Bringing Boone Health Closer to Home

For most of us, health care doesn’t begin at the hospital, but in the doctor’s office.

Establishing a medical home with a primary care provider, or PCP, can mean better outcomes for you and your family. Your PCP not only provides regular preventive care and recommended health screenings, but they can also refer you for testing, specialty care and other services. Your PCP can see a more comprehensive picture of your overall health, personal health history and family history. People with chronic conditions like diabetes find it easier to manage and maintain their health when under the care of a PCP.

We know that having a medical home makes a significant impact on your health, which is why Boone Medical Group has 11 primary and family care clinics located throughout mid-Missouri, in addition to our two Convenient Care clinics, Diabetes and Endocrinology clinic, Surgery and High-Risk Breast clinic, and our new Heart Surgery clinic.

Boone Health provides services to 26 counties in mid-Missouri, covering a large and diverse area. Each clinic is set up to meet their community’s needs, but whether our patients are seen by Aaron Whiting, MD at Boone Medical Group Boonville, Drs. Paul and Maria Bernabe in Osage Beach, or nurse practitioner Kelli Cash in Centralia, they can expect the same high standards of quality, patient-centered care and excellent customer service. Boone Medical Group comprises over 90 providers who believe in Boone, with the ability to easily refer patients to Boone Health’s laboratory, imaging, therapeutic, surgical and home care services.

Before our transition to independence, Boone Medical Group had been managed separately from Boone Hospital Center by BJC Medical Group. This year has presented a grand opportunity to better support our providers and to make it easier to bring Boone Health closer to your home, whether you live in Columbia or Camdenton.

To bring our clinics under the Boone Health umbrella, Chad Pew has recently joined as Senior Vice President of Provider Services. Chad will be responsible for Boone Medical Group and our providers, and his goals include strengthening the relationship between our clinics and hospital-based services as well as assessing our community’s health care needs and opportunities for growth. Chad will also lead collaborations with independent and referring physicians in our service area, so even if your so even if your established medical home isn't with Boone Medical Group, your PCP can still refer you to our services.

As you can see throughout this issue of My Boone Health, while acute care is important, health isn’t just a concern when we’re ill or injured — it’s an overall approach to life. Having a medical home and getting check-ups and health screens are significant for our health and wellbeing, but I also encourage you to check out the articles on cultivating wellness, hiking Missouri’s beautiful trails, or buying in-season produce. I wish you and your family a healthy summer.

Troy Greer

CEO, Boone Hospital Center