Eureka Springs is a small art town with beautiful scenery, abundant outdoor recreational activities, and a diversity community, but one drawback can be accessing health and dental care. Several Carroll County dentists have retired in the past year leaving people who don’t have an established relationship with a local dentist either waiting months to get in to see one in Berryville or driving an hour or more to Rogers or Fayetteville.
Residents face the same kind of problems with access to specialists. It usually involves driving to one of the larger communities in Northwest Arkansas.
The Eureka Springs Family Medical Clinic has lost healthcare workers in the past year, raising concerns about primary care capacity in the area. Dr. John House announced recently that he is partially retiring and leaving primary care.
“Consequently, I will be leaving my practice at Washington Regional Eureka Springs Family Clinic,” House wrote in a letter to patients. “My last day in the clinic will be March 31. For almost eight years I’ve had the privilege of getting to know so many wonderful people and have thoroughly enjoyed my practice and my patients. I am excited at what the future holds for me, but also sad that the unique relationship that you and I have shared is changing. I am staying in Eureka Springs and plan to be even more involved in this wonderful place we call home. So, maybe I’ll see you out in the community.”
House wrote that his plans are to work one shift a week in the emergency room at Eureka Springs Hospital as well as continuing with his ongoing medical marijuana clinic. Additionally, he plans to continue to provide specialty care to those with HIV, Hepatitis C, and those undergoing hormone replacement. These services will be provided at Medical Canna Clinic located at 105 Passion Play Rd, Ste. C, in Eureka Springs. To make an appointment for medical marijuana, HIV or Hepatitis C care, or hormone replacement, call (479) 927-1100.
“Washington Regional clinic has a multi-decade history of providing top-notch health care to Eureka Springs and the surrounding communities,” House wrote. “There will continue to be doctors and nurse practitioners there to take care of all your healthcare needs if you choose to stay with the WRMC clinic. If you choose a physician outside of the Washington Regional Medical System, the clinic will provide your medical records to your new physician upon receiving a signed authorization for release of information. Authorization forms may be obtained from our office or your new physician’s office.
In an email to the Independent, House said access to healthcare is a problem in all rural areas.
“This is a multi-factorial issue, and the solution will involve a wide array of components involving federal, state, and local governments, as well as aggressive community participation. Younger people are often attracted to the many opportunities, both economic as well as lifestyle, that large cities provide. Medical education debt plays a big role in a provider’s decision, too. Almost gone are the days that a solo practitioner can survive on his or her own. The majority of clinics are now owned by institutions (hospitals, etc.) and that trend shows no sign of reversing.
“A hospital-owned clinic can provide a good salary, attractive benefits to the provider as well as family members, a good professional support system, and a variety of other opportunities that a solo- or small-group practitioner simply can’t afford. So, when a healthcare provider graduates from whatever professional school, often they want to go somewhere with the best overall package. Usually, that isn’t a rural community. I don’t know much about the dental or optometry professions, but I suspect that the issues they face are similar.”
House wrote there is no doubt that Covid has aggravated the challenges our community faces with respect to access to healthcare.
“The politicizing of the pandemic and general distrust in government and institutions has combined in a way that has made more than a few providers and nurses feel it is time to make a change,” he said. “For some that has meant retiring, some teaching, and others an entirely different career. As for my decision to leave Washington Regional, Covid didn’t influence me either way. But I suspect that I am the exception rather than the rule.”
Dr. Dan Bell, co-founder, ECHO Clinic, retired full-time six years ago, but still works part-time when he is needed, particularly when clinic doctors are off.
“Washington Regional is actively recruiting and hopes to bring in physicians, but it is hard to find someone to come to this little town,” Bell said. “There are a lot of opportunities in places that pay more. Over time, it will work out because this is a desirable place to live.”
Bell said he thinks the dentist shortage might even be worse than the physician shortage.
“It is really tight in town with Dr. Terry Bushay’s retirement,” Bell said.
Eureka Springs does have one long-time dentist, Dr. Ken Covington.