A New Era in Healthcare Service

But not more than 56 years ago, three physicians united together to form the VMG partnership with the purpose of conducting “the practice of medicine and surgery” in Lompoc.

The partnership, formed Jan. 1, 1961, was between Drs. William Gausman Jr., Eldon Elam and James Warrick. Eventually, their practice became known as Valley Medical Group of Lompoc Inc., or VMG. Later, Drs. Barry Coughlin and Edward Wallace joined the group.

Five decades later, the octogenarian Dr. Gausman remains practicing medicine wearing his trademark bowtie. But as the healthcare industry changed, so too did the practice.

Last summer, Lompoc Valley Medical Center (LVMC) created a partnership with Valley Medical Group to purchase the building at 136 N. Third St. in order to facilitate the formation of a hospital- based clinic on the property.

The building is now called Lompoc Valley Medical Center: Physician Services, and includes not only Dr. Gausman, but the recent additions of pediatrician Dr. Katherine Remington – formerly of Sansum Clinic – as well as Obstetrician and Gynecologist Dr. Rod Huss and internal medicine Dr. Gilbert Andersen.

“I look forward to building a great pediatric practice under the umbrella of the district administration.” — Dr. Remington

“I foresee the change will surely bring opportunities to form connections with community and events, the ability to work with colleagues with whom I can think aloud, the offering of time to build ongoing relationships with my patients, and a chance to support goals bigger than myself. These intangibles are paramount, as they make a career and a person whole.”

Lompoc Valley Medical Center: Physician Services now offers a wide range of medical specialties for pediatric to geriatric patients and also has late and extended hours, seeing patients until 7 p.m. weekdays and from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.

The inclusion of Physician Services into LVMC offerings showcases its charter of ensuring the Lompoc community has access to a variety of physicians and services, both primary and specialty.

As an example, twice a month, Lompoc Valley Medical Center: Physician Services offers allergist Dr. Vincent Tubiolo. West Coast Vascular sees patients there as well, with Dr. Edward Li and Dr. Kevin Casey. Santa Barbara pulmonologist Dr. Jeffrey Sager has appointments at Physician Services monthly for patients.

As a political subdivision of the state of California, LVMC has the ability to establish a hospital-based clinic under section 1206(b) of the California Health and Safety Code LVMC Chief Executive Officer Jim Raggio remarked that a bene t of forming the clinic is that both facilities will now be “better positioned to respond to pressure from the federal government to integrate the healthcare delivery system by forming hospital- physician integrated delivery systems.”

With the physician shortage nationwide and the Lompoc Valley being a rural area, it is increasingly difficult to recruit new physicians to this area and challenging for independent physicians, especially smaller practices, to survive. The partnership with Lompoc Valley Medical Center has been seamless. With this new arrangement, we are positive that we will attract more healthcare providers to this area.

Patients can also make appointments to see:

Physicians

• Dr. Lisa Ercolini-Bhatia,
  Family medicine
• Dr. William H. Gausman Jr.
  General Practice, Family Medicine
• Dr. Christopher Lumsdaine,
  Family medicine
• Dr. Brian Taber,
  Family medicine
• Dr. Bandhit Sinkaset,
  General surgery
• Dr. Rollin Bailey,
  Internal Medicine Medical director at CCC
• Dr. Rod Huss,
  Obstetrics & Gynecology
• Dr. Gilbert Andersen,
  Internal medicine
• Dr. Randall Michel,
  ENT/Otolaryngologist
• Dr. Kenneth Hyman,
  Physician Assistant Dr. of Chiropractic
• Alex Torres,
  Physician Assistant

Marriage/Family Therapists

• Anne Bockius
• Lorie Colson-Young
• John Lonsberry
• William Means
• Dian Pryor
• Tonya Schultz