Dear People:

There are changes coming to our practice.

Dr. John Sullivan has taken a new job as Deputy Health Officer at the Humboldt County Public Health Branch. He is working with CCS and the CHDP programs among other duties. He is continuing to work at the Redwood Coast Regional Center too. John will no longer be seeing scheduled patients in our office effective the first of May.

John leaving our office has moved us to action. Effective probably in July, I will be moving to new office space, taking on a new partner, and working in a new Open Door Pediatric Clinic.

For about three years, so I can get more time off and work a little less, I have been trying to recruit a pediatrician to join me in my present arrangement. It's not going to happen. There are two reasons. Young doctors coming out of training have a significant amount of debt. I can't pay what the new physicians need to be able to come join me. A second significant problem is the fact that none of them want to take call every other night, let alone every night for any significant period of time.

The solution to this is to join the Open Door Clinic. With their recruiting resources, this summer I will hopefully be joined by a new pediatrician in new office space next to the existing McKinleyville Community Health Center. Many of my office staff have indicated an intent to move with me. Our intent is to continue providing services much the same as we do now, just a few miles north.

There are a ton of details to be worked out and there will be public announcements in the news media as the actual transition date draws near. Hopefully this will all go smoothly.

There is a rumor in the community that I plan to retire soon. This is not true. I plan to continue working, with less time on call, for a long time. I thoroughly enjoy being a pediatrician.

Thanks for being with me during this time of transition.

Sincerely,

Ted Humphry, M.D.

. This page last updated 5/2007

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