Harris finds success in T'ville
By Arthur McLean

Dr. Rex Harris at his Thomasville medical office. Harris said practicing medicine in a small town has made it fun again.

More than a year and more than 100 surgeries later, Dr. Rex Harris says he's happy to be practicing medicine in Thomasville.

Harris and Southwest Alabama Medical Center CEO Kevin Bierschenk are also happy to be proving the critics wrong.

"If I'd told someone a year ago that we'd be doing knee and hip replacements in Thomasville, they'd have laughed at me," Bierschenk said. To date, Harris has performed 58 implant procedures at the hospital.

When Harris first started practicing part time in his home county, he came from his practice in Birmingham two days a week. He has now doubled his schedule in Thomasville, working four days per week.

"We've had a great year," he said. "It's been great to be back in my home county renewing friendships with cousins and old friends."

The success of the practice, Harris said, is due to a team approach to healthcare. "My patients are getting the best nursing care available, and it's very personal care," he said. I've had a great relationship with the hospital, and it's all worked beautifully so that we've been able to provide complete patient care from A to Z."

To illustrate the point, all but three of the surgeries Harris has performed on local patients in the past year have taken place at the Southwest Alabama Medical Center.

Bierschenk said Harris has helped change the image of the hospital. "A lot of people were skeptical in the beginning, but we've been able to show that we can provide the same quality of healthcare as you can get in Mobile," Bierschenk said.

Harris said the transition from the large market hospitals to Thomasville has been an easy one. "I knew from the outset what we were going to do and I was excited to be a part of the project," he said.

Harris likens the practice to what it was like to practice medicine 20 years ago. "It's fun to practice medicine again, you have a more personal relationship with the people around you, the working experience has been very enjoyable."

He said his colleagues back in Birmingham are curious and excited to hear about Harris' experiences and many are considering adding a practice in a small town themselves.

More doctors needed

But Harris is just one new doctor in a town that Bierschenk estimates needs anywhere from four to eight more physicians.

Doctor Nayeem moved from Thomasville in 2006 and Dr. Timothy Jetton spent just a few month in Thomasville before moving elsewhere. Dr. TB Darji is currently on medical leave, but Bierschenk said he expects Darji to return to his practice this year.

"We need at least three to replace the ones we don't have now," Bierschenk said. Among Bierschenk and Harris' wish list, are internists, cardiologist, urologists and an ENT.

Bierschenk said he has interviewed several candidates in December and two are moving forward in the process. Bierschenk hopes to have commitments from both soon.

Harris believes the new hospital will help change things when it comes to recruiting doctors to Thomasville. "I think there will be a new picture played out," he said.

Bierschenk said the company is still sorting through the financing options to find the best deal. Once that process is complete, groundbreaking will take place and construction can begin. Bierschenk had no specific information about a timeline for finalizing the financing for the new hospital.

Regardless, Bierschenk hopes Harris' experience in Thomasville will help other doctors see the benefits of practicing here.

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