Good PA press!

[haeriphos]

I spotted this nice little blurb in one of our regional papers. There's obviously some confusion about his title as they refer to him as "Dr." but I looked him up on Mayo Health System's website and confirmed he's a PA.

 

 

Janesville residents hope to bring about Mayo Clinic doc's return

 

A petition which sat in the offices of nine local businesses for three days, received over 320 supportive signatures.

Residents in Janesville let their voices be heard, hoping to make a change in the Janesville community.

At the Oct. 15 Janesville City Council meeting council members discussed residents’ passion for a certain Janesville doctor.

“He did things for the people of Janesville that we haven’t seen in a long time,” said Janesville community member Al Buhler.

Buhler and Janesville resident Gary Cummins spoke at the Sept. 22 City Council meeting, telling the council of their desire to bring Dr. Ken Bentson back into the community. Bentson served as the physician assistant at the Janesville Clinic for four years before transferring to the St. James Mayo Clinic location.

Cummins said they like the current doctor, Dr. Jeff Wheeler, however, many patients had a connection with Bentson. According to Mike Santo, who spoke with staff at Mayo Clinic Health System, Wheeler is leaving the Janesville location and relocating to a different Mayo Clinic by the first of the year. 

Mayo Clinic Health Department spokesman Micah Dorfner confirmed Wheeler's departure. Wheeler joined the Janesville clinic staff in July.

While the council doesn't have the authority to tell Mayo Clinic Health System who to hire, council members decided to table the discussion until the Oct. 15 meeting. The council will then consider writing a letter supporting Bentson's return.

“We have heard that Mayo is possibly considering bringing Ken back at either a part-time or full-time position as a doctor and we don’t know if that is partly because of the petition that was signed,” Santo said at the Oct. 15 meeting.

According Dorfner, there will still be coverage once Wheeler leaves Janesville.

"We have nurse practitioner starting in Janesville in January or February and we're still looking at getting a physician there as well," said Dorfner.

 

http://www.southernminn.com/janesville_argus/news/article_5fd51fa7-82a9-5dac-aaa8-f00a8065ca45.html

[Guest Paula]

We need more press like this.  Ken Bentson went to the St. James clinic and that is in a very small town in SW Minnesota.  They probably need him there too!

[Guest Paula]

P.S.  I thought I recognized his name.  He just spoke at our WI PA meeting this month.  He spoke on dementia evaluation.  He is attending seminary and is planning on starting a medical mission clinic for the underserved when he is finished with his schooling.  He definitely is one to be praised!  

 

I am a MN native and the small towns he practices in were the area my grandparents lived and were the places we went with them as kids.  Springfield, MN and St. James have interesting history with the Jesse James gang that robbed banks way back in the 1800s and also the Indian uprising history.