DANVILLE REGIONAL LOOKS TO BRING MORE DOCTORS TO AREA

By Denice Thibodeau

Published: February 18, 2009

A new medical residency program has been announced by Danville Regional Medical Center that will bring more physicians into the region.

In partnership with the Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine, the hospital plans to attract physicians to the program beginning in July 2010.

Initially, the residencies will give physicians primary care training in areas such as family practice.

The third participant in the partnership is the Danville Regional Foundation, which has awarded a grant of $165,000 to the Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine to cover the start-up costs associated with setting the program up at Danville Regional. A second grant of $180,000 will be used to give $36,000 stipends to the first five residents in the program.

Dr. Bob Ashby, board chair of the Foundation, said the program will help in recruiting physicians to the region, as well as retaining them.

“We view the establishment of the residency training program as a splendid opportunity to increase access to primary care in our medically underserved area,” Ashby said. “(The program) will be an excellent recruitment and retention tool for young physicians to come to Danville for training and, hopefully, to remain as practicing members of our medical community.”

James Wolfe, president of the Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine, said the school’s mission is to train physicians to serve “the medical needs of the underserved” and said he sees this program as a way to further that mission.

“When students finish medical school and go into a residency program, between 60 and 70 percent (of them) will then practice in that region,” Wolfe said, noting that one of the best ways to attract physicians to an area is to have a “viable, active, sizable” residency program.

Plans are to have 20 residencies each year, with those residencies lasting three years.

“Offering this level of service in connection with VCOM will significantly impact not only the hospital, but the Dan river region as well,” Jerel Humphrey, CEO of the hospital, said. “It is extremely important, as leaders in health care for the region, that we fight physician shortages.”

• Contact Denice Thibodeau at dthibodeau@registerbee.com or (434) 791-7985.