Pentwater, Hart medical offices unite

Move aims to improve access to primary care in Oceana County

Two of Oceana County’s family practice offices have united under the banner of Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital, effective July 1.

Allan Nelson, MD, has reached agreement with the hospital for his Pentwater Family Practice to become part of Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital. Dr. Nelson will also lead the hospital’s family medicine practice in Hart, which will be integrated with the Pentwater office.

“A key goal of our Ludington hospital is to improve access to primary care,” said Mark Vipperman, president of Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital. “Dr. Nelson has long been a leading physician in our region and we believe this integration will have great benefit for our patients and the people of Oceana County. This agreement ensures Oceana residents of access to physicians and advanced practice professionals they know and trust.”

Dr. Nelson has been seeing patients in both the Hart and Pentwater offices. He will continue to see patients in both locations now that the offices have formally integrated. He will have morning office hours in Hart each Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. He will be in the Pentwater office during the afternoon on each of those days.

“Combining the practices as an integral part of the Ludington hospital is a positive development for our patients throughout Oceana County,” Dr. Nelson said.

“We are extremely pleased to announce that Bethany Hartrum, who served patients with me as a nurse practitioner for many years in Pentwater, is returning to the area and will be a lead provider in the Hart office. Beth developed strong patient relationships in her practice in Pentwater and I’m confident our patients in the Hart area will be very pleased to have her returning to Oceana County.”

Hartrum, FNP-BC, has spent the last several years at Grand Valley State University. She will begin seeing patients in Hart on July 8.

“I’m also confident that our patients in the Pentwater area will be pleased to know that our other medical providers will continue in that office after the integration,” Dr. Nelson added. “We are fortunate to have a talented physician in Rebecca Miller, MD, and nurse practitioner and certified diabetes educator, Renita Diehlman (FNP-BC, CDE), as key members of our practice.”

Other staff members will also continue in their familiar roles. The practice managers will continue at each location: Michelle Miller in Hart, and Glenda Smith in Pentwater. The new digital X-ray equipment, recently installed in the Hart office, is now in full operation under the guidance of medical imaging technologist Danielle Clark.

Mark Vipperman recognized the assistance of Sonja Camilli, PA-C, who has been seeing patients in the Hart office while the integration was being planned.

“Sonja Camilli has been a welcome addition to Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital and we appreciate her work as a physician assistant in Hart,” Vipperman said.

“With the recent improvements in the Hart facility and a full complement of experienced providers who know the area well, we have assured Oceana County of continued medical care, backed by Spectrum Health, one of the top 15 health systems in the country,” he added.