With Dr. Kerstin Beach retired from Community Memorial Hospital, many female patients are wondering if they will have to go elsewhere for women’s health issues, said Donna Armknecht, the nurse manager at the hospital. “We’re just trying to get the community aware that we have mid-level providers that can still provide care,” she said.
According to Armknecht, there are both female and male staff that can provide this care, depending on preference.
“We want to let the community know that women’s health is definitely a significant priority to the facility and make sure women’s services are available to them,” said Lisa Voorhees, the clinic operations manager for Syracuse Medical Center.
Two female nurse practitioners and one female physician’s assistant are available to provide these services. Nurse Practitioner Karen Bohaty can provide women’s services at Weeping Water Medical Center. She said Physician Assistant Melissa Tompkins is a full-time female women’s health provider in Syracuse, and Nurse Practitioner Jill Dolberg comes to Syracuse three times per month to provide women’s healthcare.
Armknecht said that Dolberg focuses on providing prenatal and postpartum care for women. Her patients deliver at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Lincoln.
“Jill would love to see more people down here,” Armknecht said. “She just started in January and she’s excited to expand her services and role down here.”
CMH and the Syracuse Medical Center are emphasizing the role that physician’s assistants and nurse practitioners play.
“Nurse practitioners and physician’s assistants can provide the same services as a doctor can within our scope of practice,” Voorhees said.
Tompkins wanted people to know that they could still provide all of the services that they did prior to Beach’s retirement. “When an abnormal Pap smear comes up, Dr. Templemeyer can do colposcopies.” She also said that the nurse practitioner and physician’s assistant can put in and remove intrauterin contraceptives.
“We can treat cough, cold and sinus as well as women’s health care,” Tompkins said. “Both Karen and I do a lot with preventative medicine and education with patients.” In explaining some of the areas that mid-level practitioners cover, Tompkins said, “We also do oral birth control, hormone replacement therapy and menopause symptom relief and education.” She said that they also have the ability to refer patients to specialists.
Tompkins said that women should come in annually for a complete physical exam, which includes PAP smears and breast exams.
Voorhees said that the hospital is also in the process of hiring two additional female mid-levels in order to provide evening clinics for working women. Plans are for the new clinic to be held Wednesday evenings from 5-8 p.m. and Saturday from 8-12 p.m.
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With Dr. Kerstin Beach retired from Community Memorial Hospital, many female patients are wondering if they will have to go elsewhere for women’s health issues, said Donna Armknecht, the nurse manager at the hospital. “We’re just trying to get the community aware that we have mid-level providers that can still provide care,” she said.
According to Armknecht, there are both female and male staff that can provide this care, depending on preference.
“We want to let the community know that women’s health is definitely a significant priority to the facility and make sure women’s services are available to them,” said Lisa Voorhees, the clinic operations manager for Syracuse Medical Center.
Two female nurse practitioners and one female physician’s assistant are available to provide these services. Nurse Practitioner Karen Bohaty can provide women’s services at Weeping Water Medical Center. She said Physician Assistant Melissa Tompkins is a full-time female women’s health provider in Syracuse, and Nurse Practitioner Jill Dolberg comes to Syracuse three times per month to provide women’s healthcare.
Armknecht said that Dolberg focuses on providing prenatal and postpartum care for women. Her patients deliver at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Lincoln.
“Jill would love to see more people down here,” Armknecht said. “She just started in January and she’s excited to expand her services and role down here.”
CMH and the Syracuse Medical Center are emphasizing the role that physician’s assistants and nurse practitioners play.
“Nurse practitioners and physician’s assistants can provide the same services as a doctor can within our scope of practice,” Voorhees said.
Tompkins wanted people to know that they could still provide all of the services that they did prior to Beach’s retirement. “When an abnormal Pap smear comes up, Dr. Templemeyer can do colposcopies.” She also said that the nurse practitioner and physician’s assistant can put in and remove intrauterin contraceptives.
“We can treat cough, cold and sinus as well as women’s health care,” Tompkins said. “Both Karen and I do a lot with preventative medicine and education with patients.” In explaining some of the areas that mid-level practitioners cover, Tompkins said, “We also do oral birth control, hormone replacement therapy and menopause symptom relief and education.” She said that they also have the ability to refer patients to specialists.
Tompkins said that women should come in annually for a complete physical exam, which includes PAP smears and breast exams.
Voorhees said that the hospital is also in the process of hiring two additional female mid-levels in order to provide evening clinics for working women. Plans are for the new clinic to be held Wednesday evenings from 5-8 p.m. and Saturday from 8-12 p.m.
