Pioneering the Practice of Medicine
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Pioneering the Practice of Medicine: Dr. Robert Story
Known as a "circuit riding specialist" who swooped into town in his single engine Beechcraft, Dr. Robert Story blazed a trail in bringing specialty care to the region.
The initiative began in 1970, when well-respected cardiologist Dr. Story received a request from small hospitals; they wanted help in developing their own intensive care units.
Dr. Story accomplished this and more. He educated hospital staff on topics such as rhythm analysis, checked on hospitalized heart patients and examined patients with possible heart problems in the clinic setting. He devoted one day a week to outreach, visiting several Minnesota and North Dakota communities. Cardiologists Dr. Wallace Radtke and Dr. John Crary made similar trips by car.
In the decades since, many specialties have modeled cardiology in bringing specialty care to the region. This service saves patients the inconvenience of travel and furthers a key partnership: Regional physicians and specialists working together can best meet patients' needs.
Two more notable regional-outreach accomplishments: the establishment of primary care clinics beginning in 1983 and the addition of MeritCare LifeFlight in 1985. Following in the footsteps of Dr. Story, we aspire to new heights in providing quality care to the region.