Ellsworth County Medical Center’s newest physician, Dr. Easton Casey, introduced herself to the community Sept. 30, during a breakfast meeting of the Ellsworth Kiwanis Club.

Casey, who specializes in family medicine, started seeing patients Monday.

“I’m so excited to be here,” she said. “I’ve literally trained my entire life to finally be in a rural hospital in a great community.”

Her husband, Kody Koester, is a pharmacist at F&M Drug in downtown Ellsworth.

Casey grew up in Natoma. After graduating from Natoma High School, she received her undergraduate degree from Bethany College in Lindsborg. Casey then attended medical school at the University of Kansas, Wichita campus and completed her residency at Wesley Medical Center, also in Wichita.

ECMC is her first job after completing her residency.

Casey and Kody live on a farm in Lincoln County. She noted Ellsworth is a halfway point between her family in Natoma and Kody’s family in Conway Springs.

“It was just a great fit,” Casey said. “We both come from rural farming communities and that would be the vibe we got from this place. It’s a very Christian town and it seems like a great place to raise a family.”

Casey said growing up she has always wanted to become a physician.

“I’ve always been interested in the sciences,” she said. “Medicine is a great way to help people in all stages of life, whether you are treating or preventing, you can make a great impact on someone’s life.

Casey said diabetes is her passion, so at ECMC she will be focusing on diabetes patients, as well as doing of pediatric and well woman visits — plus everything in between.

She plans to work daily in the Rural Health Clinic in Ellsworth, but will also work one day a month at the Rural Health Clinic in Holyrood and one day a month at the Rural Health Clinic in Lucas.

When it comes to practicing medicine, Casey said she tries to make everything patient-driven. She said patients are the ones who know themselves the best, so the answer to their medical conditions is found within their story.

Casey said her biggest challenge at ECMC is joining such a well-established staff.

“Some of them have been here for many years,” she said. “That’s great for patients. The relationship with patients and their families as well is such a special one and that requires a lot of trust.”

She said the greatest reward in being at ECMC is having the opportunity to serve people from all walks of life, throughout their entire lives.

“You see them as babies, you get to age with them, and you understand the backstories which helps you take care of the entire family,” Casey said.

“We’re so proud to have her here in the community,” said Jim Kirkbride, ECMC chief executive officer. “It’s such a blessing to have somebody of her talent and rural experience. She is going to add such a great value to the medical group we already have — a very seasoned group.”

Kirkbride said the communities served by ECMC are going to embrace Casey.

“She’s going to be here a long, long time,” he said. “It’s just a great moment for us to add Dr. Casey to our medical group.”

Casey said she and her husband plan to become involved in the community.

“We’d like to, yeah,” she said. “We’re learning about what opportunities are out there.”

Although she is just starting her career, Casey said she and Kody would like to plant long-term roots here.

“I hope the community agrees and that we’re able to stay here as long as we can,” she added.