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Hendricks Regional Health welcomes new doctor to Bainbridge satellite office
BAINBRIDGE -- After years of practicing emergency medicine, Doctor Joyce Heald has decided to move to a slower pace and begin practicing family medicine at the Hendricks Regional Health office in Bainbridge.
Heald began her career at the Bainbridge office in the middle of August and has wasted little time as she tries to make a name for herself in Putnam County.
After graduating from Indiana University, Bloomington, Heald went on to Indiana University medical school in Indianapolis.
She spent several years Grand Rapids, Mich., and Cincinnati, Ohio, along with several other cities and states before settling down in northern Indiana, where she practiced family medicine for nine years.
"I was board certified and practiced emergency medicine for about 25 years or so," explained Heald. "In 2002-03 I drove back and fourth to Kalamazoo and got two years of training at the Kalamazoo Center for Medical Studies (in family medicine). Once I finished that I started practicing at an office with Elkhart General Hospital."
Heald, originally from Plainfield, moved from northern Indiana in hopes of being closer to her family.
"I moved back here because I have family here," said Heald. "I had always thought I'd just retire to this area. I just started thinking that the kids won't be coming home that much so, why not move now."
Heald will now lead the family medicine program at the Bainbridge satellite office.
"We are not really general practitioners," explained Heald. "We do three to four years of training and we train to take care of adults and children."
It is Heald's goal to provide preventative health services and care for acute and chronic diseases.
"I like the variety. I like being able to develop relationships with my patients," explained Heald. "As you get older emergency medicine is very wearing on the body. It's high stress all the time and a lot of times you only get to work 12-hour shifts. Plus I had the desire to have more than to see the patient one time. I like to be able to go more in-depth on a problem."
The decrease in stress has been a breath of fresh air for Heald. Instead of rushing around and being pulled in every direction, she is able to be more in-depth with a patient.
Long term, Heald hopes to building a roster of enough patients to keep her busy, around 20 patients a day. She also hopes to provide excellent care to the community, both preventative care and ongoing care for those with chronic medical problems.
"My goal is to continue practicing until probably about 70 years old," said Heald. "I want to build a healthy practice. It's always good for a patient to get good preventative care."
The office also offers lab services along with physician specialty care, which includes nephrology and neurology.
Office hours are Monday through Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Heald is in the office Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. Family Nurse Practitioner Gina Leman is in the office on Tuesday and Friday.
The Hendricks Regional Health Bainbridge office is located at 1152 E. U.S. 36. For more information or to schedule an appointment call 522-1889.