WHITEHALL — Whitehall has a new health care provider in town with the opening of Jennifer Koetje’s private practice, known as Compass Pointe Medical Center, downtown on Colby Street.
Koetje, a certified physician assistant (PA-C), celebrated her new space with a ribbon cutting last Wednesday, June 12. Her office actually opened late last year, but she kept it quiet as she worked out the kinks of her new practice.
Koetje has a small staff - she joked the practice is “one and a half” people - and that’s by design.
“I don’t want to be big. I want to be small,” Koetje said. “I want to have more continuity of care so I’m here for patients. The Medicare patients like that. They don’t like to be shuffled around. Knowing that there’s someone here that can (reach us), it’s easy access. I love my location.”
Koetje went independent in hopes of providing that kind of focused care, “patient-led care” as she puts it.
“It’s something that I always wanted to do,” Koetje said. “It was how PA’s evolved, working with another physician, and serving the community. That’s what I want- to get back into taking care of the patients and a healthier community.”
Koetje’s office can handle most care matters - physicals, well-child exams, chronic care management and walk-ins. Any sort of lab work that requires blood to be drawn needs to take place elsewhere, as do x-rays.
The new office’s hours are 8:30 to 4:30, Monday through Thursday. Koetje usually handles administrative work on Fridays.
“I didn’t grow up here, but I’ve lived here the last however many years,” Koetje said. “This is home. I just wanted to have a different feel, and I found a spot. I don’t know how I ended up here, but space is hard to find. They’ve been great.”
