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As the mother of three boys, Roxanne Meyer has spent her share of time waiting in a doctor’s office while cuts and scrapes get cleaned up.
That’s why Meyer and the other residents of Hooper, Neb. — a town of 850 about 50 miles northwest of Omaha — are rejoicing in the news that their town is getting its own medical clinic for the first time in over a year.
“Just going to another town for sports physicals can take up a lot of your time,” said Meyer, the Hooper city clerk. “If the kids get sick, then it’s really nice to have (a doctor) down the street.”
Dr. Paul Montoya, a Phoenix native who recently moved to Hooper, and physician’s assistant Michelle Niewohner of Tekamah will staff the Hooper Mercy Medical Clinic when it opens in January.
The clinic will be part of Mercy Hospital, based in Oakland, Neb., where Montoya and Niewohner now see patients.
The 4,391-square foot building formerly housed a clinic that was operated by the Fremont Medical Center. It closed in October 2008 when its doctor moved away. Residents began driving 20 miles north to Oakland or 15 miles south to Fremont for medical care.
Tim Fischer, CEO of Oakland Mercy Hospital, said the Hooper clinic will be leased from the Fremont Medical Center.
“When Dr. Montoya bought a house in Hooper, we realized that he could fill a valuable need there,” Fischer said. “There are about 2,000 patients in that ZIP code who have to travel to here or Fremont. Opening this new clinic just made a lot of sense.”
Montoya, 45, graduated from Creighton University’s medical school. His wife, Celeste, is a registered nurse at the Nebraska Medical Center who is studying for her nurse practitioner’s license.
The Montoyas have three children, including Tyler, 18, who graduated from Hooper Logan View High School this year. Their other children are Jordan, 16, and Alexandra, 9.
“We have enjoyed participating in some of the local events through the school and really like the people here,” Dr. Montoya said. “I already see many of the people from Hooper at the hospital in Oakland, so opening a clinic here will be just that much more convenient for them.”
Finding enough doctors to work in rural communities is getting harder, according to a report released in September by the Nebraska Center for Rural Health Research. The two-year study found that 50 of Nebraska’s 93 counties have a shortage of doctors.
Montoya said he was attracted to a career in primary care because it gives him a chance to practice different aspects of medicine one-on-one.
“Some of these small towns are losing their schools ... losing their doctors ... losing their identity, and it’s tough on them,” Montoya said. “Sometimes it helps to just sit and talk to your doctor about anything and everything.”
The Rev. Joel Schroeder of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Hooper said having a doctor in town again gives residents a sense of comfort.
“Between the young families and the elderly residents, Dr. Montoya will be very busy,” Schroeder said. “We hope that he falls in love with Hooper and that Hooper appreciates him.”
Contact the writer:
444-1272, kevin.cole@owh.com
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