Full medical staffing at McCook will be a benefit to community

With the arrival of two more medical specialists in September, McCook will have the largest number of physicians it has had in more than a quarter of a century.

"We are getting close to full staffing," said Brian Rokusek, the practice administrator at McCook Clinic. Following the arrival of Dr. Kathy Farrell, a pediatrician, in September, the clinic will have eight physicians and two physician's assistants.

She will join a staff of medical doctors with a combined total of 70 years of service with McCook Clinic. The clinic physicians are Dr. Richard Klug, 19 years; Dr. Mark Serbousek, 18 years; Dr. John C. Grove, 13 years; Dr. Corinne Phillips Ward, 10 years; Dr. John W. West, 5 years; Dr. Lori Reece, 3 years; and Dr. Toby D. Free, 2 years.

In addition, McCook currently has a general surgeon who is in private practice, Dr. Jane Eskildsen, and two orthodepic surgeons associated with Community Hospital, Dr. Kenneth Ellis and Dr. Richard W. Slovek. In September, the number will increase with the arrival of Dr. Dan Farrell, an orthopedic surgeon whose emphasis is sports medicine and pediatric orthopedics.

McCook also has four physician assistants -- Deborah DeBauche, PA-C; Barbara Corry, PA-C; Shane Pierce, PA-C; and Brett Schmitz, PA-C. However, one of the PA's, Pierce, will be leaving the clinic Aug. 22 to prepare for a medical assignment with the U.S. State Department.

"Even though we are better staffed now than we have been for a number of years, we are continuing to recruit," Rekusek said. "We are actively seeking another family practice physician and a physician's assistant to replace Shane." Once that is accomplished, the clinic will be at full staffing to handle the clinic's current level of 38,000 patient visits a year.

As the clinic and hospital have learned during the past 25 years, the only thing constant is change. Even so, the McCook medical community has made significant strides forward, reaching much improved staffing levels.

For long-time residents, it's hard to believe that two docs in the prime of their lives -- Klug and Serbousek -- are now the community's most senior family physicians. In combination with the nine M.D.'s and the three P.A.'s who have joined them in the practice of medicine, the McCook area is now well served medically, and should continue to be for years to come.