I enjoy sharing stories of those who make their own realities, much as Dr. Martin Schoppmeyer with his nationally honored Haas Hall Academy in Fayetteville. Successfully converting creative thought into action inspires others to take the risks necessary to also attain their dreams.
So today I'm revisiting the remarkable clinic founded 12 years ago in Huntsville by Dr. Tom Whiting, his colleague Dr. John Kendrick, and a devoted host of others who banded together after Whiting's retirement from decades of family practice in Springdale.
Little did Whiting know at the time that his purported quasi-retirement was actually a door opening to what was to become perhaps his greatest professional legacy.
The silver-haired doctor, who with wife Martha lives simply on a mountaintop farm near Clifty, always has been consumed with helping others. He estimates fewer than half of his patients over the years paid him in full. That's been all right because his fulfillments truly are centered in making sick folks well, rather than materialistic gain.
Every Arkansas community in need of a well-staffed, caring clinic would do well to study how Dr. Tom (as he's affectionately known) and Dr. Kendrick, of Springdale, formed a medical care team and set about becoming one of the most beneficial clinics in the country. At least that's how many today consider the Madison County Medical and Surgical Group Clinic.
These doctors and staff, with help, built this special place from "zip" and an empty building. And the people since have come by the tens of thousands.
During their first three years in operation, Dr. Tom said they recorded about 20,000 patient contacts, which included referrals to larger area hospitals for specialized needs.
By 2017, he said that number had swelled to some 22,000 contacts over 12 months. "It's been well accepted here because it was so badly needed," he said. Was it ever.
In 2001, Dr. Whiting left a large Springdale family practice with seven other physicians. After 35 years of doctoring there, he decided to work three days a week with two other doctors at the former Northwest Medical Clinic in Huntsville. In 2003, Martha became ill and he left medicine to be with her.
That clinic closed its doors shortly after Whiting left. In the ensuing months, scores of residents began sharing frustrations with him over what they saw was the obvious lack of timely medical care. The only option in town for those in need was the Boston Mountain Rural Health Center.
Whiting, today nearing 80, wondered at the time what he might do to help in Huntsville, a city of about 2,000 in Madison County. The clinic he'd left now sat vacant on a hillside above Huntsville, directly behind the local funeral home.
He credits divine direction for the rest: "We've always answered first to God and then to the good people who live here," he said.
"The need was so great something just had to be done," he said.
Soon, local folks were meeting to decide how they might get timely medical care. Whiting asked Northwest if that corporation might sell its vacant clinic. He heard nothing for a year. The community's concerns continued until the exasperated doctor felt led to contact Northwest's real estate division who, surprisingly, agreed to sell.
Huntsville residents then launched various fundraisers that netted about $40,000. While gratifying, Dr. Tom knew it would take much more to open a viable clinic. One day, a familiar voice on his phone (he still doesn't identify) asked what it would cost to open the clinic. Then the voice made it happen.
The people of Huntsville and that unidentified benefactor, since 2006, have purchased an astounding amount of sophisticated medical technology. Today this clinic, perhaps better equipped than any other of its size in America, has a digital X-ray machine, ultrasound equipment, a heart stress lab, colonoscopy and endoscopy equipment, pulmonary and bone-density testing machines and a minor surgical suite.
The Huntsville Medical and Surgery Clinic also has grown to a total of eight doctors, physician's assistants and medical personnel. I find that in itself pretty astounding considering this all began with an empty building and a community's plea for help.
No surprise to me that Dr. Tom's determined heart has led the way from the day he decided to create such a beneficial place in a community that obviously can unite to achieve a lot with relatively little.
"I tell the ladies at the front desk if they believe someone needs to be seen, then just get them on in here," he said. "I believe in treating others like I'd want to be treated. Whenever necessary, we refer patients to different area medical centers depending on what's needed." The day he sees himself feeling differently, he said he'll leave for the golf course or a fishing hole.
There's no doubt Huntsville and Madison County are far healthier because of Doctors Whiting and Kendrick, their capable colleagues and staff alongside so many self-reliant, generous townsfolk who've created an effective way to care for their own.
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Mike Masterson's column appears regularly in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Email him at mmasterson@arkansasonline.com.
Editorial on 05/07/2017