Deborah Dryer, MD is the Chief Medical Officer at Northlakes Community Clinic in Iron River, and serves in multiple leadership roles on the Medical Staff at Memorial Medical Center, the critical access hospital in Ashland. Dr. Dryer has served the community of Ashland for nearly 16 years, and believes "burn out" happens when we are out of balance. She feels she is at her best both professionally and personally when pushing herself to try new things, expanding her knowledge base, and staying connected to her community.
Northlakes Community Clinic CEO, Rebecca Rice states this about Dr. Dryer, "Along with her passion for improving clinical outcomes, Dr. Dryer’s vision of integrated primary care and her commitment to the health of her community as a whole have been critical to the growth and success of our Community Health Center. She is an excellent embodiment of family medicine’s commitment to patients, profession and community.”
Dr. Dryer strives to continue the ideals of family medicine in her practice as a personal goal, and shares, "I have grown to love living in a small town, and find that connecting with my community also helps me keep balanced. I live and play where I work.”
Congratulations Dr. Dryer!
Beth A. Damitz, MD is an Associate Professor at the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Dr. Damitz also serves in multiple educational roles as Director of Women’s Health, Director of Maternity Care, Director of Practice Management, Director of Inpatient Adult Medicine, and Director of Recruitment at All Saints Family Medicine Residency Program.
Dr. Damitz's approach to Family Medicine is to embody the team approach with patients, and to understand the science and medicine aspect, which allows her to better explain how that information affects her patients. She feels Family Medicine should be a partner to guide patients through their healthcare needs, and to understand that roles will change based on the needs of patients and that those needs will change over time.
Dr. Damitz strives to be on the forefront of emerging technology, and be an integral part of telemedicine. She continues to advocate for her patients as policies and governing bodies change how people access healthcare. Dr. Damitz believes Family Medicine needs to be that voice.
Dr. Damitz tries to use her personal interests and hobbies to interact within her community, by being involved with community races, health fairs and community events. As a physician, she tries to be a role model for a healthy lifestyle, and shares, "I look for ways to bridge what goes on in the community I work and what I can do to help with the needs of the community."
Congratulations Dr. Damitz!
