Show Me the Ozarks August 2022

In the end, the dream team of all board-certified ER physicians was assembled and included quite an impressive pedigree. • Dr. Anthony Cauchi is a military-trained physician who completed medical school at Texas Tech University and completed his residency at Michigan State University. • Dr. Johnathan Etheridge attended medical school at Johns Hopkins University and completed his residency at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. • Dr. Clinton Loy is a graduate of Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences. He completed his residency in emergency medicine at Freeman Hospital West. • Dr. Jeremy Sturgell attended medical school at the University of Missouri School of Medicine and completed his residency in emergency medicine at the University of Illinois College of Medicine. • Dr. John Willis is a graduate of the University Of Missouri School of Medicine and completed his residency at Carolinas Medical Center. ‘It’s going to be hard to find an ER medical staff of this caliber in another rural community,” said Chris Wyatt, president of Cox Barton County Hospital. In addition to recruiting highly trained physicians, Wyatt said the hospital has been successful in recruiting certified emergency room nurses, committed to upgrading equipment in ancillary departments and recently became a certified stroke center. Cox Barton is the only hospital in a 25-mile radius to achieve this prestigious honor, which is already proving to save lives.

“Access to emergency care needs to be timely if you’re having a heart attack, stroke or another serious issue,” said Sturgell. “We’re a very fortunate community that quality emergency care is close by. Many people are living in rural areas across the country who would give anything to not have to drive long distances for care.” Cox Barton County’s dream team of ER physicians, stroke center designation and reduced patient wait times are keeping the rural ER busy these days. With the increased numbers, many people who may have driven further away in the past are choosing to seek care locally. “We have some of the best staff and physicians in a highly functioning emergency room that I have ever been a part of,” said Sturgell. “We talk a lot about doing the right thing – this was absolutely the right thing to do for our community.” Every

Second Counts. So, certified stroke care at Cox Barton County Hospital is a pretty big deal. “If Cox Barton County Hospital hadn’t been nearby, the damage could have been much worse.” Robert Couch, with wife, Marilyn, patient

Read Marilyn’s story, learn the symptoms of a stroke, and find out why certification matters at coxhealth.com/level3.

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