The new physician assistant at St. Rose Health Center is eager to start seeing patients in the facility’s Convenient Care Walk-in Clinic.

            Linda Avila, a Kansas native, will be available in the clinic beginning Aug. 22 to care for and treat patients with a variety of illnesses and conditions.

            “Providing walk-in services is gratifying to me,” Avila said. “I can help the patient feel better that same day and have the chance to meet new people every day.

            “Many rural communities are typically underserved in primary care,” she continued. “Convenient care walk-in services help fill the gap for relatively minor health concerns, especially when patients cannot see their primary providers because of busy schedules or do not need emergency services.”

            Avila’s first experience in walk-in services was the five years she spent in an underserved area in Texas. She was instrumental in getting the new clinic up and running.

            “I was the first convenient-care provider there and developed the health-care services protocols,” Avila explained. “It was such a rewarding experience and I have stayed in this line of health care ever since. I like to think I am an extension of the primary-care physician.”

            In a sense, Avila said, her new job at St. Rose is like coming home. She previously worked in the Dreiling/Schmidt Cancer Institute at Hays Medical Center. HaysMed is the sole owner of St. Rose.

            “I loved that experience and am looking forward to reconnecting with my friends and colleagues at HaysMed, as well as making new friends at St. Rose.

            “I love Kansas, and Great Bend has a friendliness found only in small towns,” Avila added. “It offers wonderful amenities such as sports, fitness, a great downtown, fun zoo and many restaurants. All this combines to make Great Bend an attractive place to be.”

            Avila noted that St. Rose is attractive to both providers and patients because many services are under one roof. These include physical therapy, laboratory work and imaging services.

            In addition, the HaysMed Specialty Clinic at St. Rose offers obstetrics-gynecology, cardiology, orthopedics, pulmonology and urology. General surgeons also see patients at St. Rose each week.

            Avila has cared for patients in several Kansas and Texas facilities; her most recent position was at the Manhattan Urgent Care Clinic.

            Avila earned her bachelor’s degree with an emphasis in health sciences from Des Moines University Osteopathic Medical School, and completed health sciences studies at Washburn University in Topeka.

            She also has a bachelor’s in business administration from Baker University.

            She married Don Avila a year ago, and has two sons and six grandchildren.

St. Rose Health Center specializes in primary care, prevention and wellness. Services include St. Rose Family Medicine, Convenient Care Walk-in Clinic, Great Bend Internists, Imaging, Cardiac Rehab, Physical Therapy, Golden Belt Home Health & Hospice and a comprehensive Specialty Clinic.

St. Rose Health Center complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age disability, or sex.