A Note from Troy

Guest column by Chad Pew, FACHE, Sr. Vice President, Provider Services, Boone Health

At Boone Health Medical Group – or BHMG – we not only believe everyone should have easy access to world-class care; we’re also taking steps to make it happen.

We continue to collaborate with Boone Health Laboratory Services to open more lab draw locations. This year, we’ve cut the ribbon on new sites in Moberly and Osage Beach. With eight of our ten primary care clinics located outside Columbia, it makes sense to extend convenient access to our full-service lab to patients in these communities.

We opened a new specialty clinic, Boone Health Plastic Surgery. Giorgio Allegra, MD, a Mizzou alumnus, has returned to Columbia from Italy. He’s currently seeing patients and has won over everyone who’s had the chance to meet him. If you’d like to get to know Dr. Allegra, check out his profi le in this issue of My Boone Health magazine.

Our Diabetes & Endocrinology, Foot & Ankle, and Infectious Disease clinics share a new space in Broadway Medical Plaza 4. Podiatrists play an important role in the care and management of diabetes patients. People with diabetes are also more susceptible to infections. Bringing these three specialties together under one roof makes it easier for our providers to communicate and collaborate on care plans, leading to better outcomes for our patients.

Change and growth takes effort from many people and Boone is fortunate to have an outstanding team of staff, advanced practice providers and physicians. We believe it’s important that the people who care for you have a say in how we run our primary and specialty care clinics. During our transition to independence last year, we established an Operating Committee to provide governance for the medical group. We currently have eight BHMG physicians and one advanced practice provider on the committee. We include physicians from different areas and stagger term lengths to provide balanced representation and to continually introduce new voices and ideas.

I’d like to thank the founding members of our Operations Committee: Dr. Anne Petersen, Chair; Dr. Rebecca Llorens, Vice Chair; Dr. Angela Yuen, Secretary-Treasurer; Dr. Paul Schoephoerster; Kelli Cash, NP; Elizabeth Crews, NP; Dr. Blake Welschmeyer; Dr. Kate Grossman; Dr. Sonya Addison; and Dr. Bud Murphey. These providers shouldered additional responsibilities during a stressful time – COVID didn’t take a time-out while we worked through the transition – to ensure that Boone Health Medical Group provides midMissourians with excellent care.

It’s hard to express how much I appreciate this team. I’m proud of what everyone has accomplished in a little over a year. It’s been exhausting at times, but we’re still standing, and we have brighter days ahead of us. The fl exibility to provide the care our patients need was a major factor in our decision to go independent. We knew this path wouldn’t be easy, but we knew it was best for the people who matter most – our patients.

Finally, I’d like to congratulate BHMG Group Administrator, Kyndal Riffie, for being named Boone Health’s 2021 Leader of the Year. Kyndal was not only essential to getting us through our first year of independence; she played an instrumental role in getting COVID vaccines to our employees, providers, and community members. She exemplifies Boone Health’s goal to improve the health of the people and communities we serve, and she is truly deserving of this honor.