DALLAS, March 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Charles
Ozborn, M.D., received his first lesson in obstetrics at age 12 by
delivering calves on his parents' dairy farm. To put himself
through college, he helped raised corn, tomatoes and cotton, and by
age 24 had achieved his dream of becoming a physician. Settling in
the small Mississippi town of
Eupora, population 2,200, Dr.
Ozborn has practiced for over 50 years, delivering over 4,000
babies and seeing all patients regardless of ability to pay.
For his exceptional record of commitment and service, Dr. Ozborn
has been named 2018 Country Doctor of the Year.
Presented by Staff Care, an AMN Healthcare company, the Country
Doctor of the Year Award recognizes the spirit, skill, and
dedication of America's rural medical practitioners. The leading
temporary physician staffing firm in the
United States, Staff Care has presented the national award
since 1992 to exemplary physicians practicing in communities of
30,000 or less.
"Dr. Ozborn is more than an outstanding primary care physician,"
said Jeff Decker, president of Staff
Care, "he is one of the pillars on which his community stands. The
people, the health system, and the economy of his region simply
could not do without him."
Dr. Ozborn is the living embodiment of changes that have taken
place in medicine over the last five decades, according to Decker.
When he first began practicing in Eupora, Dr. Ozborn could carry all the
medications and equipment he needed to provide care to his patients
in his black doctor's bag, which he still keeps in his office. Dr.
Ozborn estimates he made some 10,000 house calls during the first
25 years of his practice, delivering numerous babies in the
process. Since the community lacked an ambulance service, patients
needing emergency care were transported in a hearse, often with Dr.
Ozborn at their side.
When patients came to his office, costs were minimal. A routine
visit for a cough or cold was $5,
while something more exotic, like setting a broken bone or
stitches, was $20. Dr. Ozborn charged
$120 for the first delivery, and
$100 for any subsequent births by the
same mother. Many patients paid in produce or were unable to pay at
all. When Dr. Ozborn closed his private practice and became an
employee of North Mississippi Medical Center, he had $3 million in uncompensated care on the books.
Drafted by the Army in 1967, Dr. Ozborn was assigned to the Public
Health Service and served for two years on Indian reservations
before returning to Eupora.
Through the early years of his practice, Dr. Ozborn often saw
100 or more patients a day. Today, his pace has now "slowed" to
about 35 patients a day, many of whom have complex medical problems
related in part to a struggling local economy with a poverty rate
of 24 percent. He still rounds on patients in the hospital and also
serves as medical director of the local nursing home, while having
completely adopted the trappings of modern medicine, including
electronic health records and a team-based approach to care. Dr.
Ozborn also is participating in a population health management
program, an emerging healthcare delivery model featuring direct
patient intervention and management at the community level.
Patients can reach him at all hours of the day as many have his
personal cell phone number.
Some things have not changed, however. Dr. Ozborn still makes
house calls and still is rewarded with the occasional pie.
"A lot has changed in 50 years," said Dr. Ozborn, "but patients
still respond to someone who really knows them and to someone who
really cares."
As the 2018 Country Doctor of the Year, Dr. Ozborn will be able
to enjoy two weeks of time off, as Staff Care will provide a
temporary physician to fill in for him at no charge, a service
valued at approximately $10,000. He
also will receive the award's signature plaque featuring a country
doctor making his rounds on a horse and buggy, an engraved
stethoscope, and a monogrammed lab coat. Additional information
about the Country Doctor of the Year Award can be found at
www.countrydoctoraward.com.
About Staff Care
Staff Care is the nation's leading
temporary physician staffing firm and is a company of AMN
Healthcare (NYSE: AMN) the largest healthcare workforce solutions
company in the United States. For
more information, visit www.staffcare.com.
About AMN Healthcare
AMN Healthcare is the leader and innovator in healthcare workforce
solutions and staffing services to healthcare facilities
across the nation. The Company provides unparalleled access to the
most comprehensive network of quality healthcare professionals
through its innovative recruitment strategies and breadth of career
opportunities. With insights and expertise, AMN Healthcare helps
providers optimize their workforce to successfully reduce
complexity, increase efficiency, and improve patient outcomes. AMN
delivers managed services programs, healthcare executive search
solutions, vendor management systems, recruitment process
outsourcing, predictive modeling, medical coding and consulting,
and other services. Clients include acute-care hospitals, community
health centers and clinics, physician practice groups, retail and
urgent care centers, home health facilities, and many other
healthcare settings. For more information about AMN Healthcare,
visit www.amnhealthcare.com.
Contact:
|
Phil
Miller
|
|
(469)
524-1420
|
|
Phil.miller@amnhealthcare.com
|
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SOURCE AMN Healthcare