical from medical practice. These sabbaticals have been used to either further medical education or to pursue service opportunities, which have included mission experiences in Africa, Asia, Central America, the Caribbean and with the Indian Health Services.
Oakhill physicians have also served as emergency room physicians, county health commissioners, hospice directors, nursing home directors, presidents of the Mary Rutan medical staff and board members of various medical bodies.
To learn more about Community Health & Wellness Partners of Logan County, visit www.chwplc.org or call 599-1411.