The Odessa Record -

We are so excited to formally announce the arrival of Deborah Fogg, FNP-C. Debbie has experience as a provider in ER and Urgent Care, Long Term Care and in Cardiology. She comes to us from Louisiana and has moved with her adult daughter, Val. OMHC has been recruiting for nearly two years to find just the right set of permanent providers to meet the needs of our community. Rich Ervin, FNP-C arrived in May 2016 and has become a valued member of the OMHC family and of the community in general. Rich and Debbie will move forward together to deliver high quality care that you expect and deserve.

The providers at the Odessa Clinic are certified as Family Nurse Practitioners. Nurse Practitioners are able to practice independently, as distinct from a Physician’s Assistant (PA), who is required to be formally associated with a physician in order to practice. Advanced Practice Nurses receive specialized training to be family practitioners, or they can choose other specialties. OMHC has intentionally recruited Certified Family Nurse Practitioners and not Physician’s Assistants due to the ability of Advanced Practice Nurses to function independently. OMHC is looking for just the right “fit” since the local practice environment requires a variety of specialized skills not typical in other communities. Our providers must be able and willing to practice as family practitioners, but also as Emergency Providers, Acute Care Providers and Long Term Care providers. Each setting is distinct and entails unique skills and abilities.

Dr. Andy Harris continues on the team as both the contracted peer review physician and as the Rural Health Clinic Medical Director. It is customary practice in hospitals to perform peer review to ensure that quality care is being delivered. Dr. Harris serves in the role of peer reviewer in the hospital, and she reviews a sample of records for the Odessa Clinic as well. She is available to the nurse practitioners for consultation and comes to Odessa on a monthly basis.

OMHC also has a new Medical Director for the Laboratory. Dr. Christopher Montague is Board Certified in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology. OMHC contracts with Incyte Pathology to provide medical and technical oversight of the laboratory. Dr. Montague works through Incyte and comes to the facility quarterly.

Odessa Memorial Healthcare Center continues to provide a high quality care experience to the residents of Odessa and surrounding communities. The Odessa care team will gladly accept patients of all ages and with a variety of health concerns from well-baby checks and immunizations to older patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension. Appointments with Rich Ervin, FNP or Debbie Fogg, FNP can be made by calling the Odessa Clinic at 982-2614.