Athol man fills rural medical needs
When Chris Sundquist says he likes the flavor of rural medicine, it’s not just a figure of speech. Since opening a medical clinic in Athol last summer, the former Navy corpsman has been offered at least a couple of chickens in lieu of payment.
“I said keep the chicks at home,” Sundquist said. “Bring me some eggs.”
Sundquist is the first medical provider in Athol – population about 750 – that many longtime residents can recall.
“I’ve been mayor 12 years and this is the first one I’ve known of,” Lanny Spurlock said. “We do have a (veterinarian) clinic.”
Timberlake Family Medicine, on state Highway 54 in a space formerly occupied by an ATV shop, has 500 patients from as far as Sandpoint, Newport and Coeur d’Alene.
Some followed Sundquist from other offices where he worked. Others came to him because he is one of the relatively few providers accepting new Medicare and Medicaid patients.
“I like rural towns,” said the 46-year-old Sandpoint native, who makes house calls and takes walk-in patients. A physician assistant, Sundquist sees patients for colds, the flu and wellness exams. He can set broken bones, stitch up wounds and give immunizations.
Caroline Freeman lives a block from Sundquist’s office and has been taking her daughter to the clinic since it opened.
Before Sundquist came to town, Freeman had to drive 3-year-oldPatricia to a pediatrician’s office in Coeur d’Alene. When the roads are at their worst, that can take 45 minutes, she said.
“He’s awesome,” Freeman said. “I hope he stays around a long time.”
Nationwide shortage
Nationwide, there’s a shortage of medical providers in rural areas. While more than a fifth of the U.S. population lives in rural areas, only 9 percent of doctors practice in those areas, according to the National Rural Health Association.
“It’s a huge challenge because the expense and energy it takes to set up the infrastructure for a clinic operation is quite extensive,” said Brock Slabach, the association’s senior vice president.
But while operating a rural clinic is fraught with challenges, including working with Medicare and Medicaid to get claims paid, Slabach said there are benefits.
He practiced rural medicine for 25 years.
“You have a very comfortable environment in which you get to know your patients on a more personal level,” Slabach said. “There’s something satisfying about that.”
Though a solo practice in the country can be just as hectic as a city office, Slabach said it’s often more laid-back.
“The worst traffic some days can be cows crossing the road,” he said.
For Sundquist, summer is the busy season. He gets a lot of business because of the large numbers of people visiting Farragut State Park and Silverwood Theme Park.
Sundquist said he enjoys living and working in rural areas – and playing there, too.
He keeps a sailboat at Lake Pend Oreille and plays pinochle at the Athol Legion Hall and Bayview Community Center.
His uniform: jeans and hiking boots.
“It’s kind of the feeling of a country doc,” Sundquist said.